AMERICA'S FIRST INSANE ASYLUM: The Horrifying Truth and Hauntings of Eastern State Hospital
In 1773, America opened its first mental hospital where patients were chained to walls, strapped into terror-inducing "tranquilizer chairs," and buried in unmarked graves—and some say they never left.IN THIS EPISODE: Eastern State hospital was originally known as the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds, built in 1773. It was America’s first mental asylum – and the horrors in the minds of its patients couldn’t compare to the horrors of the asylum itself. (The Hauntings of Eastern State Mental Asylum) ***
Weirdo family member Krysta Lee shares a personal encounter with a spirit in her bathroom. (Cool Hand On My Shoulder) *** Belief in witches, hexes, and powerful spirits was prevalent in the 19th century, and into the 20th century. In fact, in rural areas of Pennsylvania, it might still be practiced today. So it’s the perfect setting for a murder involving curses, and a local witch. (The Witch of Ringtown) *** Parking tickets, floppy disks and escaped victims – these helped catch a handful of serial murderers who would likely have never been caught otherwise. (When Killers Capture Themselves) *** It’s been called a freak of nature, as weird as it is beautiful. Seen here are terrifying flying entities, giant skeletons, and even the legendary Bigfoot. We’ll look at the mysterious, strange, and dangerous Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. (Bigfoot, Giant Skeletons, and Okefenokee Swamp)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:01:02.944 = Show Open00:03:07.033 = Hauntings Of Eastern State Mental Asylum00:13:13.377 = Cool Hand On My Shoulder00:14:07.521 = When Killers Capture Themselves00:27:05.595 = The Witch of Ringtown00:41:36.173 = Bigfoot, Giant Skeletons, and Okefenokee Swamp00:46:41.181 = Show CloseSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The Hauntings of Eastern State Mental Asylum” by Inigo Gonzalez for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/y7n4tnk6“Cool Hand On My Shoulder” by Weirdo family member Krysta Lee“The Witch of Ringtown” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/y9a6n4q2“When Killers Capture Themselves” by Abbey White for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/ybpl4cfo“Bigfoot, Giant Skeletons, and the Okefenokee Swamp” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: https://tinyurl.com/y8emzv4f=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: July 14, 2020EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/EasternStateHospitalABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#HauntedAsylum #DarkHistory #TrueCrime #Paranormal #AbandonedPlaces
