Pennhurst Asylum still haunts Spring City, Pennsylvania. It opened as a home to mentally disabled children, but a reporter’s story in 1968 unearthed its true nature, and led to its closing twenty years later. Today, paranormal researchers consider it one of the most haunted places in America. Get the ghastly scoop after the jump.

Pennhurst Asylum: A Place the Ghosts Never Left

Just outside Spring City, Pennsylvania, the looming buildings of Pennhurst Asylum still send chills down visitors’ spines. But it didn’t start as a house of horrors. It opened in 1908 as the Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic, a long-winded title for a place meant to “protect society” from people considered mentally unfit.

And that’s where the trouble begins.

Pennhurst wasn’t just an asylum. It was part of the American eugenics movement, where institutionalization and sterilization were seen as tools to improve the population. That belief led to decades of abuse, neglect, and horrifying treatment.

Some people say the spirits of those victims still walk the grounds.

Key Moments in Pennhurst’s Dark History

Eugenics at Pennhurst: A Dark Experiment

Pennhurst wasn’t just about isolation: It was about social control. During the early 20th century, many believed that people with disabilities were dangerous, morally defective, or genetically weak. Doctors and officials feared they would pass these traits to future generations.

That led to the forced sterilization of residents. Girls and women were often targeted, especially if they showed signs of rebellion or sexual behavior. Even boys were sterilized without consent. These procedures were justified as necessary to “protect the public good.”

Pennhurst’s physicians followed the advice of Dr. Henry H. Goddard, a psychologist and eugenics advocate, who helped create and popularize these policies. He pushed for IQ testing and labeled patients using degrading categories such as imbecile and moron. His theories laid the groundwork for removing people from society and eliminating their ability to reproduce.

Note: Just to be clear, Dr. Goddard never worked at Pennhurst, but his opinions influenced the doctors at the hospital.

This wasn’t fringe science. It was state policy, backed by law. The state believed the “feebleminded” would become violent criminals.

This trauma led the ghosts at Pennhurst to not just be restless … they may be angry.

Hauntings at Pennhurst

Paranormal teams have spent years investigating Pennhurst, and they all agree: It’s one of the most haunted spots in the U.S. Here’s where things get strange:

Quaker Hall

This is the most active building on site. Visitors have reported:

• A little girl’s ghost darting through hallways
• Class A EVPs saying things like “Don’t touch me” and “I’m scared”
• People being scratched or shoved—especially in the basement
• Unseen forces slamming doors or knocking loudly on walls

Some say there’s something darker in Quaker Hall. Not human. Not friendly.

Limerick Building

Known for disembodied whispers and the feeling of being watched. Ghost hunters have recorded:

• Phantom voices saying “Run” and “Don’t go”
• Shadow figures that vanish when approached
• Sudden drops in temperature, often followed by nausea or headaches

It’s one of those places where even the bravest investigators stay close to the exit.

Philadelphia Building

This one flies under the radar, but don’t overlook it.

• Visitors have seen a woman in white, believed to be a former nurse
• Shadow figures move between rooms and disappear
• EMF detectors spike with no power sources nearby

The spirits here seem more curious than hostile—but still deeply unsettled.

Can You Visit Pennhurst?

Yes, but be ready.

Today, Pennhurst offers haunted attractions, paranormal tours, and overnight investigations. They even let ghost hunters rent space for private sessions. The buildings remain chillingly intact, with peeling paint, rusted gurneys, and long echoing hallways.

More at pennhurstasylum.com (not an endorsement or sponsorship).

If you go, remember that this isn’t just about thrill-seeking. This place holds a lot of trauma, and maybe a few restless spirits who never had a voice in life.

Sources

Baldini, Bill. Suffer the Little Children. WCAU-TV, NBC News, 1968.
— A five-part televised exposé revealing abuse at Pennhurst. Available through archives and summarized at preservepennhurst.org.

“Pennhurst State School and Hospital.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Apr. 2024,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennhurst_State_School_and_Hospital.
— Offers a summary of Pennhurst’s history, court cases, and institutional legacy with citations.

Halderman v. Pennhurst State School and Hospital, 446 F. Supp. 1295 (E.D. Pa. 1977).
— Landmark federal case addressing civil rights violations of institutionalized individuals.

Trent, James W. Inventing the Feeble Mind: A History of Mental Retardation in the United States. University of California Press, 1994.
— Academic text on the evolution of mental health treatment in the U.S., including Pennhurst.

Wolfensberger, Wolf. The Origin and Nature of Our Institutional Models. Human Policy Press, 1975.
— Discusses the theoretical and social constructs that supported institutions like Pennhurst.

Lombardo, Paul A. Three Generations, No Imbeciles: Eugenics, the Supreme Court, and Buck v. Bell. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008.
— Discusses U.S. eugenics policies that influenced institutions like Pennhurst.

Goddard, Henry H. The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness. Macmillan, 1912.
— Primary source work used to justify eugenic policy at Pennhurst and similar institutions.

Pernick, Martin S. The Black Stork: Eugenics and the Death of “Defective” Babies in American Medicine and Motion Pictures, 1915–1920. Oxford University Press, 1996.
— Contextualizes the American eugenics movement that supported facilities like Pennhurst.

“Pennhurst State School – Haunted History.” Travel Channel, Warner Bros. Discovery,
https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/ghost-adventures/articles/pennhurst-states-haunted-history.
— Recap of Pennhurst episodes and documented paranormal encounters.

“History & Hauntings of Pennhurst Asylum.” The Dead History, 21 Mar. 2016,
https://thedeadhistory.com/2016/03/21/pennhurst-state-school-history-hauntings.
— Blog post combining historical facts with ghost lore and investigator experiences.

“Pennhurst Asylum – Tours and Events.” PennhurstAsylum.com, 2024,
https://www.pennhurstasylum.com.
— Official site offering access, event information, and site history.

“About Pennhurst.” Preserve Pennhurst, 2024,
https://www.preservepennhurst.org/default.aspx?pg=36.
— Historical details and preservation efforts.

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Have you had an experience at Pennhurst? Is the haunted attraction worth a visit? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading Ghostly Activities. Much appreciated. Take care!