"Old Sparky"
The original Electric Chair
on display at the jail
Saturday September 3rd, 2011 This Bus Tour is now Sold Out!!
Haunted
Hamilton presents this very unique overnight Haunted Bus Trip to
West Virginia State Penitentiary
in Moundsville, WV (as featured on A&E's Paranormal State ("Darkness Falls" episode), Scariest Places on Earth, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Fear and more!
The West Virginia State Penitentiaryis a retired, Gothic style prison located in Moundsville, West Virginia. It operated from 1866 to 1995.
In 1863, West Virginia seceded from Virginia at the height of the American Civil War. Consequently, the new state had a shortage of various public institutions, including prisons.
The structure was originally built for 480 prisoners, but by the early 1930s it housed a total of 2,400. At times, three prisoners would be assigned to one of the tiny five by seven cells.
In 1929, construction to expand the prison began, but because of the shortage of iron due to the war, it was not completed until 1959.
In 1986, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled the small cells were cruel and unusual punishment and ordered the prison to be closed. In 1995, the last prisoners were transferred out of Moundsville.
Violent History
In the late 1800s Moundsville took over all executions for the state. The first one being in 1899.
In all, 85 men were hanged and 9 electrocuted and “Old Sparky” the original chair is still on display at the prison.
The executions were only a small part of the violent past at Moundsville.
Suicide, murder and violent punishments contributed to the death of hundreds of inmates.
Because of poor record keeping, the exact number of inmates who died violent deaths while incarcerated at Moundsville is unknown, but they say that just under 1,000 people died within the prison walls.
Harsh Punishment
In 1886, prison officials were exposed for hiding whips and other items, used to punish incorrigibles, from the state inspectors.
But after one of the superintendent's resigned from the prison, he did a "tell all" interview with The Enquirer, exposing the violence and torture on inmates by prison officials.
Because the prison was built within close proximity to the old Native American burial ground called Grave Creek Mound, some believe that the legend coupled with its violent past is why it is haunted.
Grave Creek Mound:
At 62 feet high and 240 feet in diameter, the Grave Creek Mound is the largest conical type burial mound in the United States of America. The city name of Moundsville was derived from the many Indian mounds that once occupied the area.
Ghost Stories
Even before its closure in 1995, West Virginia Penitentiary had grown the reputation of being extremely haunted.
So, with its violent past, deplorable conditions and two major riots, Moundsville Penitentiary is a popular destination for those who study paranormal activity.
Some claim that the prison is plagued with what is called, residual haunting, which are defined as a replay of a tragic event from the past.
There are several areas in the prison known as "hot spots" where an unusual amount of paranormal activity reportedly occurs. Such places include: the Chapel, shower cages, Death Row, the Sugar Shack, which was a recreational area and the North Wagon Gate which is where death row inmates were taken to be hanged before the facility used the electric chair.
Back in the administration building is a room known as "The Wheel House," which consists of a revolving door made completely out of iron bars and is how prisoners entered the prison. It has been known to rotate by an unseen force. The North Hall is also reportedly quite active. It used to house the most dangerous inmates and was dubbed "The Alamo." The Hole is also quite notorious, with visitors feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or fear by a "presence." It was used for solitary confinement for unruly inmates. Tales of spectral encounters or mysterious sounds seem to emanate from all areas of West Virginia Penitentiary, earning it the reputation of being one of the more haunted places in the United States.
One of the better-known phantom inmates believed to still walk the halls of West Virginia Penitentiary is R.D. Wall. During his stay, it is said that he was liked by all and used by both the guards and inmates alike to transfer information. The story goes that some new inmates saw Wall speaking with the warden one time and mistakenly considered him a snitch. Three inmates cornered him in the basement of the administration building and savagely attacked him, leaving his body headless and chopped up. To this day, people report seeing his spirit wandering around the basement, either with or without his head.
One of the pen's "hot spots" for paranormal activity is the "Sugar Shack". The Sugar Shack is a room in the basement that was used as in indoor recreation room. When the weather was too severe (strong storms or terribly cold temperatures) the prisoners were sent into the Sugar Shack rather than the outdoor recreation yards. The prisoners were pretty much left alone in this room, a guard would only periodically check in on them. Even though no one was killed in the Sugar Shack, there was a lot of violence and injuries. Also, "other things" would happen in this room that gave it the nickname...definitely not pleasant to think about!
The structure known as North Wagon Gate also has its fair share of paranormal experiences. As previously mentioned, this building was used in the early days to carry out the hangings. One of the ghosts believed to still exist in this area is that of Orville Paul Adkins, who had the thrill of being dropped from the second floor trap door not once, but twice. Visitors also report feeling a sinister presence or the feeling of being watched from some force invisible to the eye.
NOTE: You MUST have your PASSPORT to join us on this
trip! If
you haven't got one yet, visit the Passport
Office in Downtown Hamilton in person
(in person is much faster than by mail
Applying through the mail takes about 4 weeks to receive)
Unfortunately,
anyone under 18 is not allowed to attend this trip
due to the rules and regulations set in place by the
Moundsville Economic Development Council
We
will depart Hamilton via a fully chartered, luxury bus
with an on-board washroom facility. We will make several
pit-stops along the way until we arrive in Pittsburgh, PA where we will stop for a delicious dinner at the (To Be Decided) (which
is included in the trip cost too!)
After
dinner, you have some free time for sightseeing or shopping in Downtown Pittsburgh.
After
our dinner/shopping break, we'll make our way to Moundsville, West Virginia as the dead of night
approaches. We'll arrive at the WV Penitentiary just
in time for a guided tour of the jail before we're
"let loose" into the depths of the creepy, dark,
and oh, did we mention EXTREMELY HAUNTED building!!
TRIP
ITINERARY
Day 1
8:00
a.m.
Depart
Hamilton
8:30
a.m.
Vineland
Pick-Up
11:00
a.m.
Quick
Lunch at Rest Stop
1:00
p.m.
Pit-Stop
for Bathroom Break
3:00
p.m.
Dinner at Old Country Buffett
in Butler, PA (included in price!)
4:00
- 5:30 p.m.
Free
time for shopping
6:00
p.m.
Evans City Cemetery, the opeing Cemetery in George Romero's 1968 movie,
Night of the Living Dead
Passport
Needed!! Please
ensure you pack this to avoid delays and problems
at the U.S. border.
Comfy
Clothing
(since we will be on the bus quite a bit!)
Blanket
& Pillow
(to use for sleeping on the bus)
Good,
comfy shoes!
You'll be on your feet all night walking through
the dark corridors and up winding steel staircases...
heels are definitely NOT recommended!! The jail
contains hazards including, but not limited to,
narrow corridors, steep stairs, and uneven surfaces.
Sweaters,
Jackets, etc
(to keep yourself warm outdoors and inside the jail)
Extra
Spending Money in U.S. Currency (for
your lunch, breakfast and pit-stops, and for any
extra goodies you might buy on the trip!)
Camera
(you won't want to forget this experience, and
who knows, maybe you'll capture something on film!)
Camcorder
(same as above...)
Paranormal
Investigation Tools
(We'll have these for sale during the trip too,
including Pendulums, Divining Rods, Protective
& Healing Crystals, and lots more!)
