As the
Halloween season begins, autumn attractions pop up everywhere. From parades and
festivals, to hayrides and outdoor activities. But then there is the Halloween
haunts that invite fear seekers to confront the dark and face their nightmares
if only for a moment of fun.
But even
without the added Halloween glimmer, Pennhurst Asylum, located in Spring City,
Pennsylvania is one scary place. Built in 1908, Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and
Epileptic once housed children of all ages. These children were what
society labeled as misfits, retarded or epileptic and placed in Pennhurst to
shield the general public from having to accept or interact with people who
were less than perfect. But not every child was mentally challenged, there were
also the orphans, who were added to the mix.
Can you
imagine being a child left in such a place? It must have been terrible to be
taken away from your family (if you had the benefit of having one that cared)
and basically dumped off at an institution that labeled and discarded you into
one of their many buildings or cottages. Understaffed the ratio of care taker
to residents was absurd and the institute was severely underfunded, having little
ability to change anything. Children
were basically left to fend for themselves or tied into beds, becoming often
the victims of neglect, beatings and even rape. Children drew into themselves,
failed to progress – some became silent.
In 1968 ,CBS10
exposed the horrific conditions at Pennhurst through a documentary entitled Suffer the Little Children reported
through Bill Baldini. And in 1987
Halderman verses Pennhurst State School and hospital became a widely publicized
lawsuit over the abuse and neglect suffered by some of the residents.
Thankfully,
Pennhurst State School and Hospital closed its doors in 1987.
Currently the
Pennhurst Haunt offers a haunted attraction filled with plenty of grisly scenes
and action packed ghouls to evoke screams from the most brave of heart. But
when the lights dim, some say the spirits of the past still lurk about, filling
the tunnels and rooms of the old massive buildings with ghostly activity.
Pennhurst is said to be truly haunted and often the source of paranormal
investigations. But if you don’t want to temp your fate and go there in person,
feel free to check out what it was like to work in the Mayflower Hall Building
during a Halloween season. (Preview on Amazon.com)
So is the Fear
Is Real logo true of the Pennhurst Haunt?
Absolutely!
Note: Pennhurst
Haunt opens September 20 – November 3rd 2013. (Weekends
and some Thursdays). Check their calendar for specific dates and times. For
more information: http://www.pennhurstasylum.com/
