I just got home last evening from a visit to my Aunts and Uncle. I only get down once a year even though it is only around a 5 hour drive.
The photo above is of what I always knew as the "Weston State Hospital". My grandparents lived around the corner from this massive place, across the street from the doctor's residences. When I would visit, I would play with their children, and we would go to parties in one of the buildings on the grounds. It has been closed for many years and has fallen into disrepair. It was purchased privately from the State and it is now called by it's original name,
TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM Building started before the civil war, in what was then Virginia. It has housed thousands of mentally ill people, or not even necessarily mentally ill. I was reading the list of things that could get you commited to this hospital. Some of them included menopause, bad judgement, suspicion of murdering husband, loss of son in war, political mania (uh oh). Seems like if you irritated someone and they wanted to get rid of you, they could commit you to this place. Makes you wonder how many men might have sent their wives here so they could go off and get a new life. It is known that children were commited in this place because of deformities, epilepsy, other things that would easily be taken care of these days.
There is a show called "Ghost Hunters", maybe on Sci Fi or Discovery who went here because of reported hauntings. I guess they concluded it was haunted. Now the hospital is trying to raise money to restore the building by giving tours, and hosting "ghost hunts". We just went on a tour of this main building, all 4 floors. It is massive. I can't believe that they will ever raise enough money to fix it back up because it is in really bad shape. And what could be done with it? It is made up of small rooms with bars on the windows. All of those years of my youth spent around this building and it was the first time I got a look inside. It was an interesting tour. No, I didn't see a ghost. I think you have to be in the spooky frame of mind for that. I'm too logical I guess.
I got started painting my studio to be. I put up a small table with my portable DVD and a movie and painted the inside of what used to be a closet.
It is hard to see the color. It needs a second coat, but it is a dark gold. The outside walls will be several steps lighter. I wanted this dark because There will be custom built shelves in here that will hold my computer and my television. I hope to have shelving tucked into each side of the area that will hold shelves that I can store DVD's, software, books, etc. That is my vision anyway, I guess I will have to wait and see how it will turn out. I really don't like to paint, and I am going to get my husband to do the ceiling for me because it is really hard on my neck and shoulders. My friend offered to help me because she likes to paint, but, I don't want to bother her with doing this. Later on this week, we are getting a floor sander and we are going to work on the wood floor that needs refinished. Truthfully, if I could convince my husband, I would like to just have someone come in, do it all, and bring my stuff upstairs while I sat on the couch with my feet up. I hope that you are all having a nice weekend!
1 comment:
That name is too funny. How times have changed....talk about political correctness...I think it's interesting that someone bought it. Ya never know, could turn into the next Hearst Castle, people will come from all corners to see it. If you build it they will come....
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