West Virginia Penitentiary Investigation (Ghost Hunt PTR)

[coasterdave]

So it is that time for another Paranormal Investigation Report. This stop is at the former West Virginia State Penitentiary located in Moundsville, West Virginia on Saturday May 29th. This is another one of those public investigation that anyone can go on as long as you pay the fee to go in on a certain night that you reserve. I made this reservation back in February and all public tour where sold out the first week of march. It is one of those if you plan on going then you better snag a date early in the year.

 

For over one hundred twenty-five years, the West Virginia Penitentiary housed the most violent criminals in the state and was once known as the bloodiest institution in the nation. It consist of 10 acres and is modeled after Joliet prison but is just half the size. This facility would be ranked on the United States Department of Justice's Top Ten Most Violent Correctional Facilities list. One of the more infamous locations in the prison, with instances of gambling, fighting, raping, and murder, was a recreation room known as "The Sugar Shack". This is where the inmates came to relax but 90% of the time there was no guards watching them. It was a free for all the majority of the time.

 

There had been 94 execution take place at this Prison with 85 by hanging and the rest got to sit in 'Ol Sparky', which was built by an inmate. Executions where banned in 1965. The chair is still here but on display only. You can see it before entering the prison.

 

And now lets get this underway but you will noticed some of the pics in this report might look strange than my last few I did. I took some pics with my infrared camera. this was the first place I used it at so bare with me till I get the hang of it:

 

This is where you came to talk with people in the Prison

 

 

This is one of the 'Crow's Nest' that guards would be in watching over the inmates.

 

 

This will give you a better idea of the 'Crows Nest' guards used.

 

 

This was some art that was done by some of the inmates that where doing time. All the artwork was done by the inmates in this prison. Some where very talented and had alot of time on their hands also.

 

 

Here is where the inmates that where allowed out of their cell came to eat. Also a place that had afew stabbings over bread and potatos. Hate to die over a piece of bread myself.

 

 

Here is the Admin part of the prison. It was off-limits due to safety concerns and is where the Pentagram in the window is located.

 

 

This is the Admin Part in Infrared. Gives it that eerie look?

 

 

This is one of the oldest part of the prison known as the North Wagon Gate. This use to be where inmates where brought in and out. It also served another purpose.

 

 

It was also where alot of the hangings took place. A wagon was pulled up under the trap door and after the inmate was dead then they where lowered down into a pine box. They where either claimed by the family or buried in the prison boneyard.

 

 

This was the way to 'The Hole' or solitary confinement. A place that consist of a cell four feet by four feet wide with no lights and a bucket to sit on. Bread and water where giving out once a day and where giving no showers and used the bucket as your bathroom that might be emptied once a week if you where lucky. This place broke alot of men.

 

 

This what is left of one of cells in 'the Hole'.

 

 

Alot of dust in the air

 

 

During a break I checked out 'Old Sparky'

 

 

This guy did time at this prison and was perplexed why he paid to come back to see it. He had some really wild stories to tell.

 

 

Looking down from the second level cell block H to the floor.

 

 

This is the kitchen where a smell of sulfur was in the air. DId not stay to long here with the smell in the air.

 

 

The Kitchen in Infrared

 

 

The IR Light was set abit to strong I would thing.

 

 

The lone bed in the infirmary

 

 

Since everyone of these I have done I have included a pic of a toilet then why should I change now?

 

 

Welcome to the famous 'Sugar Shack'

 

 

As you can see there is alot of artwork in the Sugar Shack. Notice the bad painted ghost in the left side of the picture for that is what MTV did when they filmed 'FEAR' here afew years back. ANd yes they got fined for damaging a Historic Building for doing that.

 

 

Back into 'the Hole' we go again

 

 

Group doing an EVP Session in complete darkness.

 

 

One of the Guard Towers

 

 

Some of the writings in one of the Max Cells

 

 

Some really strange artwork in the cell blocks

 

 

Looking down from top of a cell block

 

 

A cozy cell for two

 

 

While I spent a full 10 hours here I did not catch one thing that would say this place is Hunted or any type of Paranormal Activity is going on. I still have about two hours of audio to go back over but as of now I would say there is no activity going on here after my first visit here.

 

Rest of Digital Stills:

 

Rest of IR Photos:

[cedarpointfangirl]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing! This is something that truly fascinates me. I think this is the place that they had on one of this last seasons "Paranormal State" episodes. I remember Ryan Buell had gone back of to the area where the Pentagram was. He was trying to confront something that had truly terrified him from a past visit, or haunted him since he was a kid.

 

 

 

Have yall ever done an investigation on the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO. ?

 

Again, thanks for sharing!

[coasterdave]

This is the place that you are referring about that was on Paranormal State. I am hoping that some repairs are made to that area between now and next year when I visit. I will say that just visiting this place was well worth the trip but when you do something like this there will be times that you will walk away with no evidence. But there are times when I walk away with some pretty great stuff such as when I investigate Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV. That place has never disappointed me plus walking out with scratches does make me want to go back but I will go into that in my next report that should be up by weeks end before Heading to Alabama for an investigation with my group.

 

I have not been to the Stanley Hotel but it is on my list as a possible winter visit if I can work it out. It would be great to investigate and sleep in a room there if you ask me.

[Chris Benvenuto]

^ Did you happen to watch the Ghost Adventures episode on it? They caught some interesting activity and EVP's.

[imawesome1124]

^I saw that episode and it was pretty good.

 

 

 

^^^^Those infrared shots are just plain creepy, escpecially the one of the Admin building.

[YoshiFan]

Cool pictures especially of the Sugar Shack since it was hard to get a good look at it on FEAR when it was dark, I used to really enjoy watching FEAR until I found out it wasn't real with all the extras MTV added like sounds and the episode filmed there was my favorite of the series.

[coasterdave]

Yea I saw when the Ghost Adventures where at the Prison and they did get some pretty good stuff. I guess I was not in the right place at the right time but this place is known to be either hot with activity or nothing at all. I am hoping to try to get back up there this year to give it another go with some more equipment that I have got in since my visit.

 

I also enjoyed Fear when it was on.