A children’s ward was also built to accommodate not only young patients, but also the children of parents who were now too ill to care for them. As the outbreak grew, in 1912, the institution needed to be expanded so that more patients could be transferred there. The Louisville area was hit hard by the tuberculosis epidemic. For this reason, many sanatoriums were built away from the cities on hillsides to create an atmosphere more conducive to healing. Many specialists of the time had the presence of mind to isolate the sick from the general population, in a place where they could easily rest, stay quiet and enjoy the fresh air. However, it is important to understand that between 18, tuberculosis was one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and without an effective drug, treatment or vaccine, the disease killed 15% of those it affected. At that time, the building was designed to house between 40 and 50 people with tuberculosis. Construction began in 1908 and was completed in 1910. The Board of Tuberculosis retained the name after purchasing the property and opening the sanatorium.Īt the beginning of its history, Waverly Hills was only two stories high with a hipped roof and half-timbering. Major Hays liked the name and decided to call his property Waverley Hills.

Her affection for the tiny school, in addition to her appreciation of Sir Walter Scott’s « Waverley Novels » gave her the idea to call the school « Waverley School. Major Hays hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris who became a teacher at the school. So, a school with only one classroom was built on Pages Lanes. At that time, he needed a school for his daughters to attend. The site where Waverly Hills stands today was purchased by Major Thomas H. These stories also emerge in the form of whispers, shadows, apparitions, and even direct contact with visitors to this abandoned place. From experimental treatments for tuberculosis, to other potentially dangerous treatments for poor souls whose brains had been damaged by the disease, to the destroyed fates of nurses with no history, all of these fragments of history have the potential to create an environment where the slightest crunch sends a shiver down your spine. Throughout its history, Waverly Hills Sanatorium has been a sanctuary for tuberculosis patients, but also the scene of hidden and sordid stories. Before there was a cure, people with tuberculosis ended up in sanatoriums, often isolated from the cities, as Waverly Hills was. During its nearly 50 years of operation, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, saw thousands of patients pass through its doors, all of whom had the hope of surviving what was called « the white plague. The word « Sanatorium » referred to a place where tuberculosis patients came to stay in hopes of being cured.

Kentucky sanitarium