We were drawn to the quiet hills of West Virginia and the Sweet Springs Sanitarium, which is both a historic site and paranormal hotspot. Originally built in the late 18th century, the property was once a grand resort, attracting the wealthy to its mineral springs. The springs, believed to have healing powers, drew visitors eager to “take the waters” for their health.
Developed by William Lewis after the Revolutionary War ended, with architectural contributions from Thomas Jefferson, the building’s Federal-style design still impresses despite decades of decay. With columns and symmetrical designs, the structure echoes Jefferson’s other iconic work.
Do you love ghosthunting in West Virginia? Be sure to check out Moundsville Penitentiary, TransAllegheny Lunatic Asylum, Martinsburg Roundhouse and Lake Shawnee Amusement Park!
As the 19th century progressed, Sweet Springs transitioned from a resort to a sanitarium. It treated tuberculosis patients for decades before serving as a nursing home. By the 1990s, the building closed, leaving it in disrepair.
Despite its deterioration, Sweet Springs has drawn attention for restoration efforts. Preservationists and developers aim to breathe new life into the historic building. Its unique architectural connection to Thomas Jefferson makes it a valuable piece of history. Efforts to restore the site continue, but the sheer scale of work has slowed progress.
Slavery at Sweet Springs
Sweet Springs, like many estates and resorts in the southern United States during the 18th and 19th centuries, was connected to the institution of slavery. The area’s reliance on enslaved labor played a significant role in its development, particularly during its early years as a luxury resort and agricultural site.
Lewis, like many wealthy landowners of the time, enslaved men, women and children to construct and operate his property. Enslaved people worked in various capacities, from building the original resort structures to maintaining the grounds, farming the land and working in the resort itself. Enslaved workers were essential to the daily operations of the resort, serving guests, preparing meals, cleaning, and maintaining the property. Their labor was a crucial, yet often overlooked, part of the resort’s functioning and success.
The Sweet Springs estate was not just a resort but also a plantation. The people Lewis enslaved worked the land, tending to crops and livestock that supported both the estate and the resort. The agricultural output helped sustain the property and contributed to the wealth of its owners.
After the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, the economic and social structure of the South, including places like Sweet Springs, underwent significant changes. While the resort continued to operate for several decades after the war, the loss of free labor and the shifting economy altered its operations. Formerly enslaved individuals were replaced by paid workers, although records of their transitions are not well-documented.
While much of Sweet Springs’ history focuses on its role as a luxury resort and later a sanitarium, the contributions and suffering of the enslaved people who helped build and sustain the property are an important part of its story. Though specific records about the individuals enslaved at Sweet Springs may be scarce, their presence and contributions remain an integral, if often overlooked, aspect of the site’s historical narrative.
Sweet Springs’ Haunted History
The building’s long history and current state have also fueled interest from paranormal enthusiasts. Like many abandoned buildings, Sweet Springs has earned a reputation as a haunted location. Along with its historical significance, Sweet Springs is very, very haunted. Visitors and paranormal enthusiasts flock to the site, drawn by tales of ghostly encounters. Many report seeing apparitions of former patients, wandering the empty halls in hospital gowns. A woman in white is frequently spotted near the springs or drifting down the corridors, evoking a sense of loss.
Unexplained sounds also fill the building. Visitors often hear disembodied voices, footsteps, and slamming doors with no source, and we heard many during our own investigation at Sweet Springs. Cold spots, particularly in former patient rooms, add to the unsettling atmosphere. Within minutes of entering the building, we encountered a shadow figure and a member of our group got a photo. Sometime later and a floor above, I realized, as I was writing this article, that I had photographed a full-body shadow figure. Throughout our investigation, we heard knocks, door slams and bangs. While investigating alone in a hallway, well away from the others in my group, I heard some pretty blatant rustling in the room opposite me, and then answered by even more rustling in the room right behind me.
Even the once-celebrated springs are said to be haunted. Some claim to see ghostly figures near the water, believed to be spirits of those who sought healing but never recovered. Because of the condition of the grounds around the spring house and all the debris hidden by the weeds, we did not investigate it other than a quick visit. It just wouldn’t have been safe.
For now, Sweet Springs Sanitarium remains a fascinating mix of history and haunting. Restoration efforts continue, with hopes to return the site to its former grandeur. Stories of its ghostly past keep drawing curious visitors, lovers of the abandoned and paranormal enthusiasts. For now, Sweet Springs remains a fascinating relic of West Virginia’s past, with its future hanging in the balance.
Know Before You Go
All proceeds from your “donation” for holding a paranormal investigation goes directly toward the preservation, maintenance and restoration of Sweet Springs Resort Park.
Sweet Springs is approximately four hours from the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. There are no hotels in the same town, but we stayed overnight at nearby New Castle VA, about 40 minutes away. You may be able to arrange to stay right on the property.
Sweet Springs is truly in the middle of no where, and you’re likely to loose the ability to use your cell phone as you get closer to the old sanitorium. Take screen shots of gps directions to ensure you can get there — and back. There are restrooms in a building on the other side of the parking lot from the main building where most of our investigations took place. There is electricity in the buildings.
Getting there: 19540 Sweet Springs Valley Rd, Gap Mills, WV
Hours: check the website below for availability of tours
Website: Sweet Springs Resort Park
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