Moundsville's Haunted History
'(Provided by Ghost Adventures Article on Moundsville)
Prison: It's where we place the worst of humanity. Thieves,
murderers and rapists, we put them behind bars, or we send them to the gallows.
Places like the West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville are a necessary evil
in our society.
For almost 1,000 men, Moundsville's prison was the last stop. Dozens were hung, several electrocuted, many more were murdered by their own kind. Then there were those who couldn't take the sentence of prison living and committed suicide to escape.
The stone walls of the West Virginia Penitentiary have seen hard men broken, dreams shattered and evil punished. The death and carnage have left a mark that will never wash away. By many accounts, some of the tortured souls who served time under this roof are still lurking in the shadows of the prison walls.
History of the Haunted Prison
The story of Moundsville's penitentiary begins in 1863 when West Virginia seceded from Virginia to side with the Union in the North. The newly formed state needed a prison, and the close proximity to then-capital Wheeling made the tiny village of Moundsville the perfect location.
Located on the banks of the Ohio River, the town of Moundsville derives its name from the many Adena Indian burial mounds located here that date back more than a millennium. It would seem this area was a place for death even before the penitentiary rose upon the West Virginia skyline.
Life inside the walls of the West Virginia Penitentiary was hard. Moundsville had the dubious honor of being on The United States Department of Justice's Top Ten Most Violent Correctional Facilities list during its 119-year history.
Prisoners were rarely safe inside these stone walls. Downstairs is one of the most infamous rooms in the complex. The prisoner recreation room was better known as "The Sugar Shack" by the inmates. It was here that illegal activities like gambling, fighting, rape and murder took place.
Life (and Death) Behind Bars
Like many prisons, West Virginia Penitentiary had its own social hierarchy among the inmates. The prisoners had ways of helping each other, but they also had ways of dealing with the rats among them. Inmate number 44670, better known as R.D. Wall, was one such snitch who suffered the ultimate punishment at the hands of his fellow prisoners. On October 8, 1929, Wall was heading down into the bowels of the prison to where the boilers were kept when he was jumped by three other inmates. The men cut and stabbed at R.D. Wall with dull shivs. When they were finished, Wall was literally butchered into pieces. He's only one of the 36 homicides to take place here. Wall is also connected to one of the earliest ghost-sighting reports here at the prison.
Between 1899 and 1949, 85 men were hung from the gallows at the penitentiary. The practice often drew crowds of locals who would come to watch the condemned meet their end. However, the practice of hanging was ruled cruel and unusual punishment in 1951 after the state reviewed some of the botched hangings, including a prisoner who was inadvertently decapitated.
Inmate Bud Peterson from Logan County, the last man hanged here, was put to death on February 25, 1949. He was convicted of murdering a woman over a poker debt. After his sentence was carried out, Peterson's family refused to claim the body, so he was buried in the penitentiary cemetery, where many other unwanted corpses have also found their final resting place.
In 1951, an inmate named Paul Glenn was asked to build an electric chair to carry out future executions. The chair, dubbed "Old Sparky" is still on display here. Nine more prisoners were executed by electrocution before the state of West Virginia finally outlawed capital punishment in 1965.
Living Like Caged Animals
During the 1950s, there was a period where overcrowding was so significant that up to three prisoners were forced to share a five-by-seven-foot cell. There was room for only two steel bunks and a mattress on the cement floor. The men lived liked caged animals, and the pressure led to deadly riots.
In 1986, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that putting men in five-by-seven cells constituted cruel and unusual punishment. In 1995 the prison closed their doors for good, and the inmates were sent to larger facilities that could handle them.
Tortured Souls Still Haunt the Prison
Though the prisoners are gone, they're not forgotten, and by many accounts, the ghosts of some of the 998 men who died here still roam free. There's a shadow man that has been seen and even photographed. Staff of the prison have been accosted by unseen forces. Strange noises still echo throughout the cell blocks, and something dark lurks in the bowels of the building.
For almost 1,000 men, Moundsville's prison was the last stop. Dozens were hung, several electrocuted, many more were murdered by their own kind. Then there were those who couldn't take the sentence of prison living and committed suicide to escape.
The stone walls of the West Virginia Penitentiary have seen hard men broken, dreams shattered and evil punished. The death and carnage have left a mark that will never wash away. By many accounts, some of the tortured souls who served time under this roof are still lurking in the shadows of the prison walls.
History of the Haunted Prison
The story of Moundsville's penitentiary begins in 1863 when West Virginia seceded from Virginia to side with the Union in the North. The newly formed state needed a prison, and the close proximity to then-capital Wheeling made the tiny village of Moundsville the perfect location.
Located on the banks of the Ohio River, the town of Moundsville derives its name from the many Adena Indian burial mounds located here that date back more than a millennium. It would seem this area was a place for death even before the penitentiary rose upon the West Virginia skyline.
Life inside the walls of the West Virginia Penitentiary was hard. Moundsville had the dubious honor of being on The United States Department of Justice's Top Ten Most Violent Correctional Facilities list during its 119-year history.
Prisoners were rarely safe inside these stone walls. Downstairs is one of the most infamous rooms in the complex. The prisoner recreation room was better known as "The Sugar Shack" by the inmates. It was here that illegal activities like gambling, fighting, rape and murder took place.
Life (and Death) Behind Bars
Like many prisons, West Virginia Penitentiary had its own social hierarchy among the inmates. The prisoners had ways of helping each other, but they also had ways of dealing with the rats among them. Inmate number 44670, better known as R.D. Wall, was one such snitch who suffered the ultimate punishment at the hands of his fellow prisoners. On October 8, 1929, Wall was heading down into the bowels of the prison to where the boilers were kept when he was jumped by three other inmates. The men cut and stabbed at R.D. Wall with dull shivs. When they were finished, Wall was literally butchered into pieces. He's only one of the 36 homicides to take place here. Wall is also connected to one of the earliest ghost-sighting reports here at the prison.
Between 1899 and 1949, 85 men were hung from the gallows at the penitentiary. The practice often drew crowds of locals who would come to watch the condemned meet their end. However, the practice of hanging was ruled cruel and unusual punishment in 1951 after the state reviewed some of the botched hangings, including a prisoner who was inadvertently decapitated.
Inmate Bud Peterson from Logan County, the last man hanged here, was put to death on February 25, 1949. He was convicted of murdering a woman over a poker debt. After his sentence was carried out, Peterson's family refused to claim the body, so he was buried in the penitentiary cemetery, where many other unwanted corpses have also found their final resting place.
In 1951, an inmate named Paul Glenn was asked to build an electric chair to carry out future executions. The chair, dubbed "Old Sparky" is still on display here. Nine more prisoners were executed by electrocution before the state of West Virginia finally outlawed capital punishment in 1965.
Living Like Caged Animals
During the 1950s, there was a period where overcrowding was so significant that up to three prisoners were forced to share a five-by-seven-foot cell. There was room for only two steel bunks and a mattress on the cement floor. The men lived liked caged animals, and the pressure led to deadly riots.
In 1986, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that putting men in five-by-seven cells constituted cruel and unusual punishment. In 1995 the prison closed their doors for good, and the inmates were sent to larger facilities that could handle them.
Tortured Souls Still Haunt the Prison
Though the prisoners are gone, they're not forgotten, and by many accounts, the ghosts of some of the 998 men who died here still roam free. There's a shadow man that has been seen and even photographed. Staff of the prison have been accosted by unseen forces. Strange noises still echo throughout the cell blocks, and something dark lurks in the bowels of the building.
Paranormal Guide to Moundsville
Filed under: Haunted
Moundsville, WV, is one of the spookiest places in the United States to
visit. Not only can you see the historic Grave Creek Mound, a massive burial
site, but you can also enter the former West Virginia Penitentiary, at your own
risk.
As Paranormal Challenge host Zak Bagans discovered, the prison was a
gothic monument of pain and suffering ranked by the Department of Justice as
one of the most violent prisons in America. The prison had only one rule: kill
or be killed. This gritty reality left plenty of tortured spirits behind;
today, that past makes it the perfect site for a lockdown or your next haunted
vacation.
Before planning your trip to
Moundsville, WV, check out all the places Zak Bagans and the Paranormal
Challenge crew visited, along with other must-see destinations in West
Virginia.
Getting There
Moundsville, WV, is ripe for a road
trip. If you find yourself too far away, as the Paranormal Challenge crew did,
the most convenient airport is Pittsburgh International Airport located just 16 miles west of downtown
Pittsburgh. Afterwards, rent a car and drive about 2 hours to find yourself in
wild, wonderful West Virginia.
2
Where to Eat
The Pointe
After a night out at the casino, members of the crew and production company enjoyed dinner at this steakhouse on the resort. Reservations are recommended.
Address: 1 S Stone St, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
Alexander’s on 7th
The shoot was catered, and while the crew loved lots of local places, this was one of their favorites. You can visit the “friendly casual dining” spot, you guessed it, on 7th Street.
Address: 508 7th Street, Moundsville, WV 26041
Visit the website
After a night out at the casino, members of the crew and production company enjoyed dinner at this steakhouse on the resort. Reservations are recommended.
Address: 1 S Stone St, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
Alexander’s on 7th
The shoot was catered, and while the crew loved lots of local places, this was one of their favorites. You can visit the “friendly casual dining” spot, you guessed it, on 7th Street.
Address: 508 7th Street, Moundsville, WV 26041
Visit the website
Just a glimpse of the city of Moundsville West Virginia on
Google Maps, you will see there isn’t too much around it’s location, aside from
the Ohio River. If visiting here is some suggestions to add to your trip itinerary.
What to Do
Wheeling Island Casino
A large group of producers and the crew went to the Wheeling Island Casino. Hopefully you’ll have as much luck as they did; one lucky production coordinator walked away $1,000 richer. The resort also features the No.1 Greyhound track in the United States.
Address: 1 S Stone St, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
West Virginia State Penitentiary
While you can’t go on a lockdown like our crew, you can explore the gothic-style structure and its spooky history on a 90-minute tour.
Address: 818 Jefferson Ave, Moundsville, WV 26041
Visit the website
Grave Creek Mound
A National Historic Landmark, the Grave Creek Mound is one of the largest conical-type burial mounds in the US. Built by the Adena culture between 250 and 150 B.C., many remains and artifacts have been discovered in the 60,000 tons of dirt. The Delf Norona Museum is open year-round to visitors. It features the construction of Grave Creek Mound and other archeological exhibits.
Address: 01 Jefferson Avenue, Moundsville, WV 26041
Visit the website
A large group of producers and the crew went to the Wheeling Island Casino. Hopefully you’ll have as much luck as they did; one lucky production coordinator walked away $1,000 richer. The resort also features the No.1 Greyhound track in the United States.
Address: 1 S Stone St, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
West Virginia State Penitentiary
While you can’t go on a lockdown like our crew, you can explore the gothic-style structure and its spooky history on a 90-minute tour.
Address: 818 Jefferson Ave, Moundsville, WV 26041
Visit the website
Grave Creek Mound
A National Historic Landmark, the Grave Creek Mound is one of the largest conical-type burial mounds in the US. Built by the Adena culture between 250 and 150 B.C., many remains and artifacts have been discovered in the 60,000 tons of dirt. The Delf Norona Museum is open year-round to visitors. It features the construction of Grave Creek Mound and other archeological exhibits.
Address: 01 Jefferson Avenue, Moundsville, WV 26041
Visit the website
Upcoming Events in the Area
The 64th
annual Marshall County Fair will be held from July
22-28, 2012. The event will take place on the fairgrounds located on
Eastern Twelfth Street in Moundsville, WV. The fair features something
for everyone—truck pulls, fair pageants, livestock shows, carnival rides, and
much more! Our one price admission allows for family entertainment at an
affordable price. When you are planning your summer fun, remember you
don’t have to go far from home for a good time—Join Us at the Marshall County
Fair!4
Where to Stay
SpringHill Suites Wheeling
Address: 908 National RD, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
Hampton Inn
Address: 795 National RD, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
Address: 908 National RD, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
Hampton Inn
Address: 795 National RD, Wheeling, WV 26003
Visit the website
The Ghost Adventures Investigation
of the Moundsville Penitentiary
Preliminary Investigation
History of Paranormal Activity
Back at the 1930s, the guards would
spot an inmate walking by the wall outside of the maintenance area; they would
sound an alarm and investigate, but would find that no one was there. Other
shadow people have been seen here, such as the famous photograph of a shadow
person down a hall. In 1995, the prison closed its doors for good, but by many
accounts the ghosts of 998 men who died in here still roam free.
1.
Local residents are
interviewed
·
Barbara Applegarth, housewife
o
wITNESS TO A FULL-BODIED ,
6-foot tall, transparent apparition in the basement of the penitentiary, by the
boilers. sHE WAS WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE AT THE TIME. tHE APPARITION BENT DOWN
REACHING FOR SOMETHING ON THE GROUND, TURNED, AND DISAPPEARED.
·
Lori O'Neil, FORMER EMPLOYEE
OF THE PENITENTIARY, WORKED NIGHTSHIFT
o
Reports that on one night
going down to the Sugar Shack, she witnessed a light that formed a mass of a
man who looked like he was digging. She says that in general, if one is investigating ghosts at the
penitentiary, 3:00 AM is the time to be out there, because that is the
"witching hour".
·
One former guard was up at the Wagon Gate
where the gallows were, and the sound of the gallows trap door opening was
heard, but nobody was there.
·
Another eyewitness two years
ago heard "COME MEET THE DEVIL" spoken out loud, and in another
instance saw an older person go into the penitentiary and come back out with a
huge unibrow-like scar on his head.
·
"Redbone"
Richardson, former prison inmate
o
prison inmate from 1966-1983
o
Redbone agrees to show him
around inside the penitentiary for historical context
o
He shows Zak to a "gun
cage" where guards watched over inmates in a dining hall below
o
he says he witnessed during a
riot a man getting hurled into what he was cooking his pot of beans with, and
as the rioters stood on the lid the man was cooked alive until his meat fell
off
o
he then shows which prison
cell he lived in for 9 years
o
Lastly, he shows the other
cell he was in alongside a good friend of his for a period of time, where he
recalls that the friend was killed by other inmates.
·
former internal coordinator
Tom Stiles
o
he shows zak around the
paranormal hot spots, such as the Sugar Shack, which was a recreational area
for the inmates where the officers didn't supervise quite as closely
o
He tells of one paranormal
happening he experienced One day as he was carrying tools through this area
with no one around him when he felt a hand grab his arm.
o
Next, Stiles takes Zak down
to where R. D. Wall was stabbed and beheaded in the boiler room. Noises,
sounds, and voices have been heard in this area, and a face apparition has been
seen as well.
Lockdown
Start time: 8:00pm
End time: Dawn
Tools: Night vision camera, EMF METER
fIRST iNVESTIGATION STOP: North
Hall
·
tHEY PROCEED provOKING the
evil spirits
·
after an hour, some EMF spikes and cold chills, and then
they see a figure pass by a doorway in the direction of the north hall cell
block
·
they investigate further,
setting up a night vision camera there.
·
once ready to start
recording, and as they were about to begin, footseteps leading right to him are
heard. the emf detector peaks up to 40.
·
Three hours into the
investigation, the night vision camera they set up earlier to cover the North
Hall captures a faint EVP of male voices yelling from out of the cells, in
addition to countless unexplained noises of scratching and shuffling, and at
one point the camera readjusts its auto-focus as if something was passing in
front of it, even though nothing is visible at all.
Next investigation stop: the SUGAR SHACK
·
aARON TAKES A STILL SHOT OF
NICK WITH A STATIC NIGHT VISION CAMERA THAT CAPTURES A GLOWING ANOMOLY IN THE
BACKGROUND OF THE PHOTO.
·
nICK GOES IT ALONE, WITH
AARON VIDEO TAPING HIM, AT THE SPOT REPORTED BY THE INTERNAL COORDINATOR AS THE
LOCATION WHERE HE WAS GRABBED BY A SPIRTIT. A PULSATING ORB IS RECORDED ON THE
VIDEO FOOTAGE.
Evidence
1.
Apparition: The "Shadow
Man" photo taken by Polly Gear shows a dark, shadowy, distinctly humanoid
figure standing at the end of a hallway to the right.
2.
Apparition: A digital photo
taken by Aaron shows what seems to be a small, bright orange head with glowing
eyes behind Nick.
3.
EVP: A voice is heard quickly
and briefly laughing and saying "I'll kill you."
4.
EVP: 2 voices are heard
saying "Look, I've gone away", and "Look up, I'll kill
you."
NO COPYRIGHT NEEDED!!! This is for viewing pleasure only All rights go to the Ghost Adventures crew ,Travel channel and to the owner of this video !!! Ghost adventures Moundsville.Penitentiary
