Kings Park Psychiatric Center

History: Originally opened as an annex to the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn before it became a part of New York City, this hospital was meant to be a farming colony. It was established in a quiet little seaside village called St. Johnland, which was part of the Smithtown Township near the Nissequogue River and bordering the Long Island Sound at a picturesque bluff. The town would eventually take on the name Kings Park in reference to the hospital's origin and the town's park-like setting. In earlier times, the patients worked to help maintain this self-sufficient community through occupational therapy growing their own food, making their own clothing, and building anything else they required. The hospital even had its own railroad spur, which delivered supplies and visitors from out of town, and a vast underground tunnel system that connected most of the buildings. For a few years things went well and the hospital formed a very popular nursing school, which taught nursing students from all over the country. However, overcrowding quickly became an issue and more buildings were built to house the growing patient population. It became increasingly difficult for the staff to properly care for the growing number of patients. By 1895 the hospital was taken over by the state due to allegations of corruption and abuse. Over the years the patient population continued to soar until it reached approximately 10,000 patients drastically outnumbering the staff. In order to house all of its patients over 150 buildings were built, as the years went on. There were 5 building groups, another group dedicated to veterans, a dairy farm, piggery, a canal, boat basin, sewage treatment plant, and 3 separate power plants. Eventually, when the hospital closed its doors after over 110 years of service, most of its buildings were left abandoned. The half of the property north of St. Johnland Road was turned into the Nissequogue River State Park, while 3 buildings on the other half south of St. Johnland Road remained under control of the Office of Mental Health. Many of its patients were transferred to other hospitals like Pilgrim State, while some were simply released onto the streets. Although many buildings have been demolished, close to 50 remain abandoned and are constantly being trespassed upon by thrill seekers, ghost hunters, urban explorers, homeless vagrants, thieves, and vandals. There are also many camel crickets living down in the basements and tunnels. In the summer of 2012 a demolition project began that would eventually remove another 19 structures from the former hospital grounds. To view a historic timeline of the KPPC go to this link: http://kppcajourneythroughhistory.webs.com/kppchistoricaltimeline.htm
Reported Haunts: There are ghostly rumors of the underground tunnels being haunted by several former patients, who were allegedly killed by staff members after being tortured. One was a 17-year-old girl named Marie, who died as a result of electroshock therapy. The playing field is supposed to be haunted by a girl named Amanda and a black phantom dog. Apparitions have been seen inside of Buildings 7, 29, 93 and 136 along with ghostly voices that were heard. A gurney has been seen moving on its own inside of the basement of Building 93. Strange banging sounds are often heard in mostly every abandoned building on the property, but especially in Buildings 7, 15, 21, 22, 23, 93, and the quad buildings of Group 4. The spirit of Joseph, a former patient, haunts the old recreation center, Building 23. Children can sometimes be heard playing in the old playground of Group 2 and screams have been reported coming from within Wisteria House, or Building 15. One legend tells of a patient nicknamed Mary Hatchet, who killed her parents with an axe and after spending years at the hospital, was gunned down by police in an escape attempt. This legend has even led to a feature film entitled “Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet.” There are many such variations and tales of former patients, who haunt the hospital’s buildings and the surrounding grounds. Visitors to the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center have complained of experiencing dizziness, distress, abandonment, a sensation of being watched, and a feeling of absolute terror. The hospital also had 3 separate cemeteries. The bodies from the first were relocated into a mass grave forming the second cemetery, so a high school could be built in place of the first cemetery. Photos with misty apparitions have been taken at this second cemetery, which used to have one single cross to represent all of the dead interred there. The third cemetery was established on the site of the grazing field for the old piggery, where an apparition was said to have chased several people out of the gate and down the road.
Evidence Collected: Multiple EVPs from Buildings 7, 23, 40, 41, 42, 43, 82, and 93; Photos of ghostly mist inside and in front of Building 93; Videos with unexplained music from inside of Building 136; Personal experiences of several team members inside of the buildings, throughout the grounds, and at Tiffany Field.