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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Ghost Hunting at Vancouver Barracks and Hospital

The military barracks in Vancouver, Washington have stood there for many years. Though the oldest building only dates back to the mid-late 1800s, Native Americans, traders, and explorers have lived and died on the site for hundreds of years. The barracks were actually in use until 2011. The hospital opened in 1904 and closed in the '40s, though it was in use as offices until the 1990s. It now stands empty and in disrepair. and it's this building that most of the "ghostly legends" center around. Tens of thousand of patients were treated there during its time as a hospital, and untold hundreds (thousands?) died. In the basement area is the old morgue where the deceased were stored and perhaps autopsied before burial.

Staff and visitors to the hospital when it was still in use as offices reported strange noises, slamming doors, and the sound of people where no people should be. Now that the building is empty it of course attracts all sorts of ghost stories and such. It's not possible to go inside, but we walked around the outside of the building and took pictures of that and a few of the other buildings.

Is the site haunted? I think so, yes. I can definitely sense a lot of heavy "something" there, though I suspect many of the tales of ghostly mischief have been exaggerated over the years. Be that as it may, it's definitely a beautiful and historic place to visit, and the open space offers one a beautiful view of Mount Hood in the distance. Enjoy!

Mt. Hood

Twisted tree and barracks

Old building

Old housing

Vancouver Barracks Hospital

Do ghosts dwell here?