Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Hospital

Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Hospital is a former tuberculosis hospital that operated between 1910 and 1961 in Louisville, Kentucky. It reopened as the Woodhaven Geriatrics Center between 1963 and 1981.







History

Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Hospital was constructed between 1908 and July 26, 1910, when it opened in a wood-framed, two-story building designed for 40 to 50 patients. 1 By the early 1910s, with the spread of tuberculosis approaching epidemic proportions, the need for a larger, more permanent building was warranted. Waverly Hills was already grossly overcrowded with 140 patients.

Construction of a new 180,000 square-foot, four-story facility began in March 1924. 4 It opened on October 17, 1926, and featured separate patient rooms, sunrooms, modern laboratories, and recreational spaces with room for up to 400 patients. 1

Tuberculosis, by 1938, was the leading cause of death in Kentucky, and the state had the highest death rate in the nation, partly because of a lack of facilities, a lack of consistent statewide funding for treatment, and a lack of long-term care options. 6 7 8 On average, 2,000 died from the disease each year.

Initial treatment for tuberculosis included fresh air daily, a diet high in ascorbic acid, vitamin A, and protein, and bed rest. 9 Later, pneumothorax treatments were developed that allowed the partial or complete collapse of a lung by the introduction of air into the pleural cavity, giving the lung a chance to rest and heal. Treatment times were shaved in half, from an average of 2oo days to 300 days per patient to an average of 90 days. 10

The development of the drug streptomycin led to a dramatic decline of tuberculosis rates and deaths in the United States. 5 Streptomycin was first isolated in October 1943 by Albert Schatz, a Ph.D. student in a laboratory at Rutgers University as part of a research project funded by Merck and Company. 11 12 The first randomized trial of streptomycin against pulmonary tuberculosis was carried out between 1946 and 1948 by the MRC Tuberculosis Research Unit and was widely accepted to be the first randomized curative trial. 13 The results showed efficacy against tuberculosis. 14

Waverly Hills, in 1950, had 373 patients, but it had dropped to 293 patients by 1960. 15 In 1962, when Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Hospital closed as a tuberculosis hospital and the remaining patients were transferred to Hazelwood. 6

In 1963, the former sanatorium reopened as the Woodhaven Geriatrics Center, a rest home for the elderly. It closed in 1981 when the remaining patients were transferred to Hazelwood Center.

Post-Closure

On March 19, 1996, a non-profit ecumenical group announced plans to construct the world’s tallest statue of Jesus Christ after purchasing the abandoned Waverly Hills complex. 2 The project was a collaboration between local sculpture Ed Hamilton, whose work included several prominent monuments, local businessman Robert Alberhasky, and local architect, Jasper Ward. The 150-foot statue, modeled after the 120-foot high Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, was proposed to rest atop the old sanatorium. The building itself would be converted into an “arts and worship center” with a chapel, theater, and gift shop.

The cost of the statue was $4 million while the interior renovations were projected to cost between $8 million and $10 million. 2 Donations from churches and individuals nationwide were expected to flow in, but by December 12, 1997, the statue plans were dropped after just $3,000 was donated. 3

In 2001, Charles and Tina Mattingly purchased Waverly Hills for $250,000. 4 The Mattingly’s began work to stabilize the hospital, which had been undermined by a previous owner. A new roof was installed on the buildings in 2007, followed by a sprinkler system and the installation of some windows.



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Sources

  1. “Basic Facts About Waverly.” Ron’s Official Waverly Hills Website. 2003. Ron.
  2. “World tallest Christ statue planned for Waverly Hills.” Courier-Journal (Louisville) Mar. 1996: 1.
  3. “Jesus statue ‘would take a miracle’.” Kentucky Post 12 Dec. 1997: 1.
  4. Mateo, Darhiana M. “Owners saving sanatorium.” Courier-Journal (Louisville) 20 Dec. 2006.
  5. “Paris, Bourbon County Welcome Tuberculosis Hospital.” Bourbon County Citizen [Paris], 15 Mar. 1989. p. 15.
  6. United States, Congress, National Park Service, and Jenna Stout. “Kentucky State Tuberculosis Hospitals, 1946-1950.” MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, 2015. Listing.
  7. Patterson, Malcolm. “New Commission to Manage 1st Major TB Program of Kentucky.” Courier-Journal[Louisville], 6 Apr. 1948, p. 4.
  8. “Out for 3 Months Instead of 26, Today’s Tubercular Is In Luck.” Courier-Journal [Louisville], 20 Mar. 1938.
  9. 50th Anniversary, Lawrence F. Flick State Hospital, 1963. Article.
  10. Porter, Marion. “Hazelwood Sanatorium Addition Lacks Funds to Operate.” Courier-Journal [Louisville], 30 Apr. 1944, p. 13.
  11. Comroe, J.H. Jr (1978). “Pay dirt: the story of streptomycin. Part I: from Waksman to Waksman.” American Review of Respiratory Disease. 117 (4): pp. 773–781.
  12. Kingston, W (July 2004). “Streptomycin, Schatz v. Waksman, and the balance of credit for discovery.” J Hist Med Allied Sci. 59 (3): pp. 441–62.
  13. Metcalfe NH (February 2011). “Sir Geoffrey Marshall (1887-1982): respiratory physician, catalyst for anaesthesia development, doctor to both Prime Minister and King, and World War I Barge Commander.” J Med Biogr. 19 (1): p. 10–4.
  14. D’Arcy Hart P (August 1999). “A change in scientific approach: from alternation to randomised allocation in clinical trials in the 1940s.” British Medical Journal. 319 (7209): pp. 572–3.
  15. “Jury Would Use Waverly Hills, Rather Than Hazelwood.” Courier-Journal [Louisville], 28 Jan. 1960, p. 10.

22 Comments

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MY DAD WAS IN THIS HOSPITAL IN THE EARLY 40’S. HE TRIED TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY AND THATS HOW HE FOUND OUT HE HAD TB. I HAVE A OLD PICTURE OF A BUNCH OF THE MEN THERE. HE AND A FRIEND FROM WHERE THEY GREW UP WERE THE ONLY TWO THAT CAME OUT, DADDY AND HIS FRIEND DID FURNITURE REFINISHING. DADDY WAS BORN IN 1922 AND DIED IN 1996 BUT HIS FRIEND DIDN’T MAKE IT THAT LONG. I HOPE THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THE HOSPITAL CAN GET IT FIXED ITS A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND IT WOULD STAND AS A MONUMENT FOR ALL WHO DIED THERE AND THE ONES WHO GOT OUT

Idk ,but I say this to be true I and my ex with a friend jumped the fence one day when in Louisville KY long store short I never do that again as I was walking around I had seen the wildest thing ever in my life I never forget . Not even a cat or dog could move that dang fast. I seen a bent over man that was severely bent over moving dam fast like a demon or some shit like that all I know is Me and my ex and the dude we was with hall ass I got into my vehicle and started it ran like a bat out of hell . Long story short I got home and looked at back of my car I seen two hand prints of a hand in the back bumper that day I. Never f around again this place is truly haunted folks it’s no bs period . I know what I seen and I never jump that gate again period the hell with that . However, I am curious to see this place again bto see if I see anything else and would block to pay the money ..

I’m looking for a way to get medical records for some of the patients, does anyone know where that would be? Thanks for any help.

Hello, I was at Waverley Hills a few years ago for one of the guided tours offered. It was in July ,close to my Birthday and all I wanted that year was to see Waverley hills. I sent pics.ofthree different ghosts to your website. It was a fantastic experience. I hope it re-opens soon.

i am looking for information on Bridget Ryan Norton (c1851 – APR 1920). the timing and place of her death lead me to believe she may have been a patient at Waverly.

thank you,
Denise Sherman

I remember walking through in 2012 and our group had an object thrown at us and you could hear what sounded like a child laughing

I am a Louisville native. Myself and a fairly large group of teens would use Waverly as a weird, morbid sort of playground. Local bands often had photo shoots there. My own, person experiences at Waverly range from absolutely nothing strange to full blown paranormal. I can say that I, personally, experienced "Shadow People", objects being moved, sounds which were not what was expected (that may sound vague but there were many such events ranging from people laughing, typewriters and more) and twice I saw a small creature I can only assume is the "Elemental" others have said to have had longer encounters with there. Is it haunted? With all I experienced there I can give my opinion it is certainly an area where paranormal activity occures, but other than the "Elemental" I never saw anything I can say was a ghost / spirit.

I have an Aunt who has and passed away from this Tuberculosis and I am reminded of all the people here who have also lost their lives to this. I have wanted to take a walk through this place and pray for all who have passed away and all the doctors , staff and family and friends. This building have a lot to offer and I would love to see that a special place in building who offer like an information center for TB and photos of the lives here and not just a gloomy place and hounted.i am so glad that it is not being tore down as I feel that these old places has so much to tell generations to come and I just love seeing them restored and I cant thank you owners enough for this Good Job !!!!! I would love to hear back from you Take care Gail LeCount.

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