The Ridges

Athens, Ohio is a tremendously old and historical town in Southeast Ohio. One major part of Athens history is what is known as the Ridges. Anyone that has seen the Ridges has experienced this chilling building that rest atop the hill. This particular building once functioned as the Athens Lunatic Asylum from 1874 to 1911 and the Athens Asylum for the Insane from 1911 to 1944. During the period of time of 1944 to 1968, the building was known as the Athens State Hospital. These particular time frames are surprising to some individuals because the building is mostly known for being a mental institute rather than a hospital. The institute shut down in 1993 when the land was deeded to the University. Lobotomy, hydrotherapy, and electroshock, and psychotropic drugs were considered to be some of the extreme medical procedures that took place during these times. Now, these methods are viewed as inhumane and morally wrong. Around the 1950’s, the “hospital sat on well over 1,000 acres, was using 78 building and was treating 1,800 patients” (Athens Lunatic Asylum). According to Wikipedia, the hospital was once one of Ohio’s largest employers, due to the size of the facility and the amount of patients. Today, the hospital is a popular spot where many people claim sightings of paranormal activities. Altogether 1,930 people are buried at the three separate cemetery locations on the Ridges site. We don’t know about you, but we aren’t the kind of people to mess around with paranormal happenings. The widespread rumor is surrounded by the idea of the woman, named Margaret Schilling, who was left behind and forgotten, her bloodstain now haunts the building and anyone who encounters it. What do you believe? 

For more fun information regarding the Ridges- check this site out:

 http://www.squidoo.com/TheRidges?utm_source=google&utm_medium=imgres&utm_campaign=framebuster

Works Cited:

Athens Lunatic Ayslum. 2012 January 30 . 2012 February 13.

              <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/athens_lunatic_ayslum>.