At least three ghosts are said to haunt this area. Do you believe the flimsy attempts of a debunk by the Ghost Hunters team? The Boiler Room: The boiler room is one of the most haunted parts of the prison. Those who have caught a glimpse of him have first felt eyes boring into the back of their head before turning quickly to catch a glimpse. Established in 1866, the West Virginia State Penitentiary continued housing incarcerated people until 1995. 13+ y /o Ages 13+ y/o; 3 hours Duration 3 hours; Twilight Tour. A Moundsville Jail or Prison is a secure facility located in Moundsville, WV where individuals, referred to as inmates, are involuntarily confined and their freedoms and movement are restricted as a consequence of criminal behavior. Terms and Conditions. A Moundsville Jail or Prison is a secure facility located in Moundsville, WV where individuals, referred to as inmates, are involuntarily confined and their freedoms and movement are restricted as a consequence of criminal behavior. Book now! Prisoners controlled the decrepit, 120-year-old West Virginia Penitentiary for two days and killed three inmates before the last hostages were released Friday and the state regained control. The image of the shadow man hit the internet within a matter of days…and with that the debunking attempts began to crawl out of the woodwork. Executed in the fifties, his is the only unmarked grave in the prison cemetery, the reason is unknown. Offender Search (Jails) Offender Search (Prisons) Escapees and Absconders. Opened in 1866, the Moundsville Penitentiary was destined to become one of the most notorious prisons in U.S. history. Whatever the truth of the matter there is certainly something very sinister and unexplained happening. For the next 130 years what followed was abhorrent to most people. State troopers in riot gear encircled the overcrowded, 120-year-old prison and officials made plans to ″take back the institution,″ said Marshall … The Legislature at first directed him to send the prisoners to other institutions out of the state, and then they directed him to use existing county jails, which turned out to be inadequate. The penitentiary has proved to be a great place to learn, explore, excite, and entertain. The hanging of Avril Paul Adkins also went drastically wrong when he fell from the rope and landed on the floor below. With well over 100 years worth of the most violent criminals in the state passing through its stone walls, the prison has picked up a well-deserved reputation for being inhabited by those still serving out their sentences. The second ghost thought to haunt the area is Danny Lehman. A highly talented artist, Lehman’s work can be seen around the prison. This ominous Gothic structure, built in 1866, stopped being an active prison in 1995 and has since been a historic landmark and tourist attraction in Moundsville, West Virginia. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. Moundsville, Northern Regional Correctional Drive Two former employees of the prison also swear that they have heard his voice when visiting the prison. In West Virginia, Moundsville is ranked 42nd of 1046 cities in Jails & Prisons per capita, and 28th of 1046 cities in Jails & Prisons per square mile. Those that visit the Moundsville Penitentiary can certainly testify to its eerie atmosphere and almost palpable ghostly presence. Waverly Hills Sanatorium Paranormal Investigation. Often called one of the most haunted places in America, those interested in the paranormal take advantage of the special events held at the Pen. One of the most interesting facts about this area is that it was cleaned by the female prisoners after an execution. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Touring is not the only popular reason people come to visit the West Virginia Penitentiary. One inmate was reported dead. With this history and located across the street from the sacred burial mound, it is little wonder that the prison quickly became a place of violence, torture and death. Far from a peaceful ruin, this prison with its gory and disturbing history is now home to the Moundsville Penitentiary ghosts and they are not going to go quietly. Wall was rumored to be a snitch within the prison. Experts who then examined the photo pointed out that Polly was actually over 100 feet away from the entity in the picture. Alcatraz, California, U.S. Penitentiary, Prisoner Index, 1934-1963, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Penitentiary, Prisoner Index, 1880-1922, Iowa, Consecutive Registers of Convicts, 1867-1970, Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S. Penitentiary, Name Index to Inmate Case Files, 1895-1936, Louisiana, State Penitentiary Records, 1866-1963, McNeil Island, Washington, U.S. Penitentiary, Photos and Records of Prisoners Received, 1887-1939, Pennsylvania, Prison, Reformatory, and Workhouse Records, 1829-1971, Tulare County, California, Sheriff's Office and Jail Records, 1874-1963, Web: Chester County, Pennsylvania, Criminal and Prison Record Indexes, 1681-1911, View all collections included in this search. Gear didn’t panic or freak out – she calmly drew her camera from her bag and managed to snap this now infamous photograph. Now serving as a tourist destination, this former prison once housed some of the most notorious inmates in all of the country. One of the more popular stories of murder in the West Virginia State Penitentiary is the death of R.D. The little town of Moundsville is an intriguing place, named after the burial mounds found all over the town, it is clearly a place of spiritual importance. The area was used during times of bad weather and was left largely unsupervised by the prison staff. The unsympathetic prison staff merely picked up Adkins and re hung him. The first, the hanging of Frank Hyer, put an end to public executions. Their souls are now thought to haunt his area. Wall also known as the maintenance man, visitors to the hole have seen strange faces appear on the walls and a green mist swirling about the room. Daily Incarcerations. As he dropped through the trap door he was decapitated by the noose around his neck. The Infirmary: Prisoners near death were said to be shipped out to hospital to avoid dying in prison. About Us Contact Us Hopefully by the end of this article, you will have enough information to make your own mind up on the subject. She was gradually retreating from the shadow figure when she used her camera, and when she lowered it from her eye-level…the entity had disappeared. She later claimed that the figure seemed like a black static entity that had a humanoid shape. She shone her torch at it and the beam of light seemed to cut straight through it’s body. West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation > Offender Search. Opened in 1866, the Moundsville Penitentiary was destined to become one of the most notorious prisons in U.S. history.