Staunton, VA - abandoned asylums

[Wheel67]

I went through DeJarnette just before it was boarded up. After reading the comments on the walls I left infested with ghosts. The place is really scary; one expects Nurse Rached to appear from the asbestos dust at any time. I wouldn't advise a visit, but I noticed the usual door down by the bioler building is open again...

i was there too. very freaky

 

[samanthaskates]

I just went there today-it's "Halloween weekend" (kinda) and the weather was overcast and rainy. I am a 21 year old female in an intro to photo class (B&W 35 mm) I went here alone. I first tried to go to the one across the street from Sheetz, and before I could even walk away from my car a cop approached me in his vehicle and told me I couldn't be on state property. Then I discovered the two connected buildings new the Fronteir museum. It was very eerie and I enjoyed the graffeti on the windows and doors saying "I hate you", "Fuck You", "Suck Our dick society", "Y U no let us in", "Come In", and "They told us to Kill"...all perfectly placed in the direction I chose to walk around the building. Every Window was boarded up and all the doors were welded shut or had piles of rocks in front of them. There was much overgrowth. It was thrilling to reach the final side of the building (what I think others refer to as the back entrance) and find a small opening in one of the windows. I broke the window a little more to safely get in without cutting myself too badly and climbed in to the window. It was incredibley dark inside and I took a few flash photos with my 35 mm. I lasted inside the dark building by myself for only 6 minutes and walked down the hall way perhaps 10 yds. I heard something from down the hall at this point and decided to not wander through the dark asylum by myself. I have not developed the film yet but I did take a few photos with my shitty cell phone camera.

door way with rocks and boards

front side of Peery building

the only opening to get in

inside looking out

view of both buildings

 

[j_j_j_j]

those are really great images!

 

[handle2001]

Didn't the old VMI used to be in that area as well? I was born in Charlottesville and my grandmother lived in Waynesboro until she died in 1998, and I remember her telling me something about some old buildings that looked very similar to these being the former location of VMI. My wife and I have seen these buildings on our trips up to MD and been majorly creeped out by them. Samantha you have some real cajones to go trapsing around inside, mad props!

 

[cepwin]

I think photographers are the patron saints of old buildings. The older the better and during renovation. And in black and white for added symbolism. That is one aspect of America that is seldom told, and your pictures add to that point counterpoint surrounding mental health issues.

Good point. With the debates of about mass shootings and gun control in the US the mental health issues have been a topic of discussion. I think in every case the shooter was known to have mental health issues. Problem is, unlike years ago when these buildings were in use, it's virtually impossible to civilly commit someone *before* they do something awful. (That's not to say the old system didn't have problems of it's own, abuse, poor conditions, etc.)

But getting back to photography, old buildings are wonderful subjects and it looks like you really captured what you set out to do. Well done!