In late April 2008 the Ghost Hunters investigated the Weston Asylum.

The Weston Asylum located in West Virginia was previously known as “The Lunatic Asylum West of the Alleghenies.” And now the new owners have renamed it the “Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.”

Here is an article from WBOY-TV as they tagged along today with Jason and Grant.

So what was it like for the TAPS crew seeing the building for the first time?

TAPS member and the groups tech manager Steve Gonsalves says, “When you first drive up to this place you can’t help but think it’s haunted, it is all dilapidated and when you think of a haunted, abandoned building in the movies, this is what you think of.”

Gonsalves says the Trans Allegheny Asylum is the LARGEST place TAPS has ever investigated. But the size doesn’t bother the team, in fact, it makes them MORE excited.

Here is 1 recent public photo from Flickr.com

The facility was built around the civil war. Actually just before the war Virginia started building it in 1858. Construction was interrupted in 1861 when Virginia seceded from the Union. Construction started again in 1863 when West Virginia became a separate state. During the war the Union and Confederate troops both occupied the grounds because Weston changed hands a few times.

It’s not clear to us when patients were moved from the facility but the property has been abandoned since the 90’s. There have been attempts by the state to sell the property and some ideas for new uses have included a hotel and convention center, and a hotel and casino.

In August 2007 the property was sold to Joe Jordan who is an asbestos demolition contractor. He paid 1.5 million dollars for the 242,000 square foot facility. His daughter Rebecca Jordan is the property manager.

They obviously are seeking ways to turn the building into a profitable venture.

Political correctness meets free enterprise. This article tells us about the renaming of the facility and how it’s upset some:

They say words like “lunatic” and “retarded” have gone the way of “colored” and “Negro” and should never be resurrected.

“It’s like turning back the clock to a time we don’t want to go back to,” said Ann McDaniel, executive director of the Statewide Independent Living Council, one of several mental health advocacy groups to object. “I think they could still do what they want to do without being offensive.”

Rebecca Jordan, whose family owns the 307-acre complex, sees things differently.

“This part of history is vital, and you cannot bury what you don’t like,” she said. “Should we take down the Holocaust museum? Should we completely deny all that happened because it’s not favorable? Because it might hurt a few feelings?”

It does seem odd that they chose to rename the facility. Why not change it back to what it once was instead of the new name? I mean if you were really interested in the history of the thing.

Well it looks like the Ghost Hunters will help them if they find some paranormal activity. Along with the tours they will be able to say it’s haunted. This does appear to follow the business plan of Eastern State Penitentiary.