The Brattleboro Retreat in Vermont, originally the Vermont Asylum for the Insane, is considered one of the most haunted places in the state with a history of eerie occurrences and ghost sightings.
Updated Sep 19, 2023 Related Content State Pride
Built in 1834 as the Vermont Asylum for the Insane, the Brattleboro Retreat (which sounds a little nicer. even though it wasn't) has some places and points that you won't want to go near after dark. Is this Vermont state hospital haunted? If you ask us, yes - it doesn't take much belief in the paranormal to find this place terrifying. Come explore one of the single most haunted places in Vermont. if you dare.
The Vermont Asylum for the Insane was originally founded in 1834 and funded by a $10,000 gift that was willed for this specific purpose.
In the late 19th century, it was renamed the Brattleboro Retreat in order to eliminate confusion with the state-run Vermont State Asylum for the Insane.
advertisementThis mental health and addictions treatment facility spanned more than 1,000 acres.
The majority of the campus, including many of the buildings here, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The institution based its philosophies on the humane treatment of mentally ill patients.
The patients were treated with dignity and respect in a caring, family-like environment.
advertisement advertisementThe Retreat emphasized good meals, fresh air, and exercise.
However, the Brattleboro asylum still cautiously approached treatments like electroconvulsive therapy that are now deemed inhumane. Admittedly, these were utilized in a fairly limited capacity and are no longer used today.
The most notorious building here is the Brattleboro Retreat Tower.
If you believe the stories, this is where most of the hauntings on campus take place.
This tower was built in 1887 by patients at the Brattleboro asylum.
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At the time, doctors believed that physical labor could help mentally ill patients regain stability.
advertisement advertisementGroups of patients were put to work building this large stone tower.
The tower was meant to provide a scenic overlook of the asylum grounds.
However, many of the patients chose to use the tower in a different manner.
They would climb to the top of the tower and leap off onto the rocky cliff below to commit suicide.
The number of suicides that occurred here is a closely-guarded secret.
The tower was sealed off and remains closed today. It is opened a few times a year to allow the public to climb the spiral staircase and take in the amazing views from the top.
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There have been several reports of a ghostly figure jumping from the top of the tower…
. but the apparition always disappears before it hits the ground.
Another area of the Retreat that gives an eerie and ominous feel is the cemetery. for obvious reasons.
The tombstones date back as far as the 1800s and are in poor condition.
Visitors to both the Brattleboro Retreat tower and the cemetery report feeling strong emotions of uneasiness.
Some have even said they saw fleeting shadows or images in the corners of their eyes.
Many of the graves are marked with only numbers or “Unknown.”
There is a registry of the deaths that occurred at the retreat, yet there are far more names than there are graves.
Today, the Brattleboro Retreat still treats patients suffering from mental health issues.
But the legends and stories of the old days, and perhaps the ghosts, live on.
If you like scary things, take the ultimate haunted road trip through Vermont! If you're raring to go on this trip but unsure what to bring, take a look at our ultimate road trip packing guide to make sure you have everything you need.
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Updated Jun 21, 2024Vermont is known for its unique witch windows, which have a curious origin story and are mostly found in old farmhouses from the 1800s.
Updated Jun 21, 2024Every region has its peculiarities. Sometimes it's food, sometimes it's fashion, but in Vermont’s case, it’s windows. This state is home to some curiously shaped windows with an even more curious origin story. Here’s the backstory behind the so-called witch windows in Vermont.
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If you’re a longtime Vermonter, you may already know the story behind one of our state’s most unusual architectural features. However, newcomers are often baffled by the strangely askew windows sometimes found in Vermont homes.
Known as "witch windows," these windows are normally situated at the gable-end wall of a home. They’re typically narrow and are rotated about 45 degrees from a vertical position.
This means that the window appears to be parallel with the slope of the roof. Why construct a window in such a weird manner? Turns out, it may have to do with witches…or maybe coffins. Here's the story behind witch windows in VT.
Old Vermont superstition says that a witch wouldn’t be able to fly into a home if faced with such an oddly angled window. Other sources say that the windows were installed so that coffins could be easily removed from homes after wakes; they could simply slide down the angled roofs to the first floor.
However, the most likely origin of these bizarre windows is much more mundane. Witch windows in VT were probably popularized by local farms looking to add some fresh air and sunshine to awkwardly located second-floor rooms.
Today, Vermont witch windows are also known as "lazy windows," "Vermont windows," or "coffin windows." They’re sometimes added to new buildings to avoid the expense and trouble of fitting a custom window to a diagonal wall but are most often found in old farmhouses from the 1800s.
If you've been wondering, "Why are witch windows only found in Vermont," now you know! What do you think of this unique Vermont architecture? Let us know in the comments! For more unusual attractions and stories, check out the 18 weirdest places you could ever possibly go in Vermont.
