24: Ep. 24 The REAL American Horror Story: Danvers Asylum

WARNING: This Episode contains highly graphic content, is not suitable for children. Listener discretion is advised!

This week we’re diving deep into the absolutely terrifying history of Danvers State Hospital in Massachusetts - the real-life inspiration behind Arkham Asylum. We’re talking Gothic architecture, lobotomy horrors, patient mistreatment, and some of the most documented paranormal activity in American history.

From Dr. Walter Freeman’s brutal ice-pick procedures to modern-day hauntings that’ll make your skin crawl, this abandoned asylum’s dark secrets will blow your mind.

Join me as we explore the Salem witch trial connections, underground tunnel mysteries, urban explorer encounters, and why this demolished mental institution continues to be one of the most haunted places in New England. Trust me, this true ghost story will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the supernatural.

EPISODE REFERENCES & RESOURCES

Historical Sources:

• Massachusetts State Archives - Danvers State Hospital Patient Records

• “Danvers State Hospital: A History” by the Danvers Historical Society

• National Archives - Mental Health Treatment Documentation (1878-1992)

• “My Lobotomy” by Howard Dully (Freeman lobotomy survivor account)

Paranormal Research:

• New England Paranormal Research Society Investigation Files (2003-2004)

• “The Stone Tape Theory” by T.C. Lethbridge

• Dr. Michael Persinger’s Electromagnetic Field Studies

• Christopher Payne’s “Asylum: Inside the Closed World of State Mental Hospitals”

Additional Reading:

• “The Lobotomist” by Jack El-Hai (Biography of Walter Freeman)

• “Ghosts of Danvers” by Sam Baltrusis

• H.P. Lovecraft’s References to Arkham Sanitarium

• Salem Witch Trials Historical Connection - Hathorne Family Records

Documentary Resources:

• “Danvers State Hospital: The Real Arkham” (2018)

• Various urban exploration video documentation (pre-demolition)

• Local news archives covering hospital closure and demolition (1992-2006)