Weston State Hospital
About this property
The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (TALA) was a psychiatric hospital located in Weston, West Virginia, and it has previously been known by other names, such as West Virginia Hospital for the Insane and Weston State Hospital. The asylum was open to patients from 1864 until 1994. After its closure, patients were moved to the new William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital in Weston, named after William R. Sharpe Jr., a member of the West Virginia Senate. The hospital reopened as a tourist attraction in March 2008. Utilizing the Kirkbride Plan, the hospital was designed by architect Richard Snowden Andrews of Baltimore, Maryland. Construction of the hospital started in 1858 but was not completed until 1881. In fact, the main building of the hospital is said to be one of the largest hand-cut stonemasonry buildings in the United States and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990. Although the building was originally designed to accommodate 250 patients, it became overcrowded in the 1950s with 2,400 patients and eventually closed after years of decline. After being abandoned for several years, the asylum was sold at auction in 2007 and has been open for tours and other events to raise money for its restoration since 2008.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Weston State Hospital
This page lists Weston State Hospital. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Weston State Hospital listed on the National Register?
Weston State Hospital was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1978.
What type of historic resource is Weston State Hospital?
Weston State Hospital is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Weston State Hospital a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Weston State Hospital has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Weston State Hospital?
The period of significance for Weston State Hospital is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Weston State Hospital?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Weston State Hospital will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Lewis County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Lewis County.
Explore LewisCounty ›More historic places in West Virginia
Browse all historic places in West Virginia.
View West Virginiahistoric sites ›West Virginia history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
West Virginiahistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Weston State Hospital will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.