Massillon State Hospital - Haunted Locations in America

Massillon State Hospital Massillon, OH

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MASSILLON STATE HOSPITAL

Massillon State Hospital is located at 3000 Erie Street SW in Massillon, OH 44646. Massillon is a city in Stark County Ohio, approximately 8 miles west of Canton, 20 miles south of Akron, and 50 miles south of Cleveland. See Mapquest for directions.

In 1892 during William McKinley’s first term as governor of Ohio a bill was passed authorizing the site selection of the very first state hospital in the United States and Canada. This 240 acre site was located in Massillon, Ohio with construction of the hospital beginning in 1893 and the hospital opening on September 6, 1898 housing 300 patients from 21 different counties. Originally named Eastern Ohio Mental Asylum the name was later changed to Massillon State Hospital.

By 1950 the hospital housed 3,100 patients with approximately 365 full and part time workers and nurses. The hospital closed in 1995, but today much of the grounds are abandoned with only a few buildings being used by Molly Stark Rehabilitation Center. Most of the old buildings now have “No Trespassing” signs posted, however, the ghostly experiences happen anywhere on the hospital grounds not just inside the buildings. Many patients were deemed indigent with no next of kin so impromptu graves were allegedly dug and bodies were quietly laid to rest in unmarked graves dotting the property lines of the hospital and eager spirits are more than happy to communicate with ghost seekers.