Urban
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St. Ignatius Hospital St. Ignatius Hospital was built in 1892 by the Sisters of Providence in the town of Colfax in eastern Washington State. Responding to a need for healthcare in the Washington Territory, Mother Joseph and four nuns traveled on a forty-five-day, 6,000-mile journey from Montreal to Fort Vancouver in 1856. Mother Joseph was an architect, and during her lifetime of service she was responsible for building eleven hospitals, seven academies, five schools, and two orphanages, including St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax in 1893. She personally supervised much of the construction, being a stickler for detail. In one instance, Mother “The Builder” Joseph ripped out some faulty workmanship and rebuilt it herself. From that time on it operated as an assisted living facility until it shut down in 2000. The hospital is reportedly haunted and has been the subject of the reality TV shows Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, and Paranormal Lockdown. All uncredited photographs are by the author. |
Public domain photo
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Photo credit: PNW Aerials
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Northern State Hospital Competing with St. Ignatius Hospital to be the creepiest place in Washington State is probably the abandoned insane asylum by the name of Northern State Hospital located near Sedro-Woolley. The Northern State Hospital opened as an insane asylum in 1911. It was the third such institution in Washington State, and by the 1950s, it housed up to 2,700 patients. To its credit, it was regarded as a “good” institution because it emphasized occupational therapy, compared to other mental wards at the time which were infamous for the brutal treatment of their patients, who were treated like inmates. What makes this place so infamous is that when it was in operation from 1911 to 1976, at least 1,487 patients died, many from botched lobotomies. Lobotomies are now regarded as truly inhumane procedures and are no longer performed. Others ended up committing suicide. At least 1,487 patients of lobotomies and other procedures never made it out of Northern State Hospital alive. Their remains are still buried in the on-site cemetery. |
Photo credit: PNW Aerials
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Photo credit: PNW Aerials
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Public domain photo
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Photo credit: Brett Sandstrom
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Public domain photo
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Pubic domain photo
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Photo credit: Brett Sandstrom
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Photo credit: Brett Sandstrom
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Photo credit: John Horne
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Photo credit: John Horne
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Public domain photo
Photo credit: John Horne
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Public domain photo
Photo credit: John Horne
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Photo credit: Cindy Shebley
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Photo credit: Cindy Shebley
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Lobotomies were done here in this room. Photo credit: John Horne
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Photo credit: Cameron Miller
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Photo credit: Brett Sandstrom
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Photo credit: Cindy Shebley
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Photo credit: Cameron Miller
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Photo credit: Cameron Miller
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Photo credit: John Horne
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Photo credit: John Horne
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Photo credit: Brett Sandstrom
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Photo credit: Cindy Shebley
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Photo credit: Cameron Miller
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Photo credit: Cindy Shebley
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Public domain photo
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Public domain photo
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Photo credit: Cindy Shebley
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Photo credit: Brett Sandstrom
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Seattle Underground The Seattle Underground refers to a network of subterranean passages and basements beneath the streets of downtown Seattle, Washington, primarily in the Pioneer Square area. Its history traces back to the late 19th century, following the Great Seattle Fire of June 6, 1889, which destroyed much of the city's downtown. The fire, sparked by a glue pot in a carpentry shop, consumed roughly 25 blocks of wooden structures, prompting a major rebuilding effort. Before the fire, Seattle’s streets were plagued by poor drainage and tidal flooding from Puget Sound, as the city was built on low-lying, muddy terrain. Following the fire, city planners decided to rebuild using masonry and simultaneously raise the street level to prevent future flooding. Streets were elevated by constructing stone and concrete walls and filling the spaces between them with material, effectively burying the original ground floors of buildings. All photographs of the Seattle Underground are by the author. |
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Amazingly, there were no reported human fatalities as a result of the great fire. However, it was estimated that about 6 million rats were killed. Merchants adapted by moving their businesses to the new street level, while the underground spaces were gradually abandoned. Between 1889 and the early 1900s, new streets were constructed at higher elevations, leaving the original ground-level sidewalks and storefronts as basements. These photographs reveal the original ground-level storefronts and sidewalks from the city’s earliest years. These lower levels, initially accessible via ladders or sloped sidewalks, were used for a time as businesses rebuilt upward. |
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By the early 20th century, the underground spaces were largely abandoned due to safety concerns, including flooding, structural instability, and the 1907 ban on prostitution, which had thrived in these hidden areas. The spaces became associated with illicit activities, like gambling and smuggling, during Prohibition. In 1907, the city condemned many underground areas, sealing them off for decades. The entire underground was closed off for fear of rats spreading the bubonic plague. Many of the items seen in this photograph are over 100 years old. Only a small portion of the Seattle Underground has now been determined safe and made accessible. Rats can still be encountered. Prior to the underground passageways being closed off, up to 2,000 homeless people lived here. The underground passageways are privately owned, so businesses are free to fill them with junk. Tours are available for small sections of the Seattle Underground. Paranormal activity in the form of apparitions and voices have been reported by visitors. |
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Devil's Tower There is an abandoned concrete processing plant located near the aptly named town of Concrete, Washington. The Washington Portland Cement Company, began operations in 1905. It was Washington State's first cement plant. The factory shut down in the 1960s. Several people have died while exploring this place. No Trespassing signs should always be obeyed. People who venture inside report sensing an eerie, heavy feeling. Some have reported hearing voices. Locals refer to it as Devil's Tower. |
Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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Photo credit: Stephanie Ferguson
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