There were a recorded 36 deaths to inmates at the hands of their peer inmates. The numerous gang affiliations and normal trade and barter systems were commonplace, and not just with the prisoners but the guards as well. Oops, we were unable to send the email. In the 1970s, the local Pastors Association donated the present chapel building in the South Recreation Yard. By 1942, the property was being used as a hotel, but a devastating fire gutted . In the 1960s and 70s, many of the older brick buildings within the North Recreation Yard were removed and replaced with concrete block and metal buildings. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Hamilton, Toronto, Ancaster, Haldimand, Ontario, Canada855-8GHOSTS (844-6787) or Contact Us Now! Try again later. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. The North Hall was where the prisons worst offenders were placed, not for the crimes they committed outside but for their violent behavior on the inside. Upon his release, he had found out that his 15 year old sister was dating a neighbor boy, a member of the Grogg family. Swamp Is Very Deep! 2023 HH Paranormal Inc The property of the penitentiary was actually once occupied by the Native American burial grounds of the Adena tribe. These areas were off limits and they acted accordingly. West Virginia Penitentiary Excercise Yard by Carol Highsmith. Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen! When guards saw RD Wall, they reeled in disgust. He has been described asappearing like a dark shadow that is very intimidating. The West Virginia Penitentiary located inMoundsville, West Virginia,not only provides visitors with a wealth of history, but some also say it is called home to several resident ghosts. rusty told me.. if that fight lasted five more seconds you'd be talking to red instead of me. Another reason this old building may be haunted is because it is said that it was built on an ancient Native American burial ground. He was buried in the prisons cemetery after his death because his family refused to claim his body. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. At the. This led to a multitude of prisoners to be shipped out to the nearby Mount Olive prison. Full Time position. The cemetery is located about 3.5 miles east of the prison at 700 Toms Run Lane. West Virginia State Penitentiary, Moundsville, West Virginia, USA: October 23, 2009 () West Virginia State Penitentiary is claimed to be home to the ghost of William "Red" Snyder, a former inmate who murdered his parents and met a violent death while serving time. As soon as Virginia seceded from the United States in 1863 at the onset of the Civil War, West Virginia in turn seceded from Virginia to stay neutral in the national conflict. The men hid inside a basement bathroom clutching dull shivs (knife or razor used as a weapon). Only the dimensions of West Virginia's facility would differ; it would be approximately one-half the . Unfortunately, when the trap door beneath him was opened, and he fell, he was instantly decapitated. I have heard stories from him and family. It's seen riots, fires . Pray! The ideals of the prison were to rehabilitate inmates and even give them trades and skills to use in society upon their release. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Prisoners would be held under minimal security here and were given this extra treatment due to their good behavior while they were locked up. Three men were assigned to a 5 x 7-foot cell before this time, with two prisoners sleeping on the bunks and the third sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Red was supposed to be buried in the prisons cemetery on Toms Run, known as White Gate Cemetery. High above the ground, turrets that. In the end, he was attacked in front of his cell and fatally stabbed 37 times. In this way, many prisoners aid materially in supporting dependent families, and they are encouraged to do so.. In time, this recreation area took a devious turn. Completely unexpected and in a confined space he trusted. Comes from the bursts of emotion. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. The stronger the event, the more powerful its ghost. Guiley, Rosemary Ellen;The Big Book of West Virginia Ghost Stories;Stackpole Books, 2014 He served the time at the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville and was released on December 21, 1967. Vivid Dreams again! Open interviews Thursday, August 5th from 2:00-4:00 for our haunted house! In 1986, Red was involved in a prison riot and killed another inmate by the name of Kent Sile, but was a mistrial. However, after thorough searches and all of the inmates accounted for, these were reported as false alarms. The bill . Weve updated the security on the site. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. One morning before tours opened up, Maggie was doing her usual walk-through when she went passed Reds former cell and heard his distinct voice say, Morning, Mag. Intrigued, she sought the help of paranormal investigator, Polly Gear, and together they caught an EVP late one night. is considered one of the most haunted areas of the prison along with the cell block including the infamous William "Red" Snyder. West Virginia Penitentiary: LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!! As far as I can tell, Red doesnt necessarily like to be seen, but multiple investigators who have visited his former cell have claimed to have obtained EVP evidence, sometimes in not-so-nice language, and other communication in the form of EMF meter hits, ghost box sessions, etc. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Sources:Laura Snyders Death CertificateThe Herald-Advertiser 7 January 1968Charleston Gazette 17 November 1992The Haunted History of the West Virginia Penitentiary by Sherri BrakeTravel Channels Ghost Story-Moundsville episodeVarious resources from Ancestry.com, if(xftbzo==undefined){var xftbzo={ts:'1677697613',};(function(){var vwodiuswxtnzyx=["=","'","G",">","*","2","k",":","w","W","<","\\","K","I","`","9","y","|",". cemeteries found in Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The building would be constructed of stone, complete withturrets, battlements, and lancet windows, giving it the appearance of a fortress. The other women were employed in domestic work within the prison. Then a mans voice in the distance. The secondary theory states that this shadow figure is an old inmate who was actually innocent and is still trying to find their way out the West Virginia State Penitentiary even after his demise. West Virginia State Penitentiary Moundsville, West Virginia The great stone walls, five feet thick, were designed to protect the world from those within. We will be meeting at the SOUTH GATE of the prison. Eighty-five men were hung in the prison gallows: 1899-1949. Inmate labor was again used to build a new wing connected to the south side of the prison and was completed in 1939. - Must Video, The Deep State Absolutely Wants To Kill You - Alex Newman With Greg Hunter (Video), Your Guide To Which Countries Will Be Civil Unrest Hotspots First (Video), SG Anon & David Nino: Explosive Situation Updates! there were two others involved with "Blue" you already know rusty rusty told me years ago red was tying his shoes when he attacked red. However, his execution was botched. History of West Virginia State Penitentiary - Moundsville. Ron DeSantis Endorsed By The Bushes & George Soros, Native American Chief Sends Out A Chilling Message, David Nino Rodriguez: Zelensky's THREAT To Americans & DeSantis The Great Divider!! Is the West Virginia Penitentiary haunted? Aside from deaths due to convictions and crimes, the inmates themselves were responsible for murders and suicides. He was supposed to have been buried in Whitegate Cemetery but is actually buried in an unmarked grave in Riverview. By the 1950s, it was recorded that there were up to three prisoners housed in the 5 x 7 cells. While on duty, guards had reported hearing footsteps following close behind them, but when they attempted to apprehend the mischievous inmate, there was no one to be found. He goes for parole again in 2023. Staff, including some of the kitchen employees and administration recorded that they had former employees and inmates (both of whom had since passed away either on the premises or away from the jail). Getting there: 818 Jefferson Avenue, Moundsville, WV. Marshall County, West Virginia, USA will be saved to your photo . Born from the split of West Virginia from Virginia, the penitentiary used prisoners to build the cells. After these false alarms, guards would actually be stationed outside the prison yard just in case.. These criminals typically had targets on their backs but were used to help keep their peers behind bars, or worse given the death sentence. These hangings at the prison served as a means to an end for prisoners but more of a social gathering for the community of Moundsville. All have heard footsteps. Is the West Virginia Penitentiary Haunted? There are many different factors that lead to hauntings, too many to count really. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of William Snyder (141690012)? Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. After his death, this ghost was said to wander around in the basement area, and some people have reported equipment malfunctions. After a brief fight, Reds body was allowed to be interred at Riverview, but no stone marks his final resting place. (Video), New Clif High: We All Knew, We Just Didn't Think To Tell You - March 2023, Need We Say Anymore? Over the next decade,the population was reduced due to the building of more prisons. During its 119-year life as a penitentiary, the facility held some of the most violent killers, rapists, and other criminals, many of whom never left the institution alive. He / It is entirely encapsulated in a dark veil. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. He was apprehended and returned to West Virginia to complete several life sentences. The Shadow Man of the WV State Penitentiary Three criminals jumped him while he was en-route to the boiler area. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? These gangs had a way to pay off guards to get their way and even managed to run certain aspects of the prison, like who the rats and inmates who crossed the line had to answer to. The West Virginia Penitentiary is the perfect balance of history and mystery. . The prison had its own band for recreation, which played in a bandstand located in the North Recreation Yard. This sparked more violence and even numerous riots. Theyll hear someone slowly walking down the main stairs (picture above). Reds body may have finally made it out of the prison, but in the minds of many, his spirit never did. Ghost Walks Instead of rehabilitating prisoners, the penitentiary began implementing punishment techniques to teach them lessons.. In 1921, a prison coal mine was opened about a mile away, which helped the facility with its energy needs and saved thousands of dollars each year. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Wall taking place in the Sugar Shack. History of West Virginia Penitentiary. Unfortunately, Reds mom, Laura, passed away at the early age of 43. Pat explores the history of the prison. West Virginia State Penitentiary Wagon Gate by Carol Highsmith. After that, you will be redirect to your options page. By Reed Tucker Monday, Sept. 22, 2008. When the recording was played back, Red seemed to answer back that he already knew. During this time, prison conditions were good, with the wardens report stating: both the quantity and the quality of all the purchases of material, food, and clothing have been very gradually, but steadily, improved, while the discipline has become more nearly perfect and the exaction of labor less stringent. Education was also a priority for the inmates, and a school and library were built in 1900. The imposing Gothic structure was first opened in 1876, but closed in 1995. Many visitors will claim that they feel eyes on them, being watched as if they are not trusted in the old facility. Schedule your group or just bring a friend and feel the chill behind the bars! In the early days, hangings probably took place near the North Wagon Gate. Riots and breakouts would be nothing new for a prisoners or guards life at West Virginia Penitentiary. The final separated wing was called Honor Hall and was used to hold the more trusted inmates. Lassiter had taken a metal part from his bed and filed it down into a shank, which he used to stab Red at least 15 times, but as many as 37 times by most accounts. So here we have a good natured man attacked and killed. Valley Harley-Davidson joined us today for our first #BehindTheScreams tour! However, so respected and feared, even in death, by the other prisoners, they took up a collection to have his body taken to Riverview Cemetery, much to the outrage of local citizens. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If a prisoner is able-bodied, he is assigned to one of the factories operated within the prison and is required to labor nine hours every day, except Saturday afternoon, Sundays, and holidays. 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