Aug 225 min read

Lake View Sanatorium (Sanatorium Hill Investigation)

Before there were antibiotics, there were quarantine hospitals. When tuberculosis first entered the United States in 1893, over 622 people were affected. Worldwide, two million people died every year. This lung disease not only became the leading cause of death in America, but by 1905, 11% of Wisconsin deaths were caused by TB. When it was discovered the illness was bacterially spread instead of inherited, the nation was in desperate need of sanatoria.

The Lake View Sanatorium in Madison, WI, was first opened in 1930. This was strictly a tuberculosis treatment facility, where patients were offered isolation from the public to get rest, fresh air, and exercise. The property sits atop a hill with acres of woods behind it. Pathways were paved around the exterior for patients to walk, and large porches were built facing the lake. Patients passed their time with reading, listening to music, or croquet on the great lawn. Healthier patients were given an option to work in the garden, hog pen, and dairy plant. This Wisconsin Sanatorium provided a safe and supportive environment for the ill to recover, and it was considered one of the most advanced treatment centers in the state.

The sanatorium was built with 150 beds, 125 of them for patients, and another 25 for the nurses on the fourth floor. When more room was needed in 1934, the nurse’s dormitory was constructed for the staff, freeing up the additional 25 beds for patients upstairs. Each room contained a “germ trap” that allowed the staff to de-gown themselves when leaving a patient’s room. The first and second floor had enclosed porches, while the other two remaining floors had open porches to sit on.

When antibiotics for TB were developed in the 1940s, it lessened the need for sanatoria. Lake View Sanatorium was included, and in 1966, the facility closed. Dane County purchased the building and uses it as a Human Services office today. Lake View Sanatorium and the nurses’ dormitory were put on the national register of Historic places in 1993, but the nurses’ dormitory was demolished in 2015 due to poor condition.

In terms of paranormal activity, it’s not the building itself that is rumored to be haunted. The hot spot for activity at this location is actually the woods and paved paths surrounding the building. Patients spent a lot of their time outside getting fresh air, so they are rumored to make an appearance on the trails. There have been reported murmuring voices, apparitions, and hair pulling outside the Lake View Sanatorium since it was opened to the public.

The girls and I visited the Lake View Sanatorium mid-afternoon on Saturday, August 10, 2024. We walked the trails around the entire building first, not only to get photos, but to get a taste of the activity. While we were walking around taking pictures and reading signs, spirits were coming through the iOvilus device. One of the spirits even said, “Dirty trail” to let us know they were on the path with us.

On the excursion back to the car, Nicole and I started to receive mental images. Nicole was channeling fear, and I was starting to get disoriented and confused. I felt like a female who could barely hold herself up, while Nicole felt like hiding. As soon as we were seated in the car, we set up for an Estes Method session.

Swan began to set boundaries with the spirits, and that was when a headache crept on me. I added my two cents on the boundaries, reminding them they were not allowed to possess us either. When Swan put the headphones on and started sweeping radio stations, she spewed a bunch of names right off the bat. We got the idea that we were surrounded by more spirits than we thought.

Neither of us knew how long the spirits were all there, so I told them I was going to explain the spirit box device to them. Swan said, “True program,” letting us know they already had it figured out. While trying to explain the device, I started to get disoriented again. It was so bothersome that I actually said it out loud. Swan said, “Over by us,” so I asked if they were why I was feeling weird. Swan responded, “Funny.”

We wanted to know more about the spirits we were speaking with, so we asked about their experiences. They said the nurses were great, the doctors were educated and trustworthy, and that a lot of the work was public. We asked to speak to someone who had a poor experience at Lake View, and Swan responded, “He’s the one.” She had just said the the name Brock, so I asked if we were speaking to Brock. Swan said, “Right.”

Because of HIPAA, we were unable to find records of Brock. We still chose to call him that because it was what the spirit believed. He told us he got a lot of fresh air and he missed his shot. When I asked if that meant he died from TB, he said “Word.” Swan told us immediately after that she felt heavy pressure on the chest. This was followed by the response, “Heart attack.” When we dove further into our research, records showed a lot of tuberculosis cases leading to heart failure.

Further into the conversation, Swan sputtered, “One more.” This was a very feminine presence, so I asked if this was the female I felt earlier in the woods. The necrometer responded, “I’m right here,” so we started asking her questions about why she was here. This was about the time Swan’s demeanor changed; her responses became very childlike, almost like she was young and naïve. She told us her dad dropped her off one Summer, and she shared that she liked us. She actually must’ve liked us a lot because she decided she was comfortable enough to tell us her name was Abigail.

Nicole’s phone started to get very hot, which ironically is the same thing our necrometer device said. We told the spirits we appreciated them coming forward and sharing their stories with us, and when we said our goodbyes, the spirits said, “All about friendship.” It was after that we tapped Swan on the shoulder and the session came to a close.

We do believe the trails are riddled with paranormal activity. Some patients spent a large chunk of their life at this sanatorium, so it wouldn’t be too far off that some of them are bound to the land. You can find them throughout the paths surrounding Lake View, but be careful to set firm boundaries with the spirits to avoid possession of any kind. I lost my headache the minute we left the property, meaning it was a spiritual influence that could’ve gone a completely different route had I not said anything. So while the hauntings are mild, the energy is draining. Always protect yourself!