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Hill
Ward - Lakewood, WA
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Hill
Ward circa 1932 |
Hill
Ward present |
Overlooking
Waughop Lake, the Hill Ward, an addition of the now enormous
Western State Mental Hospital, was built in 1932 to house
about 300 mental patients who worked on a nearby farm on the
Western State Hospital complex.
Western
State Hospital lept off to a very rocky start, when Dorothea
Dix, a 19th-century social reformer, arrived in Portland in
1869. After investigating treatment of the mentally ill in
Washington Territory, she wrote to Governor Alvin Flanders,
that "provision and care are both inadequate and unsuitable."
She urged, "in the interest of humanity," that the
governor remove patients from their Monticello (modern-day
Longview) location and take them to Portland.
Dix
also wrote to Elwood Evans and to the Daily Pacific Tribune
of Olympia. She described housing as barren as a barn, cell-like
rooms, sanitation that left "sinks never washed"
and "very dirty bedding." In November 1869 a legislator
presented the letters to the House Select Committee. He declared
"the present system for the government and care of the
insane in Washington state to be wholly inadequate... and
as an expensive failure." He feared that this "will
detract seriously from the rising reputation of our Territory."
On
January 15, 1870, Washington's territorial legislature bought
the garrison buildings for use as an "Insane Asylum for
Washington Territory." Construction of the fort cost
$200,000; the territorial legislature paid $850.
The
hospital grounds itself, including the Hill Ward, is one of
the area’s most significant historical landmarks. The
hospital originated at Fort Steilacoom in 1871, several years
after the military left.
The
fort was one of the first two U.S. posts in western Washington
Territory north of the Columbia River. Established in 1849,
it cleared the way for settlement of the region, the heart
of many bloody battles with indigenous native american tribes
from 1855-1856.
The
Hill Ward building closed after farming ceased in 1965.
Hill
Ward is one of the most haunted locations in Lakewood. With
a cemetery housing mental patients as well as members of the
military and battle casualties, Hill Ward sits atop an active
an unrestful spiritual portal.
Many
graves in the cemetery area remain unmarked to this day. On
March 22nd of 2004, Washington Governor Locke signed House
Bill 2387 into law, which will allowed the release of the
names of those buried in the Western State Hospital Patients
Cemetery located in the Fort Steilacoom County Park. Currently,
gravesites are marked by anonymous numbers. The Fort Steilacoom
Patient Cemetery at Western State Hospital was a burial site
for not only patients of Hill Ward, but also famous politicians
of the day, such as William Henson Wallace (1811-1879), who
among many postings, was Governor of the Washington Territory.
The
country demolished the ruins of Hill Ward in 1989, but the
ruins remain, along with the echos of 130 years of unrestful
spirits.The
County has plans to level the remaining sections of derelict
building and erect a maze built into the hilltop, to accent
a quiet nature park.
But
can anything with such a violent history become a place of
rest and reflection? Judge for yourself by viewing these fascinating
paranormal photos taken at the Hill
Ward ruins by PSParanormal (Puget Sound Paranormal) investigator
Patty Valdez. After extensively reviewing Patty's photos,
I don't think any of us here at Haunted Playground will be
staying to "peacefully reflect" at Hill Ward after
dark!
Roosevelt
Hotel, Hollywood
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Roosevelt
1927 |
Roosevelt
present |
Named
after President Theodore Roosevelt, the "Hollywood Roosevelt"
was financed by the Hollywood Holding Company whose investors
included Mary Pickford; Douglas Fairbanks; Louis B. Mayer
and. Charlie Chaplin. Headed by property developer Charles
Toberman, who had previously created and supervised the building
of many Hollywood landmarks, including:- Graumans Chinese
Theater, the Egyptian Theater, the Pantage Theater and the
Hollywood Bowl.
"The
Hollywood Roosevelt" had its grand opening on May 16,
1927. Its opening ceremony being attended by Hollywood celebrities
such as Louis B. Mayer, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford,
Will Rogers, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Clara Bow, Greta
Garbo and Gloria Swanson. It was built at the then staggering
cost of $2.5 million and quickly became known as "The
Home of the Stars". The first Academy Awards presentation
was held in the Hotel Roosevelt's "Blossom Room"
on May 16, 1929. The awards were originally called Merit Awards,
and were given for performances and work covering a two year
period. This was also the shortest Academy Awards ceremony
ever, lasting just fifteen minutes, as Douglas Fairbanks and
Al Jolson gave away the awards including Janet Gaynor - Best
Actress, Emil Jennings - Best Actor, and to "Wings"
starring Buddy Rogers, as Best Picture.
From
the its beginning the "Hollywood Roosevelt" has
been a favorite "location" site for feature films
& television shows including "Internal Affairs"
(with Richard Gere), "Beverly Hills Cop II" (with
Eddie Murphy), and numerous TV shows such as "Knot's
Landing" "Moonlighting", "Almost Famous",
"The Dorothy Dandridge Story" etc. The exterior
of the hotel appeared in the 1998 film "Mighty Joe Young."
Look for it in the scene where the giant gorilla rampages
down Hollywood Boulevard then climbs the roof of Mann's Chinese
Theatre, with police helicopters circling over the Cinegrill
sign.
Each
time that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honors a Hollywood
celebrity, by placing their star on the Walk of Fame, a gala
reception is held at the "Hollywood Roosevelt" immediately
afterwards for the inductee.
"Hollywood
Roosevelt" Haunted 9th Floor Corridor.
While filming the movie "From Here To Eternity"
in 1952, Montgomery Clift stayed in room 928, which is located
on the 9th floor. Whilst occupying the room, Clift practiced
playing the bugle. (His character in the film, Private Pruitt,
was the company bugler). Clift also paced up and down the
corridor practicing his lines. Many guests residing in the
room have since reported hearing a bugle and the sound of
footsteps pacing corridor. In November, 1992, a guest felt
an invisible hand pat her shoulder while she was in bed.
Marilyn's
Haunted Mirror
The hotel's most famous haunting concerns a mirror which sits
outside the elevators on the lower floor. Hundreds of tourists
pass the full length mirror each day without knowing its strange
history. The mirror was originally part of the furnishings
in room 246 which was frequently used by Marilyn Monroe. Hotel
staff and guests have reported seeing the tragic actresses
image reflected in the glass of this particular mirror.
Haunted
Playground team members Tammy and Danielle had some exciting
paranormal events occur at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood
-- check out the photos here!
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