The Blackburn Inn (Haunted)
Would you stay here knowing this was an old Insane Asylum?
My friend had surprised me with a visit to this place when we were going to Shenandoah National Park! I looked at the hotel briefly when she sent it to me, saw that it was beautiful, and said “Lets do it.” It wasn’t until we got there I realized it was an old insane asylum! I was instantly terrified and wanted to turn around!
This place was built nearly two centuries ago! Built in 1825 this place has a history to die for. This was originally known as the Western Insane Asylum. It was led by Dr. Frances Stribling who was known to practice “moral treatment” to psychiatric patients which was unheard of in those days. With the help of Thomas Blackburn he wanted to expand the grounds to provide the best amenities possible and provide wellness to patients. These ideals lasted for a short period but were soon corrupted by the 20th century. Western State Asylum became overcrowded and was performing practices such as sterilization and lobotomies.
Location & Price
Located in Staunton, Virginia. this place is very close to Downtown Staunton and Shenandoah National Park. This is also close to the Appalachian Trail and Grand Caverns. During our stay we got to check out Shenandoah National Park. We went during fall, so the fall foliage was beautiful! We also went down into the Caverns which was super unique and different! At the end you throw a coin or money in the crystal clear waters and make a wish!
Luxury Experience:
Don’t let the history take away the luxury of this place. This hotel was revamped in 2018 into an elegant boutique hotel. The rooms were beautiful and super boujee. This place is huge and offers dozens of rooms. They range from getting guest rooms to suites featuring loft style suites. This place has a spa, on site restaurant, garden, and people are often getting married here. The restaurant on site is called the Second Draft. They offer a seasonal menu as well as rotating craft beers, ciders and wines.
Our Experience:
Was this place actually haunted?!
We had a great time! The first night we stayed I did wake up in the middle of night burning up! I went to check the thermostat and it was only 69 degrees. I’m still convinced my body had been taken over by a ghost haha! Other then that we didn’t experience any other supernatural activities! We did end up going to one of the breweries close by after one of our hikes and I highly recommend it! It is called Pro Re Nata and it’s such a cool place. They offer a large indoor and outdoor space featuring lots of fire pits. The beer was great and it was such a cool atmosphere! They offer live music, food, and are dog friendly!
