Rolling Hills Asylum History
Located between Buffalo and Rochester, Rolling Hills Asylum sits on a knoll in the hamlet of E. Bethany, New York. Rolling Hills Asylum opened on January 1, 1827 and was originally named the Genesee County Poor Farm, it was created by Genesee County to house those needing help, including paupers, habitual drunkards, the mentally unstable, the blind, lame or otherwise handicapped, orphans, widows, vagrants, and even criminals. These institutions were situated on the grounds of a poor farm on which the able-bodied residents were required to work; such farms were common in the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the residents at Rolling Hills never left those who had no family, were buried in a cemetery located on the property. According to the public records over 1000 patients died at Rolling Hills Asylum during its operation.
Most of the original Rolling Hills buildings are no longer standing, only a few old barn buildings remain. The current Rolling Hills Asylum West Wing was constructed in 1938; the East Wing was added in 1958.
In the 1950s it became the Old County Home & Infirmary, the last residents left here in 1974 and the property was vacant until the 1990s when it was transformed into a set of shops and later an antiques mall. When the property owners, vendors and shoppers began to notice strange occurrences, a paranormal group was called into investigate and Rolling Hills' haunted reputation began. Reports include disembodied voices, doors mysteriously held shut, and screams in the night, shadow people and more.
In the 90's Rolling Hills served as a research center into the paranormal, and hosted Ghost Hunts. It was also home to the Rolling Hills Paranormal Research Society. Rolling Hills has been featured in an episode of TV's Ghost Hunters. The property was purchased by a couple interested in the paranormal in late 2009 and has since reopened for ghost hunts and historical tours. Within weeks of moving in, Lori Carlson Rolling Hills latest owner started to experience doors slamming, witnessed apparitions, and heard footsteps and voices.
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