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The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (TALA) was a psychiatric hospital located in Weston, West Virginia, and it has previously been known by other names, such as West Virginia Hospital for the Insane and Weston State Hospital.

The asylum was open to patients from 1864 until 1994. After its closure, patients were moved to the new William R. Sharpe Jr., a member of the West Virginia Senate. The hospital reopened as a tourist attraction in March 2008. Construction of the hospital started in 1858 but was not completed until 1881. In fact, the main building of the hospital is said to be one of the largest hand-cut stonemasonry buildings in the United States and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990. Although the building was originally designed to accommodate 250 patients, it became overcrowded in the 1950s with 2,400 patients and eventually closed after years of decline. After being abandoned for several years, the asylum was sold at auction in 2007 and has been open for tours and other events to raise money for its restoration since 2008.

The construction of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was authorized by the Virginia General Assembly in 1858. Following the secession of the state of Virginia from the United States, the government of Virginia demanded the return of the hospital's unused construction funds for its defense. While construction was attempted during the war, the grounds and buildings were often occupied by both Union and Confederate military, and building supplies were taken by Confederate raiders. After the end of the war, the completion of construction was prioritized, and following the admission of West Virginia as a U.S. state in 1863, the hospital was renamed the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane. Once doors opened to patients in 1864, patients were admitted to the asylum for a variety of reasons, including asthma, laziness, egotism, domestic troubles, and even greediness. This led to an overwhelming number of patients being admitted, causing the asylum to face a shortage of staff and beds. Throughout the 1900s, the hospital continued to change with a gas well being drilled on the grounds in 1902, and its name was again changed in 1913 to Weston State Hospital. In fact, Weston State Hospital found itself to be the home for the West Virginia Lobotomy Project in the early 1950s. This was an effort by the state of West Virginia and Walter Freeman to use lobotomy to reduce the number of patients in asylums because there was severe overcrowding. Hospital, was still built in Weston, and the old Weston State Hospital closed in May 1994. Three years later, the hospital was auctioned by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources on August 29, 2007. After purchasing it, Joe Jordan reverted the hospital's name back to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, its original title, and began maintenance projects on the former hospital grounds. Beginning in October 2007, a Fall Festival, including historic tours, paranormal tours, and contests, is held annually at the Weston State Hospital. In addition, the hospital hosts annual flashlight tours, an asylum ball, and a haunted house during autumn, and guided historic and paranormal daytime tours have been offered as well as evening ghost hunts and paranormal tours during the months of March through November since March 2008. Since its reopening in 2008, the asylum hosts a variety of tours and opportunities to learn more about its history. The main building of the asylum, known as the Kirkbride, holds several rooms that serve as the museum, located on the first floor.

The facility is featured in Bethesda Game Studios' 2018 video game Fallout 76, as "Allegheny Asylum," and it was renamed "Fort Defiance" when modified for use as a base for The Brotherhood of Steel, one of the game's main factions.

Quick Facts

• The construction of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was authorized by the Virginia General Assembly in 1858.
• After purchasing it, Joe Jordan reverted the hospital's name back to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, its original title, and began maintenance projects on the former hospital grounds.
• The asylum was open to patients from 1864 until 1994.
• After being abandoned for several years, the asylum was sold at auction in 2007 and has been open for tours and other events to raise money for its restoration since 2008.
• After the end of the war, the completion of construction was prioritized, and following the admission of West Virginia as a U.S. state in 1863, the hospital was renamed the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane.

Source material: Wikipedia - "Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum". Adapted and summarized for DiscoverScroll. Original contributors are credited through the linked Wikipedia article. Read original on Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes were made from the original.