THE REAL ARKHAM ASYLUM: Danvers State Hospital

The Massachusetts hospital that Arkham Asylum is based on was built for 450 patients and crowded with more than 2,000, and today people live in apartments built into what's left of it. READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/45y4w6tc FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Mother Shipton was known for her prognostication skills – but she was even more well known for her grotesque appearance. So much so that she was nicknamed The York Witch, and the Devil’s Daughter. But others have another name for her… hoax. (The Devil’s Daughter) *** A family heirloom begins acting strange when a woman moves into her deceased grandmother’s home. (I Moved Into My Dead Grandmother’s House) *** Is it possible that ghosts, visions, and other paranormal experiences are not only real – but also good for your mental health? (Therapeutic Ghosts) *** After it closed, the old hospital site became a popular destination for thrill-seeking kids looking for the scare of a lifetime. Why does Danvers State Hospital rank among history’s most infamous asylums? (The Infamy of Danvers State Hospital) *** Attend any amateur magic show and most assuredly you will hear a certain word at least once. Why do illusionists use this word? What does it mean – if anything? We’ll look at the very interesting history behind the word “Abracadabra.” (Say The Magic Word) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding: “Arkhams’ Dark Past” 00:03:36.808 = Show Open 00:05:36.569 = The Devil’s Daughter, Mother Shipton 00:11:29.548 = I Moved Into My Dead Grandmother’s House 00:17:34.047 = The Infamy of Danvers State Hospital 00:24:38.067 = Therapeutic Ghosts *** 00:34:42.439 = Say The Magic Word 00:40:39.300 = Show Close *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break *No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast* SOURCES and RESOURCES: “Arkham’s Dark Past” was written by Darren Marlar “I Moved Into My Dead Grandmother’s House” by Kelsey for Your Ghost Stories: https://tinyurl.com/rjcvecr “The Devil’s Daughter” by Marc Hartzman for Weird Historian: https://tinyurl.com/vp6vlo4 “Therapeutic Ghosts” by Andreas Sommer for Aeon: https://tinyurl.com/r7xcv2v “The Infamy of Danvers State Hospital” by William DeLong for All That’s Interesting: https://tinyurl.com/rd223yu “Say The Magic Word” from Ancient Origins: https://tinyurl.com/sl9nlzm (Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness. More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com .