Events

Night at Rolling Hills Asylum: East Bethany, New York: July 28, 2012 Do you Dare to Spend the Night Behind These Walls? Night at Rolling Hills Asylum July 28, 2012 -- 8:00 PM - 5:00 AM 11001 Bethany Center Rd. East Bethany, NY Are you brave enough to spend the night in one is rapidly becoming known as one of America's most haunted spots? The history of Rolling Hills Asylum began in 1827, when it was opened as the Genesee Poorhouse. County poorhouses were common in those days, established for those who could not care for themselves. The inmates were a mixture of orphans, the indigent, the mentally insane, the elderly and even occasional criminals with nowhere else to go. According to the old records, many died at the poorhouse during its years of operation and many were buried on the property in unmarked and forgotten graves. Rolling Hills later served as a mental institution but when federal funding ran out, it was turned into a nursing home. The conditions deteriorated until it was finally closed down in 1974. After nearly 20 years, the abandoned buildings were turned into a shopping center before closing down once again. Over the years, Rolling Hills has been plagued by numerous stories of ghosts and hauntings. Some claim to have seen people inside, staring out the windows when the building is empty. Others have heard odd noises, live disembodied voices and the sounds of women and children crying and moaning. Windows have been reported to open and close on their own, knocking sounds have been heard coming from inside the walls and some report the feelings of cold hands on the back of their necks, or having their hair or clothing pulled and tugged on. There are also stories of apparitions that roam the hallways at night -- spirits that still linger here from more than a century and a half ago!