The Moundsville State Penitentiary boasts a rich and intriguing history with its gothic architecture that can send shivers down one’s spine and is renowned for its alleged hauntings. Numerous accounts of supernatural occurrences within the prison exist, including flickering lights, objects being thrown, dark silhouettes lurking in the corners, and people feeling like they are being watched. The prison incarcerated many individuals while operating from 1866 until 1995. At its highest capacity, it held 653 prisoners and was guarded by 32 prison staff. The building was divided into four sections: the North Hall or “The Alamo,” where inmates with poor conduct were held in 5 by 7 foot cells for 22 to 24 hours a day, the New Wall which housed the general population, Rat Row for those who testified against others and required special protection, and the Honor Hall for those who exhibited good behavior and enjoyed special privileges with decreased security.

There are many different paranormal hotspots found around the prison along with notorious figures. The Shadow Man is the notorious figure who roams the halls of the prison and watches those who come in and go out. The Sugar Shack is one of the biggest hotspots of the prison with people hearing voices, yelling, and arguing while others are heard whispering and constant room temperature changes. There are also reports of wandering inmates running across the courtyard and when the alarms would go off in search of those inmates, no one was found. The North Wagon Gate is another paranormal hotspot because this space was formerly used for hangings and this part of the prison is said to be haunted by the spirit of Orville Adkins who suffered a bad execution attempt you can hear disembodied voices and footsteps going back and forth. The North Hall was known for having many paranormal encounters of various anomalies being captured. People had their equipment malfunction and batteries completely dead and there were instances of cell doors slamming. In the North Hall, there have been reports of a notorious spirit of Red Synder that terrorizes the visitors and creates an uneasy feeling of being followed and he sometimes grabs any person that walks by his cell and while the person would look around there would be nothing in sight.

Overall, there are a lot of unclean spirits that dwell within this gothic structure lurking around every corner. So, that means you always must be alert, listen to every sound, and pay attention to every movement. If you are interested in pursuing the paranormal be smart, safe, and most importantly responsible with the decisions you make contacting any spirit and know the difference between good and unclean spirits to keep yourself from any dangerous situations with the paranormal.