I Lost My Ghost Hunting Virginity at the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital

Back in June, Steve Vaughn of Ghost Eyes invited me along on a paranormal investigation he’d put together to the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. He said it’d make for a “great haunted jaunt.” An overnight one at that.

I’ve been following the adventures Autumnforest of Ghost Hunting Theories and Julie from Above the Norm have been having on their haunted investigations around Arizona. (Which has partially been in conjunction with their Hug-a-Blogger project.)

I figured, “You know what? It’s a different kind of haunt jaunt than the ones I’m used to, and South Pittsburgh is an easy jaunt down I-65 from Nashville. Why not? Hopefully it’ll give me something neat to write about like Autumnforest and Julie have been doing.”

Steve also said we could invite people if we knew anyone who might be interested. I knew Jessica of Ghost Stories and Haunted Places didn’t live too far from South Pittsburgh either. I mentioned it to her and she said, “Count me in!”

So, on Friday July 30, Steve and his girlfriend Angela (aka @GhostEyes_Angie on Twitter), Jessica and her husband Alex, Jeremy of Rocket City Paranormal (@RCP_GatorFan on Twitter) and Brett of Southern Ghosts (who just recently joined Twitter as @BrettTCB5150 but there’s also @SouthernGhosts) and myself all met up at the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I arrived shortly before 5 p.m. Steve instructed me to park around back, a.k.a. the old Emergency Entrance.

Below is the sign I saw on the door as I waited for Steve and crew to come down from the 3rd floor to let me in.

The “Beware of Dog” sign gave me some pause. I’m not afraid of dogs by any means, but I wasn’t expecting any to be there. Later, on our tour of the facility, I saw the three dogs who lived on the premises. Sadly none of my pics of the mangy mutts came out very well.

Suffice it to say, the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital is well guarded.

After I met my fellow ghost hunters (who thankfully I felt instantly comfortable with) and got our tour, we headed to dinner at Shoney’s in nearby Kimball. Well, I should say everyone else ate. I wasn’t hungry right then so I just had some fruit. I’d regret not forcing myself to eat something more substantial later.

After dinner some of us made a quick stop at Walmart. Then it was back to the hospital to settle in for a night of investigating.

IT WAS A HOT AND STEAMY NIGHT…

I don’t remember what the exact temp was inside, but I’m not exaggerating when I say it was 90 plus of pure stagnant air. I have never sweated as much as I did that night. Not even when I was going through all my cancer stuff. Back then I’d drenched my clothes at times and have to change. I could’ve changed four times in an hour at the hospital!

And we weren’t alone in thinking that. Teams are allowed to sign on the wall. Here’s what one investigator decided to put as his stamp on the wall. I totally second his nomination!

The third (and top) floor was the worst. (Heat rising effect and all that.) Luckily that’s where they started setting up first. (Better to get it over and one with!)

Steve hooked me up with my very own K2 meter.

He also gave me a walkie because he’d promised my husband (who’d taken time off to go to my aunt’s funeral with me and couldn’t spare another day off that week) that he’d either show me a real good time or lose me, but whichever it was he’d do it 100%. But since he didn’t really want to lose me, he figured supplying me with a walkie might help prevent it.

THE A/C ROOM: MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE HOSPITAL

Why? Because it was the coolest! (It was one of the few places with the A/C on and running, and it was a blessed retreat!)

“BUSTED”

We spent the rest of the night doing something I’d watched many a time on Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, and something many other paranormal enthusiasts have done but that I never have: we conducted a paranormal investigation of the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital.

On the way home it dawned on me: I’m no longer a ghost hunting virgin!

I couldn’t have lost it with a nicer bunch of people. But, as is sometimes the case when we lose our virginity, there are regrets.

Would I have rather that my “first time” been somewhere else? Perhaps.

Until I lost it I didn’t realize I had an “ideal paranormal cherry buster.” (Which is Waverly Hills, by the way.)

But I might have it too built up in my mind. It might not have lived up to expectations. So you know what? The Old South Pittsburgh Hospital was a fantastic place to get some “experience.” (Hubba hubba!)

And, again, I couldn’t have lost it with a neater bunch of people. They were extremely professional, patient, funny, and just downright nice. They definitely made it a night to remember!

READ MORE ABOUT THE OLD SOUTH PITTSBURGH HOSPITAL

In another post I’m going to write about my experiences at the hospital, and I’ll also link to some of the evidence Steve and gang found.

But for now here’s what my fellow ghost hunters from that night have had to say about it all:

1. Ghost Eyes – Old South Pittsburgh Hospital Paranormal Investigation Part 1 and Part 2
2. Ghost Stories and Haunted Places – Ghost Hunting at Old South Pittsburgh Hospital in Tennessee

POLL AND DISCUSSION