South Carolina State Hospital

My special guest tonight is author William Bechheit who's here to discuss South Carolina's Lunatic Asylum founded in 1821. Nearly two decades after it closed, the South Carolina State Hospital continues to hold a palpable mystique in Columbia and throughout the state. Founded in 1821 as the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum, it housed, fed, and treated thousands of patients incapable of surviving on their own. The patient population in 1961 eclipsed 6,600, well above its listed capacity of 4,823, despite an operating budget that ranked 45th out of the 48 states with such large public hospitals. By the mid-1990s, the patient population had fallen under 700, and the hospital had become a symbol of captivity, horror, and chaos. Author William Buchheit details this history through the words and interviews of those who worked on the iconic campus. Do you enjoy paranormal episodes? Follow our new podcast 'Paranormal Fears' on any podcast app or Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to our Mysterious Radio Channel on Apple Podcasts to get every episode plus bonus editions Ad-Free! Visit our home on the web: https://www.mysteriousradio.com Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradio Follow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio Check Out Mysterious Radio! (copy the link to share with your friends and family via text Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices