Old Michigan Mental Hospital Now a Spooky Tourist Spot

Inside Westland, Michigan, the Kay Beard building stands as the final remnant of Eloise Asylum. This 150,000-square-foot structure, once filled with mental health patients, now draws visitors as a haunted attraction and museum. It's one of the last structures standing on what was once a sprawling 900-acre medical site.

"I believe that every area is haunted. I believe that we live in a diverse spiritual ecosystem, and there are a lot of things everywhere," lead historian Adam Hachey said, per The Detroit Free Press.

The site's roots stretch to 1839, starting as a poorhouse in Hamtramck. After moving to Westland, it grew into a self-contained world. At its peak, 10,000 patients lived across 70 buildings. The grounds buzzed with activity—farms produced food, bakers made bread, while police and firefighters kept watch.

Medical advances marked the hospital's history. In 1896, Stanislas Keenan crafted one of America's first X-ray machines. The site later broke ground in Michigan with kidney treatments and liver surgeries.

By the 1970s, state control led to the mental ward's shutdown. The main hospital closed its doors in the mid-1980s. Demolition claimed most structures, sparing only the Kay Beard building, a fire station, and the old food store—now serving homeless individuals.

"A lot of people have negative connotations and associations with its history, but a lot of good things happened here as well, and we like to preserve that legacy," Hachey said to The Detroit Free Press.

The name comes from Eloise Dickerson Davock, daughter of Detroit's postmaster Freeman B. Dickerson. She worked to better the lives of those in need.

Today's visitors can pick from several activities. A spine-chilling 35-minute walk-through awaits thrill-seekers. Friday nights bring ghost hunts with special tools. Backstage tours and two escape rooms add to the mix. History buffs can join three-hour tours with expert guides.

Ghost hunting needs a Michigan ID and an age of 18+. Backstage visits run Fridays through October 25, 2025. Check their website for booking and full details.