The Deuce: Have you ever heard of a photojournalist / documentarian Camilo Jose Vergara?

I shared mostly color images in a separate thread. This thread includes B&W versions of photographs--most of which are different compositions from the color ones as well.

The sanatorium opened to patients in 1911 as the Indiana State Tuberculosis Hospital. With the successful treatment of tuberculosis, the facility converted to a pyschiatric hospital in the 1950's. The facility closed in the late 60's, but later reopened in the late 70's as an assisted living facility. The state also transferred patients from other mental institutions into the facility.

A history of thousands of deaths and many tragedies at the health care center contributed to its poor reputation and ultimate decline of the facility – including many allegations of resident abuse. In 2002, a woman was found outside dead of hypothermia, and months later a man hung himself less than quarter-mile away. Residents again wandered away and died in separate 2006 incidents, one struck by a car and the other found in a creek; there was the 2009 murder-suicide of two employees.

Given the history of the place, it has a reputation of being haunted--and attracts "ghost hunters" from around the country. The buildings are currently privately owned and open for tours or private exploration.

As I arrived at the complex, I was asked to sign a waiver. I was told that I should be careful, particularly in a few of the buildings, as the floors are very soft and subject to collapse! I also learned that the buildings don't have electricity, so a flashlight is necessary to maneuver around the buildings. At times, I was pushing through wild vines to enter doors. It was a lot more of an adventure than I anticipated!

1- The facility was abandoned in a rush--so much so that several vehicles were also left to rot on the campus. That's the Tuberculosis Hospital in the background.

2- The Grand Staircase inside the Tuberculosis Hospital. I carried that wheelchair up the stairs as I like what it did for the composition.

3- The Beauty Parlor...note that binder laying on the counter. The place has a lot of paperwork laying around the various rooms. Those binders include notes regarding medical procedures, medical records, etc. I tried to use the mirror to my advantage with this composition. This area of the hospital seemed a bit more risky as the wooden floors were sopping wet...and there's always that feeling like they might give way! I guess that's why they have you sign the waiver.

4- This organ was in a music, or social hall

5- Organ keys...a different composition that the one in my color thread

6- As I said, there are several abandoned vehicles on site--including this hearse. At one point, I noticed that I was in the lower level of the hospital and standing in the morgue. The nature of the disease back then is that the mortality rate was quite high. They would transport the bodies through the tunnels so that the patients wouldn't see the number of dead bodies leaving the facility on a weekly basis...in order to keep morale a bit higher.

7- The community bus was also left on the grounds to rot...kind of reminded me of the Walking Dead!

8- This is the laundry room...what was strange is that the place--floors, ceiling--was soaking wet. And, wet clothes were in the hamper.

9- Beauty shop

10- Another view of the Grand Staircase...I liked the view of the staircase from the basement level below because the floor down there is one of those black and white checkered tile ones...very creepy. But it was pitch black down there and some minor "renovations" kind of ruined that scene as well.

11- Many of the rooms are significantly exposed to the elements. I was fortunate to be there on an overcast day--although I could have done without the rain. Had it been sunny, I couldn't have controlled the dynamic range nearly as easily.

12- This is the Nurses Station. I did find this area of the nursing home to be the most creepy. The station sits in the middle of four long corridors that extend in each direction. So, it's deep into the complex. It's super dark back here...so dark that I needed my flashlight to see where I was going.

When I first arrived at the campus, I was probably the only one in the buildings. Later, a couple of other people were wandering around the hospital. At one point, one man was filming an empty corridor--and he was telling me that the camera kept shifting autofocus, which he interpreted as paranormal activity. One other woman told me that someone was standing behind her in the underground tunnels, but when she turned around he suddenly disappeared. Anyone I saw thought I was there taking pictures in hope of uncovering some paranormal activity.

I'm not a big paranormal guy. I was mostly absorbed in the photography and wasn't thinking too much about how creepy the place is. The other visitors told me to view my photos carefully and I might see evidence of a ghost. Well, there's something on the right wall of the nursing home here...my explanation is that somehow it is my shadow!

Thanks for looking...next up will be some photographs of places of greater beauty...cathedrals and capitol buildings!