The Seaside Sanatorium has a long and interesting history. Originally built in the early 1930’s by Cass Gilbert, the building was created with the intent to treat children with tuberculosis. As the pandemic decreased with time, the program was closed in 1958. In 1959, they reopened the facility as Seaside Geriatric Hospital with the hope of treating and helping elderly patients who required special care. The program only lasted two years before changing again.

Updated to the Seaside Regional Center for the Mentally Retarded, the building was used to treat the mentally handicapped, but rumors say that this quickly changed. Legends say that a select few state workers abused their power and incorrectly handled a few patients, resulting in a high mortality rate. Realistically, the building probably ran out of funds and was forced to close. It has remained closed and abandoned since 1996.

Seaside Sanatorium Today

Rumors state that the death toll of Seaside Sanatorium summed up to the low hundreds. This is mostly due to the high mortality rate of tuberculosis and of course the elderly. This has left an imprint on the building which is said to still exist to today. Users who worked in the building claim they would feel cold spots, hear footsteps and strange sounds even while alone. Multiple paranormal groups have searched the grounds and recovered EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomena) of childrens laughter and other strange sounds. Objects within the building are said to move on their own. Other claim to see the playground equipment outside (swings etc) in use although nobody is there. It leaves an uneasy feeling for a place with so much dread and illness in its history.

Picture by Victor Solanoy

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swag land

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i’m very interested in the mental hospitals that are abandoned. they are amazing and the architecture is what makes me speech less. 100% recommend to go visit. i had this weird connection to it. take tons of pictures because this place is incredibly beautiful
2 years ago
Joann

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At age 16 my first summer job was here as a counselor for the mentally and physically challenged. I have very deep and fond memories of the summers that I worked here. The camaraderie and the loving attention to this population that was pervasive at that time not only set the tone but also sparked a life long commitment to my work in this field. I have always been very grateful for my opportunity as staff at the Seaside Regional Center.
On a separate note, I have another connection with this historic site as my own father was a tuberculosis patient at the Seaside Sanitorium when he was a child.
If indeed there are ghosts, I am certain that there are some happy and loving spirits walking the shores at Seaside.
Joann
3 years ago
Veronica

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I grew up right down the street from seaside. My brother and I used to go in to ghost hunt at night. We were able to get inside through a broken window and walked all the levels. Pure chill bumps. You just feel this nervous feeling. One time we went in we found a helmet /head piece in one of the rooms and my brother thought it would be a cool idea to take it and bring it back home to my parents house… Shortly after we began experiencing paranormal activity. We we’re hearing voices and whispers and began having an overwhelming sense of unease. One night a toy in the closet turned on and started playing music without being touched. The next night my brother was cleaning out his Jeep and his Jeep door swung and slammed closed. He ran inside and screamed that we needed to return the helmet. I never truly knew if paranormal activity was real until going into Seaside and then these occurrences. Ghosts are very real and Seaside is definitely haunted.
3 years ago
Secret

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I’m only 27 years old. I grew up in Waterford. When I was a child, my buddies and I use to swim there and ride our bikes around there. When we got older we got into ghost hunting and I’ll tell you what… if you don’t see, hear, or catch some activity, idk what your doing but its wrong.
3 years ago
Andrea Masisak

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Today the former Seaside Sanatorium is a Connecticut State Park managed by the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). From 1934-1958, Seaside treated children with tuberculosis from throughout Connecticut and the State Parks Division is doing research for an interpretive history of the site.
If you are a former patient, staff member, visitor, supplier, neighbor or are closely related to someone who was and would like to speak about the daily life at Seaside during the years 1934-1958, please contact me. [email protected] Thank you.
3 years ago
Jeanette Jamieson Heagy

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There aren’t too many of us, I’m sure….but I’m 80 years old and was a patient at Seaside for almost two years,. Fond memories and hated going home when I was discharged, age 5. It was an idyllic place, on the ocean and we swam every day. I hate that they let it go to ruin. If it is haunted, there is good reason for that. Many children were brought there and left there. No visitors, no moms. It was a sad place for some kids. I always wondered if some of those unwanted kids died and are buried there. Will we ever know?
3 years ago
Silver man

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Went there today no ghosts just silver coins metal detecting!!!
4 years ago
Rose

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I live by seaside, and when I was younger used to go inside. I have had many paranormal encounters, physical, as well as using a ouijia board. The history is rich and raw, and is a wonderful place to visit for a beach day, picnic, a cool place to explore, or a place to do investigating!
5 years ago
Sarah Andrews

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The sanatorium is hanted I know this because when I was younger the ghost of a little boy asked me where my parents were
5 years ago
Holle McConnell

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I went here with my friend Lauren, we walked the property. As we walked I felt a feeling of sadness. We walked through a small covered bridge type building, as we walked through it, I felt an uneasy feeling like someone was walking with us.
I wish we would have been able to go inside the building. I do believe it to be haunted. As my friend Lauren and I walked the property I looked up at the building, and in one of the windows I saw someone standing there.
There was not anyone around while we were walking.
5 years ago
Paulie

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Went to visit this place last week! It’s a mix of beautiful and creepy. It’s abandoned and looks haunted, but is right on the ocean with a beautiful view off the CT coast. I heard about it through a friend whose grandfather worked here. Said that the place was a great place to work and that no wrong-doing ever occurred
6 years ago

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Haunted Places, Legends and Ghosts

Seaside Sanatorium : Waterford, CT

Seaside Sanatorium : Waterford, CT

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