Starvation Heights / Linda Hazzard Sanitarium – Haunted Sanitarium in Olalla, Washington

Deep in the quiet woods of Olalla, Washington, once stood a nightmare masquerading as hope. The Wilderness Heights sanitarium, better known by its chilling nickname “Starvation Heights,” operated as a house of horrors between 1908 and 1912. Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard ran this facility under the guise of therapeutic fasting treatments. What she actually administered was systematic starvation that claimed dozens of lives.

The original building burned down in 1935 under mysterious circumstances that locals still debate today. Some say the fire was deliberately set to cleanse the property of its dark energy. Yet even after the structure turned to ash, the land itself remained cursed. Witnesses report feeling overwhelming dread when walking through the area where patients once slowly wasted away.

The property sits on a hillside overlooking the Puget Sound with deceptively beautiful views. Hikers who unknowingly wander onto the former sanitarium grounds often report sudden temperature drops and unexplainable feelings of hunger. These sensations hit visitors with such intensity that many have collapsed from sudden weakness. The spirits of Hazzard’s victims seem determined to make the living understand their suffering.

Local historians estimate that between 40 and 100 people died at Starvation Heights. Dr. Hazzard kept meticulous records that she later destroyed to hide her crimes. The few surviving documents reveal a systematic pattern of abuse, theft, and medical malpractice. Her patients trusted her with their lives and paid the ultimate price for that faith.

Historical Background

Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard built Wilderness Heights sanitarium in 1908 on rural property in Olalla. She claimed to hold a medical degree, though Washington State only licensed her as a fasting specialist. Her “treatment” involved reducing patients to as little as a cup of tomato broth daily. This extreme fasting was supposed to cure everything from cancer to mental illness.

Hazzard’s method attracted wealthy patients from around the world seeking alternative medical treatments. She specifically targeted the rich and vulnerable with promises of miracle cures. Once patients became too weak to resist, she took control of their finances and assets. Many signed over their entire estates before dying of what she claimed were natural causes.

The sanitarium operated in relative secrecy due to its remote location away from town. Neighbors occasionally heard screams echoing through the trees but rarely investigated. The few visitors Hazzard allowed described emaciated patients wandering the grounds like living skeletons. She forbade most outside contact, claiming it interfered with the healing process.

The most famous case involved two wealthy Australian sisters, Claire and Dorothea Williamson, in 1911. Claire died after weeks of starvation, weighing less than 70 pounds at her death. Dorothea barely survived after her family staged a dramatic rescue from the facility. The ensuing trial in 1912 finally exposed Hazzard’s deadly practices to public scrutiny.

Hazzard was convicted of manslaughter in Claire Williamson’s death and served two years in prison. She lost her medical license but resumed practicing after her release using legal loopholes. She eventually rebuilt a smaller facility on the same cursed ground in the 1920s. The sanitarium operated until the mysterious fire of 1935 destroyed everything and ended her reign of terror.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The former sanitarium site experiences constant paranormal activity despite having no standing structures for decades. Visitors report hearing anguished moans and cries for help coming from empty air. These sounds often manifest around dusk when Hazzard used to serve her patients their meager rations. The disembodied voices sometimes call out specific names that match known victims from historical records.

Apparitions of severely emaciated figures appear throughout the property, particularly near the old building foundation. These spectral forms wear early 1900s clothing that hangs loosely on their skeletal frames. Witnesses describe making eye contact with these spirits and seeing desperate pleading in their hollow eyes. The ghosts often reach out toward the living as if begging for food or rescue.

Cold spots plague the area even during hot summer months when temperatures should be warm. These freezing zones move and shift as if intelligent forces control them. People walking through cold spots report instant feelings of intense hunger and physical weakness. Some visitors have fainted from the overwhelming sensations that seem to transfer the victims’ final moments.

Objects move on their own in the wooded area where the sanitarium once stood. Hikers leave water bottles or snacks only to find them relocated yards away moments later. These items sometimes appear arranged in disturbing patterns or gathered near the old foundation stones. Local researchers believe the spirits are trying to communicate their desperate need for sustenance.

Electronic devices malfunction with unusual frequency anywhere near the former sanitarium location. Cameras drain completely despite fresh batteries installed minutes earlier. Cell phones display strange messages or symbols that don’t match any known language or code. Audio recorders pick up whispered conversations in multiple languages describing hunger, pain, and betrayal.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Claire Williamson’s spirit is the most frequently encountered ghost on the property. She appears as a thin woman in a white nightgown with long dark hair. Witnesses report she looks confused and disoriented, often calling out for her sister Dorothea. Her apparition seems trapped in the final days before her death in 1911.

One particularly chilling encounter occurred in 1998 when a real estate developer surveyed the land. He reported seeing Claire’s ghost sitting beneath a large cedar tree, rocking back and forth. When he approached to investigate, she looked directly at him and whispered “so hungry” before vanishing. The developer abandoned his plans to build on the property immediately afterward.

Another recurring spirit is believed to be Eugene Stanley Wakelin, a British man who died at the sanitarium in 1910. His ghost appears as a well-dressed gentleman in a three-piece suit that now hangs on his wasted frame. He walks the property carrying an empty plate, eternally searching for food that never comes. Witnesses describe him as polite but profoundly sad, still unable to comprehend his fate.

Several visitors have reported encountering the spirit of a young woman named Maude Whitney. She died at Starvation Heights in 1908, one of the first victims of Hazzard’s treatment. Her ghost appears near the old entrance path, warning people to turn back and leave. She speaks clearly, saying “Don’t trust her, she’ll take everything” before fading into mist.

The most terrifying presence on the property is Dr. Linda Hazzard herself. Her apparition manifests as a tall, stern woman in a long dark dress and white medical coat. Unlike the victims’ ghosts, Hazzard’s spirit radiates anger and malevolence rather than sadness. She’s been seen walking the perimeter of her former property as if still guarding it.

Local paranormal investigators documented an encounter with Hazzard’s ghost in 2003 during a nighttime investigation. The team’s medium claimed Hazzard’s spirit confronted her, insisting her treatments were legitimate and beneficial. The ghost supposedly showed no remorse for the deaths, maintaining her innocence decades after her mortal death. This encounter left the entire team deeply unsettled and convinced of genuine haunting activity.

A group of children’s spirits also haunts the location, though documentation of juvenile patients is sparse. These young ghosts appear together, holding hands and singing nursery rhymes in weak, trembling voices. They seem less aware than the adult spirits, possibly trapped in a loop of their final moments. Their presence is especially heartbreaking to witnesses who hear their innocent voices asking when dinner will come.

Most Haunted Spot

The foundation stones where the main treatment room once stood generate the most intense paranormal activity. This is where Hazzard administered her brutal “massage therapy” to patients too weak to walk. The stones themselves reportedly feel unnaturally cold to the touch regardless of weather conditions.

Visitors to this specific area experience overwhelming nausea and sudden weakness in their legs. Many report feeling invisible hands grabbing at their arms and shoulders with desperate intensity. The sensation of being pulled downward toward the ground overcomes even the strongest visitors. Paranormal researchers have captured dozens of EVP recordings here featuring multiple voices crying for help.

A particular cedar tree standing near the foundation marks the spot where several bodies were allegedly buried. Hazzard claimed her patients wanted natural burials on the property rather than traditional funerals. In reality, she was hiding evidence of her crimes and avoiding autopsies. This tree’s roots are said to have fed on the victims’ remains for years.

People who touch the cedar tree report instant visions of the sanitarium’s horrors. They describe seeing starving patients through the victims’ own eyes, experiencing their hunger and despair. These psychic impressions are so powerful that some witnesses vomit or lose consciousness. The tree seems to hold the traumatic energy of everything that happened here.

Can You Visit?

The Starvation Heights site sits on private property that is not officially open to the public. No admission fee exists because trespassing is technically illegal without owner permission. However, the property remains largely unmonitored, and curious ghost hunters frequently visit despite the legal restrictions. Law enforcement rarely patrols the area due to its remote location.

No official guided tours operate at the former sanitarium location. Several local paranormal investigation groups conduct unofficial expeditions to the site throughout the year. These groups usually meet at nearby Olalla Community Park before hiking to the property. Participants are advised to bring flashlights, water, and recording equipment for potential evidence collection.

Photography is allowed on the property, though cameras often malfunction in specific areas. Visitors report memory cards becoming corrupted when photographing near the old foundation stones. Some images show strange mists or shadowy figures that weren’t visible during the actual photography. The spirits seem camera-aware and occasionally interact directly with photographers.

The site is technically accessible year-round from dawn to dusk for those willing to risk trespassing. Most visitors come during daylight hours when navigation is easier through the overgrown wooded area. Night visits are possible but extremely dangerous due to uneven terrain and limited lighting. The property has no facilities, restrooms, or maintained trails for visitor convenience.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity intensifies dramatically during the late fall and winter months between October and February. These were the months when most deaths occurred at the sanitarium due to pneumonia complications from starvation. The spirits seem more active and desperate as the anniversary dates of their deaths approach.

The hours between 6 PM and 9 PM produce the most consistent supernatural encounters. This was the evening “treatment” time when Hazzard conducted her painful massage therapy sessions. Visitors during these hours report the strongest physical sensations and most frequent apparition sightings. The dinner hour of 6:30 PM specifically generates intense activity as the spirits relive their nightly disappointment.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Sarah Mitchell, a paranormal investigator from Seattle, led an expedition to Starvation Heights in October 2015. She reported feeling suddenly dizzy and weak near the foundation stones around 7 PM. Her team captured her collapsing on video as she described overwhelming hunger pangs. Blood tests afterward showed her glucose levels had dropped dangerously low despite eating a full meal an hour before.

Mitchell’s audio equipment recorded a clear female voice saying “Please, just a piece of bread” at the exact moment of her collapse. The voice analysis didn’t match anyone in her investigation team. She also photographed a transparent figure standing behind her in several frames. The figure appears to be a thin woman in early 1900s clothing reaching toward Mitchell’s shoulder.

Local historian Robert Chen documented his experience visiting the site in 2008 for research purposes. He described hearing children singing “Ring Around the Rosie” from somewhere in the woods ahead. Following the voices led him to the old cedar tree where he found no children present. The singing continued for several minutes, growing fainter until it disappeared completely as the sun set.

Chen also reported finding fresh flowers placed at the base of the cedar tree. The arrangement looked recent despite the property’s isolation and lack of regular visitors. He later learned that descendants of some victims occasionally visit to leave tributes. However, the flowers he photographed weren’t there when other visitors checked the site days later.

A camping group accidentally set up near the property in July 2012 without knowing the location’s history. Three members of the group independently reported nightmares about starving to death that same night. They all woke around 3 AM complaining of intense hunger despite eating dinner hours earlier. One camper sleepwalked toward the old sanitarium foundation and had to be physically restrained by friends.

The group’s GoPro camera, left running overnight, captured strange light anomalies moving between the tents. The footage shows multiple orbs drifting through the campsite with intelligent movement patterns. Audio on the recording picked up whispered pleading in at least three different voices. The group packed up at first light and later discovered they’d camped within 50 yards of the foundation.

Local Legends & Myths

Locals tell stories about Hazzard’s ghost continuing her deadly work from beyond the grave. They claim that anyone who spends the night on the property will experience inexplicable weight loss. Some versions of the legend suggest that Hazzard’s spirit can actually drain life energy from the living. Multiple overnight visitors have reported losing 5 to 10 pounds during a single night’s camping.

Another persistent legend involves a curse that Hazzard placed on the property before her death in 1938. She allegedly swore that her sanitarium would stand forever despite the 1935 fire. Believers point to the fact that all attempts to develop the land have failed mysteriously. Plans for housing developments and commercial properties have all fallen through due to strange accidents and investor reluctance.

The cedar tree has become the focus of its own urban legend separate from the main haunting. Local teenagers dare each other to hug the tree at midnight on Halloween. According to the legend, anyone who does will receive a vision of their own death. At least a dozen people claim to have accepted the dare and witnessed disturbing premonitions. Whether these claims are true or simply campfire stories remains debatable but widely discussed.

Some Olalla residents believe the entire hillside is cursed, not just the sanitarium site itself. They point to an unusually high number of car accidents on nearby roads during foggy conditions. Strange illnesses affecting multiple households in the area have also been attributed to Hazzard’s lingering influence. These claims lack scientific support but continue to circulate in local folklore and community discussions.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Pacific Northwest Paranormal Investigation team conducted a comprehensive study of Starvation Heights in 2010. Their investigation spanned three nights in October using advanced equipment including thermal cameras and EMF detectors. The team recorded over 40 distinct EVP samples featuring voices in English, German, and Norwegian. These languages match the nationalities of known patients who died at the facility.

Thermal imaging captured humanoid shapes moving through the woods despite no living people being present. These heat signatures registered at approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit, much cooler than living humans. The shapes moved with purposeful direction toward the foundation area where the treatment room once stood. They appeared to be following a familiar path, possibly recreating their daily routines from life.

The investigation team’s EMF detectors spiked to dangerous levels near the cedar tree. These readings occurred in patterns that seemed to respond to direct questions from investigators. When asked “Are you hungry?” the EMF readings immediately jumped from baseline to maximum. The intelligent response patterns convinced the team they were communicating with conscious entities rather than residual energy.

A follow-up investigation in 2016 by Ghost Hunters Northwest produced similar findings. They documented full-bodied shadow figures captured on multiple cameras simultaneously from different angles. One particularly compelling piece of footage shows a shadow in the shape of Dr. Hazzard herself. The figure appears to be looking directly at the camera before turning and walking through a solid tree.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

Visiting Starvation Heights involves trespassing on private property, which can result in legal consequences. The current landowners rarely prosecute but have the right to press charges against unauthorized visitors. Local police occasionally patrol the area and may issue citations for trespassing if they encounter visitors. Fines can range from $500 to $1,000 depending on the circumstances of the violation.

The terrain itself presents significant physical hazards beyond the paranormal dangers. The old foundation stones create trip hazards hidden under decades of leaf litter and undergrowth. Several visitors have suffered sprained ankles or worse when unexpectedly stepping into depressions where the foundation has sunk. The area lacks cell phone service, making emergency calls impossible without hiking back to the main road.

Visitors consistently report feeling suddenly weak or dizzy while on the property. These sensations can lead to falls or disorientation in the dense woods. At least one person required hospitalization after collapsing from dehydration despite bringing adequate water supplies. Medical professionals cannot explain these sudden health changes but recommend visitors bring companions and exit immediately if symptoms occur.

The psychological impact of visiting Starvation Heights should not be underestimated. Many visitors experience persistent nightmares about starvation for weeks after leaving the property. Some develop temporary eating disorders or anxiety around mealtimes that require professional counseling. Mental health professionals in the area have treated multiple patients whose symptoms directly followed visits to the site.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

The foundation stones themselves are considered cursed objects by many paranormal researchers. People who have taken stones from the property report experiencing immediate bad luck and health problems. One collector who removed a stone in 2005 developed mysterious digestive issues that resolved only after returning it. The stones seem energetically tied to the property and resist removal through supernatural means.

Several items allegedly recovered from the site now reside in private collections despite dubious authenticity. These include old medicine bottles, utensils, and personal effects claimed to have belonged to patients. Owners of these objects report strange occurrences in their homes including unexplained knocking and items moving. One collector claims her antique spoon from the sanitarium rattles violently in her drawer every night at 6:30 PM.

Photographs taken at Starvation Heights are sometimes considered haunted objects themselves. Multiple people report that framed photos from the site cause nightmares when displayed in bedrooms. The images allegedly change slightly over time, with shadows moving or new figures appearing. These claims remain unverified but contribute to the location’s reputation for lingering supernatural influence beyond the physical site.

Dr. Hazzard’s personal medical equipment was supposedly destroyed after the 1935 fire. However, rumors persist that some items survived and remain hidden on the property or in private hands. The massage table where she “treated” patients has never been accounted for in historical records. Local legend suggests that finding this table would unleash the full concentrated evil of Hazzard’s spirit.