Strange & Unusual: The Horrors of Letchworth Village 

thank you! It looks so good, right? I'm so proud of it!

@StephanieHarlowe absolutely phenomenal. 💯

No you’re right girl

​@@StephanieHarloweIt looks incredible!!

Hell yesssssss

He was lucky to have parents who could afford to advocate and care for him in that time period. I have a cousin with downs but she is very independent and even has a job working with horses. Her parents refused to accept that she had downs and unfortunately were trash parents who were abusive, I refuse to acknowledge them as anything other than trash to me they aren’t even human for how they treated their children. But that girl is so incredibly compassionate, she’s artsy, kind and so understanding of animals and children. I’m not close to her anymore but that’s only because of her parents.

You pretty much described my uncle word for word. It's crazy how you can understand what they're saying as long as you know what going on in their lives. my uncle taught me something about life that I don't think I'd ever have learned if I didn't have the time with him that I did. Truly was a blessing and a privilege.

God bless your uncle, I'm so pleased that he lived a happy life with his family around him.

I am hearting this!! Thank God for your grandparents!!! They knew!! ❤. These institutions are real life horror movies.

Thank you Stephanie for acknowledging this place and expressing compassion for those who lived and died there.

Right?!

My mother worked in a "developmental center" funded by the state, for the very disabled. Patients that could not get out of bed and often were mentally just as disabled. They shut it down around 2006 for patient abuse. For the same reasons Letchworth turned into a nightmare. Severe lack of funding, overcrowding and too many patients per nurse. She'd even go in there on her time off to volunteer. I think I watched a Ghost Adventures interview and a nurse that worked at Letchworth Village was speaking to them and she ALSO went to volunteer in her off time and go up there and work for free because she said she just couldnt stand knowing that her patients were in there suffering and needed her all the time. My mom neglected us, her own children, to volunteer on her days off taking care of other people's children-not that i blame her! And the doctor is never answering their phone calls to help the nurses to call in medications all the patients needed...these guys were much worse off that the patients at Letchworth. There was no way they could take care of themselves. I think most all Letchworth patients could have been rehabilitated had they not been in a a concentration camp. Lets call Letchworth what it really was. Not a "hospital" or "home". They were slaves unless they were so disabled they couldnt work. I bet a far more significant portion of Letchworth prisoners that couldn't work were overdosed on sedatives than ones that could. Mom said the state couldn't, no, wouldn't pay enough ppl to keep everything in tip top shape and therefore that place ALSO went to hell.

It never happened because disabled people are seen as less than trash and still are today if you look around - while we have come a FAR distance from what it used to be, disabled people are still forced into squalor, forced to live poor, in some states (I will clarify not all) they, we, as I'm disabled; was born that way, can't even get married if we want any form of help - because it will diminish the help we can get. A lot of disabled people are forced to forgo life changing surgeries they NEED, to own homes, cars, get married and live a somewhat normal life. The "help" we as disabled individuals do recieve dictates what we can OWN, in my state if I wanted help (my surgeries would cost well into the millions with the therapy I would need after calculated in) I couldn't own over 2k in 'assets' and if I did? No help. And I would only get 3-4 months of help after said surgeries before the state pulls the 'help', because after that point they will deem me 'no longer disabled' even though I will need well over 6 months of physical therapy. I can't afford the remaining costs for therapy, so here I am, 32, and practically forced to live with a bent spine and leg deformities because the government so deems it. We've come very far in terms of accessibility. But NOT far enough. Cities claim they are accessible but some people have to go several extra blocks to get to said accessible entrances etc, what would take an able bodied person 20 mins in travel would take a disabled person well over an hour, I could go on and on about the changes that need to happen but no one listens. 😢 It feels like no one cares about us or our voices, and I hope it changes for future generations - and that more opportunities open up for people like me. I hope children can have a better, more accepting future, but it feels unattainable because certain countries are now k*lling kids with specific disablilties and claiming they're 'curing' the problem - I sadly believe we will never truly be seen as people, but always a burden on society.

Ooooh thank you!

Aren't there some amazing channels. Stephanie is 'ok' but much prefer others tbh

@@elainebines6803 then wtf are you commenting on here? If you don't like it, leave.

Haha I don’t need another subscription. I’m A-Ok finding her right here.

we have a streaming service right here!

They'd just control her content and limit what she can say. Not ideal.

​@@StephanieHarloweexactly you have a production right here!! ❤

Totally agreed, I'd watch it religiously

I live not too far from Pennhurst and have known nurses who worked there. Good nurses who did their best in overwhelming situations and didn't want to abandon their patients by simply leaving. It's so sad to see people who have been vilified for being tied to such a horrific place.

This was my first thought as well. I've honestly never heard of this story and accidentally tapped to play but couldn't stop watching...😢

His name is tied to a State Park that most know more than the village.

Right?!

Absolutely! Considering the subject matter, I expected him to be the reason these poor souls were tortured, when in reality it was HIS vision to see them properly cared for with compassion. ❤

They're just so disrespectful. Like they're so concerned about putting on a preformance and get views for their tv show/youtube channel that they completely ignore the fact that the 'ghosts' they're interacting with were once people who deserve peace and not to be screamed at.

@@SjofnBM1989 thank you! I have a channel called spirits Of history that focuses on historical facts about these locations and I call out the liars and people get really nasty about it including death threats. It's sick.

​@@Danisuzette can you please link your channel? I couldn't find it, thanks!

@@OzmaOfOzz @spiritsofhistory I don't know if that works lol

This was so beautifully done❤ thank you ❤

I'm always with you, my child

@@StephanieHarlowe the fact that I automatically read this comment in your voice inside my head 😂

​@@hadleymoore7590 same!

Ditto! & out done herself! ❤❤❤

Same!!! 😂🎉

We all know you've been going through it, girl. But such a classy, professional, well-spoken lady. Keep on keepin' on, sister.

How would one begin to urban explore? I find myself fascinated watching videos of others doing it but feel the need to have the experience even if it’s just once.

@@megancraig6053 I used to do some urban exploration, and the first rule is never go alone! There's always a chance of accidents in abandoned places, so having a buddy, or better yet, a small team, is necessary for safety. So is some basic protective gear. I always wore steeltoed Doc Martens or work boots when exploring, along with some solid, long pants, (cargos are good for pocket space!) and a beat up, but tear-resistant leather jacket. Tear resistant work gloves are smart to have with you if you're going to be climbing, or touching anything. (Having an up to date tetanus shot is a good idea too!) A really good flashlight is a necessity, as are extra batteries, and also dust masks for everybody, since you never know what might be floating around or growing in the places you're exploring - anything from black mold to asbestos... A phone goes without saying, in case of trouble, a basic first aid kit is a good idea in case of accidents, (after seeing a friend slice her hand on a bit of broken glass in an abandoned hospital, it came in handy!), and plenty of water, as if you were going on a serious hike! And if your phone isn't enough, bring a good camera, because you'll see some amazing things! I know all this gear sounds a bit scary, but urbex is an easy way to get hurt if you're not careful, and abandoned places are full of dangerous materials, pathogens, and occasionally people that can really mess you up if you're exposed to them. I've always thought better safe than sorry, and I always came out okay. I was able to patch up a buddy when necessary, (sorry about your hand, Sara, that alcohol hurt but it was for your own good!), and we never ran into a situation we couldn't handle, apart from getting a bit creeped out from time to time. But that's part of the fun, right?

It makes me so sad to think about what these people went through. My 14 year old daughter has complex disabilities and epilepsy. Heartbreaking to think that children like my own were tortured in this manner and lived in those conditions.

Mama I feel this so much... ❤❤ My heart hurts so much for all the babies and children that passed in that place... My oldest daughter has special needs also andy blood was boiling hearing some parts of what happened... ❤ It's so so sad.

Same here Mamas! I have a developmentally disabled child & I have worked with IDD adults, some of who were sent away to places like this as children, it makes me so sad! Unfortunately even if the parents deeply loved their children they were told these places would be the best/ only option for them, I’m sure a lot of those parents thought they were doing the right thing because like Stephanie mentions eugenics was such an ingrained part of society & these parents were made to feel they were not capable of caring for their children. So upsetting, you would have to pry my child from my cold dead hands! Even then I’m coming back to haunt anyone who treats my baby poorly.

@user-so7vt1uc6p I was 21 when my daughter was dx at the age of 10 months. My ob was our family physian and wasn't running the right test to see what was going on with my daughter. I found a pediatrician and they ordered an emergency mri for my daughter. The next time I saw my physian he asked on an update for my child, when I told him her DX he told me to put her in a home or hospital setting because I would not be able to handle her needs. I proved him wrong and am her biggest advocate. With that being said, I totally understand how parents were put into that position back then and agree with what you are saying. So tragic.

Love and prayers for you and your family

I read a novel that had the same exact circumstance. It was very good historical fiction, read with a book group, so a really impactful thing that I will never forget. Also with the same group, read “Unbroken” which is the story of Louis Zamperini, the WW2 gunner who survived on a raft in the Pacific after his plane went down for an insane amount of time, then became a POW of the Japanese. He also won a gold(?) medal in the Olympics for running. Apparently he had almost been a victim of the eugenics program when he was a child. Apparently the program was in place until pretty recently in some states- I think the last state to end it was North Carolina.

Wow! That’s so tragic.

Thank you for your kind words. Sadly, I only really met her a few times when I was a child. She was released in her early twenties and married a much older man. Never heard much about her after that. The sterilization laws were crazy and eugenic-based as Stephanie pointed out. The 1927 Supreme Court ruling ( Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927)) allowed for involuntary sterilizations under the “Three generations of imbeciles is enough.” That said, parents could do what they wished with their kids for the most part. Unruly? Let’s get you a lobotomy! Promiscuous? We can fix that! Many State laws to this day allow for the court to determine if a developmentally disabled person should be sterilized under various “ best interest” or “medically necessary” standards. So, in many ways, threads of Letchworth are still alive and well. It does present a unique debate about rights, dignity, and the human condition.

My great grand mother was in one of these asylums as well due to what would now be diagnosed with PPD. The sickest part is one of the workers there sexually assaulted her which she got pregnant from and they took her baby to put up for adoption… the ppd was to the extreme after that and she was never ever the same. My nana found out when she was 60 years old she had a sibling from that assault at the asylum.

Watch all of her strange and unusual!!! They are all great❣️

I’m in WNY and have the same situation!

Do you use the self directed program for support?

…some of these family members were locked away in rooms, neglected and abused…

I want to assure you both as an adult that fucks heavy with the tism we are alive thriving and stimming In quiet places and being extremely silly 🚨😶‍🌫️🚨👹🫶

People with milder autism were not institutionalized. There are definitely more diagnoses now. No doubt. It's straining special education services.

@@hopemccubbin8661 people with milder autism wouldn't need special education so I doubt that's an in issue.

@@hopemccubbin8661more diagnoses, but the same number of cases. they just weren't properly diagnosed until recent generations. so it seems like there are more, but it's really just correcting the data to reflect reality. 👍

Saaaaame!

I was thinking the dame thing! My life would have been wildly different!

5

That’s so sad. 😢

It was the opposite for me. My mom would admit me just for your attention. I hope people working in your field recognize when parents do this because I think it's about to get really bad due to them getting attention on social media.

Thank you for the work you do! I'm an art and talk therapist with a trauma and crisis treatment program in Ontario that works with patients 18+, and so many of them have been in and out of the system since they were children, at least partly because of parents who were (at least) part of the problem themselves, or just didn't care about their "troubled" (often abused and/or neurodivergent) child themselves. The stories I hear from exactly the kind of kids you work with break my heart too, and they're also a big part of why I stick with my work. I think I might be googling myself too, after all this...

Oh! Scary. Hope everything is ok.

I hope everything turned out ok for you and your kitty! ❤️

Be safe!

Hope you’re ok!!

Hope you’re doing ok!

Right!

awww I'm so sorry you haven't had a good day but I am pleased to know that I can make it better in any way

I'm feeling the same way❤

Bless you and op. Hope things improve. I definitely relate (recovering addict with a teething 2 month old in addition to chronic depression and anxiety)​@@angelascharmedlife

I’m so sorry. You must be in Houston. We’re without power AGAIN.

I hope all of our days get better. Sending positive vibes to everyone that needs them!

you live close to here?

@@StephanieHarlowe I live upstate now but I lived there for 13 years, went to high school at NRHS practically across the street from Letchworth. It was kind of a place all the teens went to engage in illegal/unsavory activities since it was (mostly) abandoned. We were never properly taught about the history even though a couple of schools in our district were over there!

I was born and raised in Wyoming County and never had any idea about Letchworth Village / institution!!!! I left NYS in 1994 but lived there 20 years. I can’t believe I never knew any of this.

@@nicdel512I’m from Nanuet!

FANTASTIC WORK !!!! This production is NEXT LEVEL!!! I BOW TO THE QUEEN 👸 👌 Take care Stephanie 🫂❤

thank you so much; I do have a passion for a good story told propertly, and I hope I achieved that here

Beautifully done!!!❤❤

​@StephanieHarlowe coming in clutch! I can't watch you and Derrick until I KNOW the series is done... clowns is my one no-go! Tbh I'm still going to watch it, just binge style so I only have nightmares for 1 night!😂😂😂

We said! Agree 💯

awww thank you so much for being here!

🥹🥹🥹 thank you so much

Yayyyy thank you!

thank you so much for watching!

@@StephanieHarlowe thank you far more for making me stop watching Netflix crap lol xxx

SAME!

thank you so so so much!

@@StephanieHarlowe 🤍

We are still doing horrible thing to those who can’t help themselves. Eugenics is alive and well all over the world.

Sorry that they passed. I'm sure they had so many stories to tell!

Wow that's an incredible life span! What an amazing life together!

Wow never knew that

You make it sound like she had a milkshake. Joe Kennedy had her lobotomized.

Omg I think about the Centrailla video almost constantly

Buffalo born here and our Prom picnic was at Letchworth and many field trips happened there years ago

I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much!

I’d love to hear what she thought about it. I can’t imagine working in a place like that.

Was it on Long Island? We have Kings Park Psychiatric Facility and Pilgrim State, both of which have apparent horror stories.

thank you so much, darling!

@@StephanieHarlowehave you looked into Kings Park Psychiatric Center on LI? Its history is just as awful and what’s left of the grounds and buildings feel very similar. It’s super interesting. We also had Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center here too!