‘Macabre’ bungalow on grounds of Georgia’s first mental asylum welcomes Airbnb guests
Once considered the world’s largest mental institution, Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Georgia, is inviting Airbnb guests to stay the night in a renovated bungalow nestled on the 2,000-acre campus.
The three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom property dates to the 1920s and is “situated on the corner of a large pecan grove, across from the Central State Hospital infirmary,” according to the listing on Airbnb.com.
There’s enough space for five guests, and a stay at the “macabre” cottage will cost you $191 per night — plus taxes and fees.
The long-abandoned campus is rumored to be haunted, drawing fans from far and wide, according to WMAZ. Now guests have a chance to find out for themselves.
“It’s a very interesting place to stay,” Tom Glover, owner of the Airbnb, told the news station. “No reports of ghosts that I know of, but in our guestbook, we’ve got a walking or driving tour that has got audio narration so people can learn about a lot of the buildings and the history of the campus, so that’s kind of neat.”
The hospital’s buildings are closed to the public, however, barring guests from roaming the halls that once housed more than 12,000 patients and 6,000 employees, according to VisitMilledgeville.org. The institution opened in 1842 and was originally dubbed the “Georgia State Lunatic, Idiot and Epileptic Asylum.”
It served as the first public mental health asylum in the Peach State, the website says, and gained recognition as the “world’s largest mental institution” during the 1960s. Today, Central State Hospital has just over 200 patients, and many of its buildings remain empty and abandoned.
The bungalow is the sole rental property on campus and was once used to house doctors who worked at the hospital, Glover told WMAZ. A stay in the historic home is available for guests to book — if they dare.
“What a unique home!” one guest wrote in review. “My family so enjoyed our stay. If you’re into history with a touch of creepy this is the place for you! We’ll definitely be back next year!”
Milledgeville is about 30 miles northeast of Macon.
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 11:56 AM.