mookster did an excellent history of the site, so I'll link to it instead of repeating: Report - - Gray Cancer Institute / Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood - May 2023 | Asylums and Hospitals
This was the second visit, having had an unsuccessful first visit where we couldn’t find any entrances we could access. Having come back with a new plan and more importantly new means to access what we found the first time we set to work… only to be delayed by a doctor pacing back and forth with a semi-clear view of our intended route while she had an animated conversation with her mother which seemed to last her entire lunch break.
Eventually she went back and once inside we strapped masks on (there is quite a bit of mould so I would recommend bringing one, especially if you go hunting for the Van de Graaff).
The upper levels of the building are generally well lit, although there’s a lot of dangling cabling and broken glass (to be expected). We found a conference room with a server room attached, a lab (with bits of equipment still there), a broken tampon machine and a whole collection of old medical journals.
Venturing to the ground floor the lights dim a bit and there’s a fair bit where you’ll need a torch - we had red lights on a lot of the time to avoid flashes from the beams drawing any attention outside (we heard a number of hospital staff passing by).
By far the best bit was the basement and going hunting for the Van de Graaff - pitch black and only hearing ourselves made it quite atmospheric, although there were moments when we wondered if we were in Resident Evil. The VDG is incredible up close, and there’s a giant canister held opposite it that’s on top of you as you enter - to repeat: do not enter the room without a mask on, there is mould everywhere and a lot of residue on the surfaces.
This was the second visit, having had an unsuccessful first visit where we couldn’t find any entrances we could access. Having come back with a new plan and more importantly new means to access what we found the first time we set to work… only to be delayed by a doctor pacing back and forth with a semi-clear view of our intended route while she had an animated conversation with her mother which seemed to last her entire lunch break.
Eventually she went back and once inside we strapped masks on (there is quite a bit of mould so I would recommend bringing one, especially if you go hunting for the Van de Graaff).
The upper levels of the building are generally well lit, although there’s a lot of dangling cabling and broken glass (to be expected). We found a conference room with a server room attached, a lab (with bits of equipment still there), a broken tampon machine and a whole collection of old medical journals.
Venturing to the ground floor the lights dim a bit and there’s a fair bit where you’ll need a torch - we had red lights on a lot of the time to avoid flashes from the beams drawing any attention outside (we heard a number of hospital staff passing by).
By far the best bit was the basement and going hunting for the Van de Graaff - pitch black and only hearing ourselves made it quite atmospheric, although there were moments when we wondered if we were in Resident Evil. The VDG is incredible up close, and there’s a giant canister held opposite it that’s on top of you as you enter - to repeat: do not enter the room without a mask on, there is mould everywhere and a lot of residue on the surfaces.
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