Nice.

Update: Apparently the doorway we are looking at is not a double doorway, but is surrounded on either side by steel bars (like a prison cell). There is no physical "door" where the opening is but there are a number of dark-colored doors nearby (leading into rooms off the hallway) which were left open and one of them might account for the dark rectangle on the right of the opening. Either way, that area to the right of the doorway isn't remotely visible and could easily hide a person with room to spare.

IT is crazy to see this as one of their episodes because I went to the JOb corps that they are at, and we used play hide and seek next to those buildings to try and scare each other. Also in my dorm, fellow students would hear things at night, and see things…we tried to tell the dorm chief but they did not listen..I bet they are now.

I had a listen to the "singing" noise. To me, it sounded like a fairly simple woodwind-type sound– something which could be caused by many different things, like wind blowing outside the attic.

What is that dark area this alleged thing steps out of, and disappears back into? If there's an empty doorway surrounded by iron grating, a hallway which we seem to be looking down, and a light source far along the corridor; why is that area showing black?

The bottom shot seems to show a leg pushing off and into the dark area.

Shades of the Nike ghost
Again!

I don't believe there is any way possible for that small of a shadow could hold up a curtain or sheet that high..That looks to me like a child figure. Last time i checked there were no kids in TAPS..I doubt they staged this.

The footage wasn't that impressive, however to accuse the TAPS team of creating a hoax is ridicules. If the sci-fi crew were to report any hoaxing, TAPS would lose all credibility and would be laughed out of the field. I believe there are to many unexplained occurrences world wide to have to fake anything.

I too went to Job Corps there ( 1989-90). In all the buildings we went into, there were no double doors in the hall ways. We did get into many buildings that were locked up including the tunnel systems that connected every building to one another. I have not seen the episode yet and was wondering if they showed the tunnels. When I was there I saw and heard many things that most of the time we could explain but, on occasion there were things that really freaked me out. The things that would happen in my dorm alone were strange enough( for example foot steps be hind you in the stairway when it was just you). I had heard about the nurse but never saw her. There was a guy that was at Job Corp with me that drowned one Saturday morning at a lake in a town nearby. The night before, at our friday night dance he kept talking about this woman. He was acting unusual the whole night. He would keep mentioning this woman in white but no one saw her when he would try to point her out. We all wondered if this woman he kept talking about was the "Nurse".

[...] read more | digg story [...]

once this has happened there was no proof of them showing the shadow reapeating so this could be a blur on the tape.
If they had more proof i could belive that there is ghosts. as said before the humming could have been just wind going of the pipes in a way to make sound.

I don't know how many people do know the history of northern state hospital, but I do, I lived in sedro-woolley all my life and I would not dare step in that place. It freaks me out. The cemetary on helmic rd is scary to. They lost alot of lives at NSH and the grave site has number to id the pt not names. I would believe every story that came out of that place to be true. The rooms still have medical equ. in them. If you talk to anyone that lives in Sedro-Woolley they could tell you that place is haunted. I guess for the people that don't believe it, just need to see that place.

i think it is very valid to think a place looks and feels creepy. and it would be off-putting to still see medical equipment in the place. but i think this might make us believe we see and feel a haunting. if i'm watching a scary movie a lone in my basement, i just start to feel totally creeped out and like some ghost is about to come grab me or come down the stairs. and my basement is not creepy at all.

i'm just trying to say, just because a place looks and feels haunted and scary can make us more susceptible to seeing "ghosts" or attributing natural occurrences to ghosts. that's why i would like to see, and look for on GH, real evidence.

At our website, http://www.skagitriverjournal.com, you can read a full history of Northern State Hospital, which is three miles northeast of Sedro-Woolley, Washington, far away from Seattle. The hospital was built in 1910 as a home for the "criminally insane." As part of the nationwide closing of mental facilities in the 1970s, NSH was closed in 1976. Cascade Job Corps is now the principal tenant.

It is a beautiful 1,200-acre campus, which used to be self-sustaining, with a dairy, laundry, greenhouse and buildings designed in mission-style. My father worked there for 25 years, leading crews of patients who were able to work outside, something they enjoyed immensely. Although there were occasional rumors here and there over the years, the "ghost" stories did not begin in earnest until the Job Corps students came in large numbers in the 1980s.

Our section has five different stories about the hospital and patients. The intro story is at:
http://www.skagitriverjournal.com/NearbyS-W/NSH/NSH1-Intro.html
The Sedro-Woolley High School students in recent years have conducted an extensive program of restoring the cemetery there that was allowed to deteriorate in the decades since the closing, and they have erected a memorial on the campus.

This episode was shown again last week. Seeing this "apparition" pop in and out of the doorway reminds me of two other instances where supposed ghosts play peek-a-boo: the Eastern State Penitentary and the Moon River Distillery. The Eastern State apparition is a shadowy figure (looking like a person under a black sheet) moving toward the camera then quickly moving away. The Moon River apparition (some say it looks like the head of a mop) darts quickly behind the pool table then runs back out of sight, probably into an alcove behind the pool table. Another instance of peek-a-boo is the apparition leaning over the staircase in the St. Augustine lighthouse.

Why are these "ghosts" so shy? Or do they just enjoy playing hide-and-seek? Ghosts can be such teases! You would almost think they know they are being filmed. Maybe they need to hide because if caught, they may prove to be something less than paranormal.

I've wondered the same thing myself, but you also have to ask, if an entity has to work so hard to draw energy just to make a brief appearance (like TAPS suggests they do), then why do they always manifest in a room where no one happens to be at the time?

Your commentary is thought provoking. I watch the show mostly for the entertainment value but really never looked at it from the skeptical view. It makes me question what I remember from the show.
The Ghost Hunters have their own website and they welcome posts from the public. They encourage differing viewpoints on their investigations. You should post this information on their site.

Morgan, I've found that the TAPS boards aren't too open to this kind of criticism at all. I've shared my views many times on there and was almost always run out by the legions of fans on there who believe 100% of what they see on the show.

I do remember when the Savannah episode aired, there were some discussing the fishiness of the Moon River "ghost" (the one that ducked behind the pool table and back) on a thread about the subject. Someone who actually knew the Moon River club had brought up the fact that Jason said in the episode there was no other way in or out of that room. However, this person maintained that there is a doorway right where that "apparition" pops out from, which couldn't be seen from that angle.

This, of course, stirred up a lot of controversy and within a few days that entire thread was deleted and a few of the people arguing against the evidence were banned - no explanation or denials by anyone within TAPS.

I also find it suspicious that TAPS keeps "renovating" their message boards every so often and all the prior posts are lost and everyone has to re-register. Once you do, you find that the "new" boards look exactly the same as the old board, but all the threads about old episodes are lost (many of which began to have dissenters pointing out flaws in the evidence, some even suggesting hoaxes). Co-incidence?

[...] Ghost Hunters Season 4 Premiere Review [...]

My boyfriends family lives in Sedro Woolley and his brother used to work at the rehab cented located on the same property and he has told us about things that he's heard. I am truely afraid of this place. I've seen it with my own eyes and would never ever EVER dare to step foot in there. I just wish all you non-believers could see it to understand how scary it really is.

Actually I live in Redmond Washington, and I have seen the place, and yes it's creepy beyond all reason.

But there is a proverb: "If you pursue fear, fear pursues you." I'm not saying there's nothing paranormal or supernatural there. But the fact that someone goes there LOOKING for something paranormal or out of the ordinary creates a psychological threshhold. Data, experiences, and senses are interpreted differently BECAUSE we were creeped out to begin with.

Here's an example: Say I invited someone to my perfecty ordinary workplace with modern architecture. But now I make up a story that someone died on the premeses during construction and objects are being moved around the building, shadows are seen, and disembodied voices can be heard. Even if I inform the guest I was kidding, I guarentee that guest will always have a slight twinge of "creepiness" when coming into the building.

Amplify that to something like Northern State, and you're guarenteed a high probabibility that someone will experience something out of the normal. They may truly experience something, or they may just be blowing something normal out of proportion. But there is a psychology behind all this that acts as a variable.

[...] Starts off good and then the reality goes right out of reality television. was it ever there?http://www.skepticalviewer.com/2007/09/26/seattle-asylum/Sci Fi Reality: More ???Ghost Hunter,?? ???Destination Truth?? - 4/19 …Sci Fi Reality: More [...]

I was very intrigued to watch this show for I used to be a job corps student and I lived at NSH for a year and a half. While I was living in the dorm, nothing that could be explained as paranormal happened to me, so really I watched the show to watch them find nothing. What they found is not a hoax and to say that they would even create a hoax in the first place is completely idiotic. Just because it's a "reality show" doesn't mean its completely scripted and edited like most shows, these guys take their jobs very seriously and you're taking a stab at them. Shame on you to create lies like this. Just because you don't belive whats right in front of your eyes doesn't mean that is not real. I can honeslty say that I have never in my life had an expirience in which I saw something or felt something that could not logically be explained, but that doesn't mean things like that aren't out there. There will never be a point in anyones life where they will know everything and to live like you do is wrong. Live life with you're eyes open and your mind ready to take in knowledge, wether that knowledge can be explained logically or not.

There are many things that happen in life that can not be explained. A lot of bad things happened at northern state hospital and it makes sense to me to think that there may be a lot of negative energy left behind. But also lots of good things happened there too, lets not forget that. There are many lost souls in the halls of Northern State Hospital. Remember, many patients didn't have family so when they died their remains were cremated and many were not buried but rather left behind in the building after closing down.

Don't be credulous but don't be brassbound either. You'd be amazed at what sorts of things you could learn that would blow your mind. Stop being so negative.

Brilliant discussion, everyone. Love your comment, D. I missed this episode, but since I only live 45 minutes from Sedro-Wooley, I'm going to check it out.

In my town, up in British Columbia, there is an abandoned insane asylum smack in the middle of town that is soon to be torn down and made into condos. In fact, there is already a whole set of condos whose windows look right into the asylum! Must be fun at night…hope TAPS finds their way up here to Canada.

I was very interested to come across this while researching NSH. I was a Job Corp student in 1997. While I have not seen the episode of Ghost Hunters at NSH I have always believed that they needed to go there. I did not last long at job corp however, I did experience paranormal activity. For the most part, the activity at NSH was relatively low or non-bothersome. However, there is one bathroom on the second floor of the first dorm that has the most ominous feeling. The whole time I was at Job Corp I could not set foot in there.

ok first of all I am going to JOb Coprs right now and I have never seen or heard a ghost. I think poeple are such full of stuff. ANd right now I know that not many people have heard anything. But believe what you want.

these TAPS guys are genuine.i really enjoy their investigations.im looking forward for the next show!

Hey I was in the same dorm…When I got there I couldn't sleep for weeks…or for that matter go potty by myself..even in the daytime..do you remember a story about the girl with the red ball? I remember the most freaky thing happening to me in the morgue..really uneasy feeling..and very very cold..in the middle of summer…crazy…the farm was freaky too

I don't think that Jay/Grant would stage anything for TAPS. If anything, I believe that TAPS tries to disprove/debunk as much information they hear, rather than the other way.

Instead of making them look bad or trying to discredit them, why not go to that place yourself and share your experience?

I look forward to the next season of TAPS.

I spent some time in that area and near that facility. It is a spooky place. I was never allowed in the building but from the outside at night, it looks scary. I dont think TAPS would fake the video.

Gina, we don't try to "make them look bad". We try to determine if they're being scientifically thorough and intellectually honest with their audience.

If our conclusions point to, "No" then you're free to disagree with us about why you think our conclusions aren't supported by the available facts, but if you're going to judge us without even addressing the facts behind our arguments that's not really a fair way to join the conversation.

I too have been there at job corb in 1991 and i've seen a lady in the top middle window of the first building and heard noises. i do believe in goshts, im not from sedro woolley i from olympia area.I've been in the tunnels and felt very creeped out. olny if u knew what went on there u'll understand. I'm galad that TAPS went there cause people needs to know about NSH. I've always felt that NSH was haunted cause of the chills i got when i was there.

i dont see it. you should really lighten the photo.

Brightening the photo won't help, you're looking at a shadow either way, there is no real definition to be made out.

Basically, just look at the first photo and pay attention to the bright rectangular area at the far end of the hallway, left side. You will notice in the subsequent photos that bright area shrinks and changes shape because of a shadow coming in from the right. For a better look, the full motion video is broadcast as part of the episode .

i lived at that job corp for a year…its not really scary but one time i woke up to my bed shaking it was pretty creepy but other than that not much has happened but people talk about a little girl with a red ball

one of my friends bros was in job corp there and in the room he styed in a girl was said to have hung herself in the closet but they dont know. in the hallways at night they could hear footsteps and sometimes screaming. overall its just a creepy place

i went to job corps in 2005-2006 and stayed in the challenger dorm. all i know is that me and my friends encountered some very weird and un-explainable stuff. i heard stories before i went but didn't believe them. the night i showed up and puled in and got to the gates the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up, i got the most eery feeling i have ever felt in my whole life.

That night when i got our in-put bay, i could not sleep in the bunk i was assigned it was below a long window because i felt a strong force on chest like something was trying to hurt me, as soon as i got away from the window and bed i was fine. I had to sleep on the floor the whole time i was in the input bay with my bible and cross in order to feel and be safe from whatever was trying to attack me.

Later i found out that the dorm i was in was a place where all the children that had to go to northern state resided and that a little girl hung herself in the exact window i was sleeping under. At night you could hear children crying and moaning and groaning for no reason.

One night we are all on the first floor of chalenger watching a game and one of my friends said they saw a lady in a white dress floating in the field behind us by the old hospital coming torwards our dorm we didn't believe him but when he turned around he was three shades of white. when we looked it was bum rush to get out of that room. when safety patrolled the area and put us on lockdown they came back to tell the ra's what had happened and tried to say it was nothing, but the next day one of the safety officers quite working there.

sometimes at night you could see and old man off in the distance by the gym, which is where the un-marked cymetary use to be, just kinda watching over the place. i remember me and my friend were gonna go for a walk out side of the bounds that security had set for everyone and when we got past a certain point we both heard someoe say turn around and go back it is not safe. Two days later, a new kid went for a walk and never returned everyone thought it was just another rebllious kid that didn't follow the rules but me and some of my friends know better, the woods and hills that surround that place are so creepy and dark and haunted its not funny.

So many things happen there its hard not to think that something happened to him. After being there for as long as i was the only reason why i think that i made it safely there was because of my faith in God and the support of my friends that were also believers. That place is some kind of evil and i would have to say the most haunted place ever. I sure didn't believe in hauntings before i went there, but it sure made me a believer, now i do background checks on any place that i go to.

it is the most creepiest thing i have ever experienced in my whole life, i wouldn't send my worst enemie there not after what i experienced

I wonder are there ghost tours? Is the owner taking advantage of the press? I would love to go. Anything you know would be helpful. Thank you.

I went to Cascades Job Corps too. I'm not exactly a skeptic, I've had my share of strange things happen to me in the Dorm at night or in the tunnels, as a painter, we had access to them as part of work base learning with the state, but in all honesty I have to say that half ot the ghost stories circulating today are false, we made them up to scare the new imputs.

The Nurse was supposedly a crazy lady who hung herself in the nurses station by the Cab, apparently you could see her hanging in the window if you looked close enough. I never saw her either. there was another story that really freaked me out though, and none of the staff ever denied it like they did everything else though. Everyone said that Mt Rainier was al an all boys dorm because when the girls slept there they would all wake up with scratches.
One of the state workers said that each dorm was a specific ward, like Coma or childrens or geriatrics and such, maybe Mt Rainier was for the real loonies??

ok i am really into this stuff and my boyfriends sister and her boyfriend attended job core… they were telling me about noises and seeing things…. as for my boyfriends mom she told me when she went to pick up her daughter and glance at the asylum saw a nurse dressed in white standing in a window and later was told that the building is vacant and no ones allowed in there… some interesting stuff going on

I agree with Chris. Sometimes they don't get any evidence and that's what they tell the people who asked them to come there. They try to debunk EVERYTHING possible and I don't think they would try to stage anything. Some people just cannot accept the facts. You don't know what happens to people after they die and you won’t until it's your turn.

I recently found out my Grandfather used to work at NSH, so my husband and I drove up there to see it. We arrived at dusk, and upon walking up to the building I heard what sounded like alot of people murmuring. As I got closer to peek in the windows, the sound faded away. Other than that I neither saw nor heard anything out of the ordinary, except I did have an uneasy feeling of being watched. The most disturbing thing was to see how such a beautiful place has been allowed to deteriorate. Needless to say, we didn't stay long.