Ackerman Asylum

The Ackerman Asylum is an abandoned mental institution located on the northern city limits of Laurel Crossing. Once owned by the Ackerman family, the building is now mostly empty. Many believe it was the place where the Heathen Beings were birthed and raised prior to the Invasion from Below.

From 1947 to 2012
Built in 1947 primarily for World War II veterans suffering from PTSD, it eventually became a treatment facility for anyone suffering various mental disorders ranging from Alzheimer's to schizophrenia. After Dr. Jerry Ackerman's death in 1981, ownership of the asylum passed to his son, Dr. Charles Ackerman. With no prior experience in managing such an establishment, Charles drove the asylum into the ground. By 1990, less than nine years later, the practice had gone bankrupt and the building had grown deserted. While the local government debated tearing it down in 1993, it was left standing due to cost restrictions and the relatively isolated location of the building. Until 2012, the building was largely ignored.

Ackerman Asylum and the Heathen Beings
In July of 2012, shortly after the appearance of the Six Sinkholes, numerous residents of Laurel Crossing reported hearing strange noises coming from the asylum. Screaming, laughing, and weeping were among the most commonly cited disturbances. Although no Heathen Being was ever seen on or near the asylum grounds until after the Invasion, many believe it was the birthplace of the Heathen Beings and a gateway to Hell.

Others assert that Ackerman Asylum was the location of an alleged seventh sinkhole and the noises were caused by something other than the Heathen Beings. These claims have little merit and are, on the whole, unfounded.

-Theodore Phillips