Help Preserve Rolling Hills Asylum

Rolling Hills Asylum sits on the historic site of the original Genesee County Poor Farm, established in East Bethany, New York, in 1827. In 2027, this remarkable property will reach its 200th anniversary.

I want to make sure it gets there — and continues well beyond it.

Over nearly two centuries, the property evolved from the Genesee County Poor Farm to the Genesee County Infirmary and later the Genesee County Nursing Home. Several structures representing different periods of that history still remain today, but preserving them is an enormous and ongoing undertaking.

Today, Rolling Hills Asylum is known worldwide as a historic and paranormal destination, featured on numerous television programs and visited by paranormal researchers, history enthusiasts and guests from across the United States and around the world.

But behind everything visitors see is the continuing responsibility of maintaining and preserving an enormous historic property.

Rolling Hills Asylum receives no public funding. The costs of operating, maintaining, repairing and preserving the property are supported primarily through ticket sales and private donations.

I came here from California in the spring of 2010 with one suitcase and the intention of helping save this historic property. On October 25 of that year — one day before my birthday — I purchased Rolling Hills Asylum.

This October marks the beginning of my 17th year caring for and preserving it.

Over those years, we've accomplished a tremendous amount, but there is always more to be done. Without grants, public funding or the financial resources available to many larger historic sites, major preservation projects are extraordinarily difficult to accomplish.

Where Your Donations Are Needed

Funds raised through this campaign help support critical building and property repairs, stabilization and preservation projects throughout Rolling Hills Asylum.

One of our immediate priorities is the roof over the historic kitchen and dining room. The dining room has not been open to the public in more than 15 years. Repairing the roof is an important step toward protecting this portion of the building from further deterioration and, ultimately, working toward the possibility of safely opening the area again.

Another critical concern is the historic former Ice House and Dairy. It is one of only three structures remaining from the original 1827 property and is currently in the worst condition of the surviving buildings.

A former bakery wing that was once part of this structure was lost before I acquired the property. Without significant repairs and stabilization, I am concerned that more of this important piece of the property's history could eventually be lost.

These are just two of the most pressing examples.

There is always another roof, wall, window, drainage issue or historic structure needing attention. Preserving a property of this size and age isn't a single project with a beginning and an end. It is an ongoing responsibility. And after more than 16 years, I would very much like to keep it going.

As Rolling Hills Asylum approaches the 200th anniversary of the property in 2027, I hope you'll consider helping me protect what remains so that its history can continue to be shared with future generations.

Every donation matters. $5, $10, $25 — even the cost of a cup of coffee — adds up when enough people come together.

If you're unable to donate, please share this fundraiser. Sharing it with someone who cares about history, historic preservation, the paranormal, or simply saving places that cannot be replaced can make a meaningful difference too.

Thank you for helping me keep Rolling Hills Asylum standing, operating and preserving its history as we approach its third century.

To learn more about Rolling Hills Asylum, its history, tours and events, visit:

RollingHillsAsylum website