Case 717 - Ridge Home Detention Center

Type: Full Investigation
City: Arvada
Driving: Paved roads
Permissions: Torn Down - Permission still needed
ParaFPI Status: Multiple Visits - ongoing research
Case Status: Open - Refer to case 794

Warning: Do not go wandering the land if the fences are still up. There is still police pressence. You must have permission to be there.
Some history for you all. On 5 May 1909, 379.3 acres of land was set aside by the State of Colorado to be a home and training school for the mentally disabled. At its peak Ridge Home served 1,500 individuals. The first building was up in 1910, the last building finished in 1936. The first person arrived in July of 1912. People were admitted for life here, so only a transfer to the home of a relative, or to the Pueblo Insane Asylum, or death was a way to get out. This place ran on until the mid 1991's, when legal issues over asbestos forced them to close their doors. The official reason for closing? "In 1992 the Department of Human Services (DHS) redirected its philosophy of care toward a decentralized approach, and committed to relocate all of the residents into community based settings."
There are many and varied rumors of Ridge Home and its history ... In the mid 1950's, seventeen people died. After speaking to a woman who worked at the facility during that time, I can easily say that most of the rumors of what happened in there are true facts. She witnessed several beatings, had seen reports for various rapes, and heard from other staff members of even more crimes in the tunnels beneath it all. She did not deny, nor confirm, the old rumor of a nurse's head being chopped off. That one we are still researching.
While the Ridge Home property is primarily located in Arvada, small portions of the site are in Wheat Ridge. In addition the property is bounded on the south and west by the City of Wheat Ridge.

When we explored this place, we found so MUCH anger coming from everywhere. In the basements are little cages where we were told some children were disciplined. Now, sadly, the buildings have been so vandalized by partiers and the homeless that it's hard to even see the original walls. If you go onto the land, you will now be instantly arrested ... be warned!! LOL So, this is not one to try. I don't believe that half the buildings still stand even, since the demolition has already begun.
What we witnessed visually:
Doors closing and opening by themselves. One Investigator was holding the EMF reader. It went haywire from moment one of going through one old building. A few of us traveled the tunnels briefly. The old pipes down there are, of course, active. But a can on the pipes kept flying up and off at us. Now, even with a human being grabbing that particular pipe, and shaking it, the can remained on there. So what ever force was shaking the pipe and can, and throwing it, was gearing for the exact result it got. To freak out the visitors that were with us. As soon as we left the tunnels, and were in one group again the door to the tunnels slammed shut behind us. All humans were visible at that time, and no footsteps were heard to indicate that it was anything other than a spirit.
UPDATE: The demolition of Ridge Home has been completed and there are no tunnels or buildings left. They plan to build there from what we've been told, but what exactly will be there, we don't know yet.

Map of the Ridge Home Center
Image 1

You want that
This voice belongs to no man that was with us that night. Deb in Co. Springs says: What I hear is a kind of nasty male voice saying, "I want it." Ooogie, but very clear.
Hi!
From out of nowhere in the middle of a conversation ... Deb believes it's also saying Hi Mother
The Can
While we all stood in the tunnels, the pipes began to shake and threw a can off. After shaking the pipes manually to re-create the effect, we found the can would not shake off normally ...
Something Not Good
Still in the tunnels, someone says, "There's something not good back there." in the midst of low growling sounds that we can't identify.

No video at this time

Ridge Home if filled with anger, unrest, and a small bit of hostility. Until the exacts are known 100% about what took place in there, I think they will remain at unrest. Now that everything has been removed, we plan to return and see how the spirits are dealing with the removal of the walls which held them. So much more needs to be done and looked into in here! This location is NOT recommended for anyone new at Paranormal Investigations or Ghost Hunting ... and please note that going in there is currently against the law. I know many people break in and wander through randomly. FPI refuses to do that until all the contracts have been signed. We urge everyone to respect the property and trespassing laws and please not go in here unless you have permission!
UPDATE: Ridge Home has been completely leveled as of the last date we drove by to check. Shondi brought it to our attention that the demolition was completed. Including the tunnels - where most of the 'haunt' centered. There are a large amount of people still attempting to get in there and investigate, hoping that the tunnels are still there to walk through. We would like to point out that although the buildings are gone and the ground relatively level, the gate is still up to keep out intruders. It is still trespassing to enter and walk the grounds, so all us investigators will just have to keep our pants on a while longer until the gates are gone, or the new owners give permission prior to or during rebuilding what ever they will build there. We encourage all 'ghost tourists' and investigators alike to please continue to respect the property lines there and wait. It will be much easier to gain permission for any group to investigate legally if there aren't dozens of people trying to break in before they are ready. If any of us plan to get evidence there again, we'll all have to have patience together. Alternate Link: Shorty of Release Me has some info on her page that some of you might want to look at. There are many varied stories and experiences in this place, and I'm not even certain what the full truth might be ... but the more we all read up on what happened from various sources, the better our chances of understanding it all and, perhaps, finding the truth one day.

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Warning: Do not go wandering the land if the fences are still up. There is still police pressence. You must have permission to be there. Some history for you all. On 5 May 1909, 379.3 acres of land was set aside by the State of Colorado to be a home and training school for the mentally disabled. At its peak Ridge Home served 1,500 individuals. The first building was up in 1910, the last building finished in 1936. The first person arrived in July of 1912. People were admitted for life here, so only a transfer to the home of a relative, or to the Pueblo Insane Asylum, or death was a way to get out. This place ran on until the mid 1991's, when legal issues over asbestos forced them to close their doors. The official reason for closing? "In 1992 the Department of Human Services (DHS) redirected its philosophy of care toward a decentralized approach, and committed to relocate all of the residents into community based settings." There are many and varied rumors of Ridge Home and its history ... In the mid 1950's, seventeen people died. After speaking to a woman who worked at the facility during that time, I can easily say that most of the rumors of what happened in there are true facts. She witnessed several beatings, had seen reports for various rapes, and heard from other staff members of even more crimes in the tunnels beneath it all. She did not deny, nor confirm, the old rumor of a nurse's head being chopped off. That one we are still researching. While the Ridge Home property is primarily located in Arvada, small portions of the site are in Wheat Ridge. In addition the property is bounded on the south and west by the City of Wheat Ridge.	When we explored this place, we found so MUCH anger coming from everywhere. In the basements are little cages where we were told some children were disciplined. Now, sadly, the buildings have been so vandalized by partiers and the homeless that it's hard to even see the original walls. If you go onto the land, you will now be instantly arrested ... be warned!! LOL So, this is not one to try. I don't believe that half the buildings still stand even, since the demolition has already begun. What we witnessed visually: Doors closing and opening by themselves. One Investigator was holding the EMF reader. It went haywire from moment one of going through one old building. A few of us traveled the tunnels briefly. The old pipes down there are, of course, active. But a can on the pipes kept flying up and off at us. Now, even with a human being grabbing that particular pipe, and shaking it, the can remained on there. So what ever force was shaking the pipe and can, and throwing it, was gearing for the exact result it got. To freak out the visitors that were with us. As soon as we left the tunnels, and were in one group again the door to the tunnels slammed shut behind us. All humans were visible at that time, and no footsteps were heard to indicate that it was anything other than a spirit. UPDATE: The demolition of Ridge Home has been completed and there are no tunnels or buildings left. They plan to build there from what we've been told, but what exactly will be there, we don't know yet.
Map of the Ridge Home Center Image 1	You want that This voice belongs to no man that was with us that night. Deb in Co. Springs says: What I hear is a kind of nasty male voice saying, "I want it." Ooogie, but very clear. Hi! From out of nowhere in the middle of a conversation ... Deb believes it's also saying Hi Mother The Can While we all stood in the tunnels, the pipes began to shake and threw a can off. After shaking the pipes manually to re-create the effect, we found the can would not shake off normally ... Something Not Good Still in the tunnels, someone says, "There's something not good back there." in the midst of low growling sounds that we can't identify.
No video at this time	Ridge Home if filled with anger, unrest, and a small bit of hostility. Until the exacts are known 100% about what took place in there, I think they will remain at unrest. Now that everything has been removed, we plan to return and see how the spirits are dealing with the removal of the walls which held them. So much more needs to be done and looked into in here! This location is NOT recommended for anyone new at Paranormal Investigations or Ghost Hunting ... and please note that going in there is currently against the law. I know many people break in and wander through randomly. FPI refuses to do that until all the contracts have been signed. We urge everyone to respect the property and trespassing laws and please not go in here unless you have permission! UPDATE: Ridge Home has been completely leveled as of the last date we drove by to check. Shondi brought it to our attention that the demolition was completed. Including the tunnels - where most of the 'haunt' centered. There are a large amount of people still attempting to get in there and investigate, hoping that the tunnels are still there to walk through. We would like to point out that although the buildings are gone and the ground relatively level, the gate is still up to keep out intruders. It is still trespassing to enter and walk the grounds, so all us investigators will just have to keep our pants on a while longer until the gates are gone, or the new owners give permission prior to or during rebuilding what ever they will build there. We encourage all 'ghost tourists' and investigators alike to please continue to respect the property lines there and wait. It will be much easier to gain permission for any group to investigate legally if there aren't dozens of people trying to break in before they are ready. If any of us plan to get evidence there again, we'll all have to have patience together. Alternate Link: Shorty of Release Me has some info on her page that some of you might want to look at. There are many varied stories and experiences in this place, and I'm not even certain what the full truth might be ... but the more we all read up on what happened from various sources, the better our chances of understanding it all and, perhaps, finding the truth one day.