LOUISVILLE, Ohio — The Molly Stark Sanatorium, a tuberculosis hospital that served patients for more than 65 years, is set to start coming down Monday after sitting empty since 1995.
The massive building near Louisville in Nimishillen Township has become a popular spot for urban explorers, teenagers and ghost hunters over the past 30 years, costing Stark Parks hundreds of thousands of dollars in security and maintenance.
Late last year, the state of Ohio awarded Stark County more than $2.3 million to help fund the demolition. The county provided the remaining $800,000 needed for the project.
News 5 flies a drone over Molly Stark before its demolition — watch it here:
(Warning: Offensive language may be found in this drone footage—vandals drew quite a lot on the walls)
For 95-year-old Jane Bracht, the demolition marks the end of a chapter that changed her life. In 1964, she was a young mother diagnosed with tuberculosis and quarantined at the sanatorium for six months.
"You can't imagine to be swiped from your house and your child 4.5 years old," Bracht said. "I didn't even get to say goodbye to her and tell her what was happening. It was really a terrible experience for six months."
The experience had a lasting impact on this retired nurse.
"Any time I go into the hospital, I have a hard time. Everything comes back to me," Bracht said.
Built in 1929, the Molly Stark Sanatorium specialized in treating tuberculosis patients. Thousands received care there until it closed in 1995.
During a property auction at the site following its closure, Bracht purchased nightstands that had been used at Molly Stark.
"It was part of my life for six months and I wanted something from there," Bracht said. "I'd like to get a brick [too]."
Stark Parks took over the 40-acre property in 2009, but keeping trespassers out has been an ongoing challenge. The organization installed a $30,000 fence in 2015, but people continued to break in.
"It's been a huge priority," Dan Moeglin, executive director at Stark Parks, said.
"It's in the hundreds of thousands of dollars that we've spent in terms of staff time from keeping people from getting themselves hurt," Sarah Buell, Capital Projects and Planning Manager at Stark Parks, said.
Developers previously told Stark Parks that restoring or renovating the deteriorating building wouldn't make financial sense. The roof has caved in, wildlife has moved in, and nature has taken its toll on the structure.
Once demolition is complete, Stark Parks plans to convert the grounds into park space.
"We're going to green this space up, reuse the entire grounds as some kind of park activity," Moeglin said.
Reporter's Note: News 5 conducted the majority of these interviews in February 2025. In an effort to curb trespassing, News 5 chose not to air this story until a formal demolition date was set.
