Last month my partner and I took a day trip over to Milledgeville, Georgia. I’ve been to the city numerous times but it was his first time truly exploring the town so we decided to really go for it. We visited Andalusia for an extended (happy 101st birthday to Flannery!) tour, took a cemetery stroll, had Texas BBQ and then headed over to what remains of the Central State Mental Hospital for a special Haunted History tour with the new-to-me org Seeking Asylum. We really revolved/involved our whole day around this tour and it was such a great experience for such a complex topic. Both fun and informative.
I’ve never taken a guided tour of the mostly abandoned hospital area even though I’ve visited it numerous times. Just an FYI, I covered a bit about the area + cemetery in a post here. I felt like a tour of this place needed to be more than just a something about it being possibly haunted or leaning into the gory/sad factor. I needed a tour that discussed a lot of actual recorded history + empathetic human interest stories, and gave a wide perspective while maintaining a level of respect intertwined with a dabble of humor. And the Haunted History tour did alllll of that!
After the walk I approached Seeking Asylum guide and owner Jessica Whitehead in hopes that she’d be willing to answer some questions and share her experiences. I thought it a natural connection to us here since she’s also a taphophile, loves history and enjoys photographing her explorations. And to my delight, she agreed to chat with us! Woo!
So, everyone, meet Jessica!
Jessica is:
Board President – Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center at the Depot, Inc.
Curator and Director – Central State Hospital Museum.
Owner – Seeking Asylum, LLC.
Tell us how you got started with everything?
I worked in the mental health field for about 14 years before coming to work for the courts. That coupled with my own mental health journey as a trauma survivor living with ADHD, PTSD and a Dissociative Disorder makes mental health advocacy a passion. As fate would have it, I purchased a camera from Facebook marketplace 4 years ago and began taking pictures of the hospital. Eventually those pictures became Seeking Asylum and I had a photography gallery. When people would visit the gallery I realized I was not only a photographer, but through that photography I had become a historian and those photos fueled my mental health advocacy.
Through my work at Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center, Inc., I was able to curate a museum dedicated to telling the story of the hospital, its patients and staff. Naturally, my photography gallery lines the walls of the museum as well, bringing art and history together to tell the story of what was once the largest mental institution in the world
As time moved on after the opening of the museum I wanted to expand on telling the story of the hospital, but I wanted to do it in a way that gave those without a severe and persistent mental illness, a closer view of the reality of living with such an illness. Hence the Haunting History Tour at the Georgia Lunatic Asylum became a reality.
How do you feel personally connected to your tours and how do you think that comes through?
I am personally connected to my tours because I am living with severe and persistent mental illness, just as so many of the patients at Central State Hospital, both past and present do. The tour is meaningful in that it both educates people about mental illness and the history of the hospital.
How do you use sensory details—smell, sound, sight—to transport your audience back in time?
In the beginning of the tour I play an audio example of what someone experiencing auditory hallucinations may experience. I play it loud and ask guests to close their eyes and imagine what it would be like to hear the audio while moving through their day. It’s quite effective in that it allows people to get an idea of what someone with psychosis may be experiencing.
How do you make historical figures, who lived hundreds of years ago, feel relatable to modern audiences
My favorite historical figure from Central State Hospital is Mr. Joseph Ingram. He started his career there in 1898 and retired after 55 years. He is the first African American to have a building named after them in Baldwin County. He eloquently described the cemeteries at the hospital in this way…….
“Rows upon rows of numbered, small, rusted markers, as far as you can see. No names, just numbers. It must be the most gruesome sight in Georgia. Unknown humans, shunned when living, deprived of their very names in death – and literally known only to God.”
I think he speaks to the desperation many of us feel when we see the rows of grave marker and understand that many patients at the hospital from years past were abandoned there, in life and in death. This is easily relayed to audiences through our shared humanity.
What is the one takeaway, or feeling, you hope your guests have when they leave your tour?
I hope people feel unnerved. I hope the next time they encounter someone with mental illness they remember they can either be empathetic or they can choose to overlook that suffering. I hope guests are empowered to become mental health advocates in their daily lives.
What is the most rewarding reaction you’ve ever had from a guest after telling a story or leading a tour?
During a speaking engagement I had a young woman come to me in tears and thank me for being brave enough to tell my story. She didn’t feel so alone anymore. This really spoke to me. None of us want to be alone in our suffering.
Which part of the site do you find the most challenging to tell a story about?
I think the most challenging part of telling the story of the hospital is balancing the horrible things that happened there with the good that many patients experienced. A lot of times people want to vilify the normal, everyday folks that worked there. Most people who worked at the hospital were good.
Have you ever changed a story based on new research or a guest’s perspective?
ABSOLUTELY. As with any good researcher, when new information come to light,
perspectives have to change. There is a lot of lore surrounding the hospital. I try really hard to only tell stories I can back up with facts.
Have you ever seen anything paranormal on your tours or after hours?
Definitely. I have been in a lot of the buildings (with appropriate permissions, permits and
waivers). I tell people that my personal belief system is this…..I don’t believe you can have as much suffering in one place and something not be left behind. I believe spirits are certainly present. Some may describe that as “bad energy” or “bad vibes.”
Do you have a favorite story or tale from your research?
After years of research, I find every single new finding absolutely the most exciting since the last new thing I found out!
What’s a fact you learned recently that absolutely blew your mind?
Oh gosh, I can’t think of anything that has blown my mind……I feel like at this point, I’ve seen and heard it all!
Is there a location on your tour that looks completely unassuming but has the wildest history?
I feel like the Pecan Grove has more history than people give it credit for. I think of all the
people who have walked the grounds. 184 years of history!
What’s the weirdest archival document or random source you’ve ever used to research a story?
This may not be weird, but you would be amazed at what you can learn from maps of the area from different time periods and architectural drawings!
What is the funniest or most bizarre question a tourist has ever asked you
I mean, it’s central state hospital……it’s all a little bizarre. LOL!
Have you ever had to ‘ad-lib’ a story because something completely unexpected happened, and what was it?
I can’t think of anything appropriate to tell the public. LMAO!
If you could haunt one location on your tour, which one would it be and why?
I would absolutely haunt the Powell Building. Every single trespasser would be terrified to enter and do damage to the building. All that you would hear is their screams as they ran away. I would be INFAMOUS! All the best ghost hunting teams would want to catch a glimpse of my ghostly visage! I think my nickname (as it is in real life) would be The Asylum Lady.
Wouldn’t be a cemetery blog without the question – What’s you favorite or most meaningful Cemetery?
The most meaningful cemetery is the African American portion of Cedar Lane Cemetery – also known as Camp Creek Cemetery. I’ve only been twice because it is located pretty far back in the woods and the area is very overgrown. All of the early cemeteries at Central State Hospital are marked with a numbered metal stake. As you’re walking through the woods, the graves literally come out of nowhere and there are rows upon rows. It is a peaceful and beautiful wooded area. It is quite poignant to walk amongst the dead there.
What would you recommend For someone visiting Milledgeville for the first time?
We have so many treasured local restaurants and Milledgeville is absolutely steeped in history. My favorite restaurants in downtown Milledgeville are Green’s, The Brick, Buffingtons, Amici and Metropolis. Khai Tai and El Amigo are two other favorites located across town.
As far as attractions go, the Central State Hospital Museum, The Haunting History Tour are
amazing…..I’m obviously not biased. We also have the beautiful Memory Hill Cemetery in downtown Milledgeville. The Old Governor’s Mansion. Andalusia, home of Flannery O’Conner. Visit Milledgeville, our local Citizen’s Visitors Bureau also offers INCREDIBLE Trolley Tours, one of which is a historical driving tour of Central State Hospital. They also offer Historic Walking Tour Brochures that people really enjoy.
We also have Lockerby Arboretum, 50 acres of walking trails as well as a house tour of Rose Hill. AND we have the Oconee River Greenway which is walking trails and Oconee Outfitters offers Kayak rentals, including a guided full moon float.
The librarian in me has to ask, What are some of your favorite books?
My absolute top three books: The first two are mental health journeys and the third is one of my favorite “horror and history” type books.
I Know This Much is True – Wally Lamb
First Person, Plural – My Life as a Multiple – Cameron West, PhD
The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova
And of course, my own published works are pretty dang good!
Seeking Asylum
Seeking Asylum, Memories
Links to purchase are on the website. www.seekingasylumphotography.com
And I have to add that Jessica is celebrating her latest book release with an event in Milledgeville on April 30th, 2026. Go here to find out more!
So, a big THANK YOU to Jessica for sharing her work and passion! I really appreciate it. And I hope you enjoyed reading about how she approaches her tours with kindness and consideration.
If you’d like to take a tour then there a number of them happening throughout the year! Just take a gander at the dates below:
Just a reminder that I’m sharing this post because I connected with, and very much enjoyed, the experience. I didn’t discuss an interview before the tour, I paid for my tour and received no compensation for this information. I share interviews because I want to support other folks who are trying to engage local and/or regional communities with history, connection, photography, etc. I’ve been lucky enough to have been supported (and still supported) by friends, family and organizations that like what I do, and I want to pay that forward! This is one of the ways I do that.
If you’d like to be considered for your own Spirited Conversation then feel free to send me an email: southerncemeteryseries@gritsandmoxie but please note that I do require experiences to be inclusive and accepting to all walks of life. Or death.