Ghostly legends and descriptions of paranormal activity at the former Independence State Mental Health Institute (now the Independence Mental Health Institute) are widespread. Its long and often dark history as an asylum is cited as the source of its haunting reputation. Built in 1873, it was the second state asylum in Iowa, and was originally known by several names, including the Iowa State Asylum for the Insane. Following the Kirkbride Plan, the large, sprawling campus was meant to provide a dignified, "castle-like" setting for patients, but like many asylums of its time, its history is marked by overcrowding and patient neglect. While initially designed for 250 people, the patient population swelled to over 2,400 by the 1950s. The property was purchased by a developer in 2007 and was subsequently featured on paranormal investigation shows like Ghost Adventures and Portals to Hell. The sounds of shouting from the former electroshock therapy rooms, screeching gurneys, and disembodied voices are often reported. A translucent boy has been reportedly seen in the old children's ward, and specters of former nurses and patients are said to roam the halls. Objects, particularly doors, have reportedly moved on their own. In one case, a manager allegedly witnessed 40 doors suddenly slam shut in a row. Some visitors claim to have been pushed violently by unseen forces. Multiple TV shows and paranormal investigators have visited the institute, attempting to capture evidence of its ghostly inhabitants.