Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital is the site of ghost stories and urban legends, fueled by its history of patient abuse, deaths, and patient escapes before its closure in 1998. Local legends include stories of patient deaths in a fire that was intentionally set, the presence of "shadow people" around an abandoned slaughterhouse on the property, and reports of paranormal activity. The hospital's former cemetery, used for patients from 1879 to 1974, is also a reported haunted location, accessible only through a hidden, fenced-off area. The hospital had a history of patient abuse, which contributed to its dark reputation. Stories of patient deaths and missing patients are common in the lore surrounding the hospital. An important part of the legend is a fire that caused the deaths of many residents in supportive housing on the property. In the mid-1990s, an escape from the hospital made the surrounding area fearful. An abandoned cemetery on the property contains patients from the hospital and is a significant site for paranormal activity. Locals claim to have seen "shadow people" near an abandoned slaughterhouse on the hospital's grounds. Various reports of paranormal activity exist.