The Linda Vista Hospital was first established in 1904 as the Santa Fe Coastlines Hospital, a prospering healthcare facility dedicated to servicing employees of the Santa Fe Railroad. During the early decades of the 20th century, the hospital flourished as did Los Angeles' surrounding Boyle Heights neighborhood. In 1924, Santa Fe Coastlines was greatly expanded, allowing for a larger staff and increased patient intake.

In 1937, the newly enlarged hospital became the Linda Vista Community Hospital. However, like much of the country, the Great Depression and World War II soon derailed the hospital's good fortune and reputation. East LA was slowly transformed into a less affluent area, and the number of violent crimes escalated. Lowered funding at the hospital resulted in less staff to treat the influx of patients; as a consequence, the hospital's death toll rose.

By the 1970s and '80s, the gangs of East LA sent a steady stream of gunshot wounds and stabbings through Linda Vista's ER doors. The neighborhood was getting worse, as was the survival rate of patients admitted.

The increase in poor and uninsured patients took its toll on the hospital, and in 1988, Linda Vista stopped accepting ambulances in their ER. The quality of care continued to decline as doctors moved to more affluent hospitals, and the Linda Vista struggled to stay afloat.

In 1991 the last patient checked out of Linda Vista. While most believe the hospital closed due to lack of funds, there are stories circulating that the hospital's unusually high death rate was due to mistreatment and abuse.

A Hollywood Ending
Since closing its doors, the hospital deteriorated rapidly and it seemed Linda Vista was lost to the ghosts and spirits of those who died there. However, the building's proximity to Hollywood was its saving grace, and several movies and TV shows have used the hospital as a shoot location. Portions of "Outbreak," "End of Days," "Pearl Harbor" and the pilot episode of ER were shot inside Linda Vista Hospital.

During these productions, the hospital's haunted reputation grew. Reports of unexplained phenomena came from overnight security and production crews. Darting shadows, cries in the night and unexplained humming were all experienced by those working on the Linda Vista grounds. Many claim to have been touched and pushed by these unseen forces.

Three spirits in particular have been sighted on multiple occasions: a little girl lurks in the surgical room; a young woman paces the hallways of the third floor; and the spirit of an orderly still makes his daily rounds.