Drive-By
Exterior View
View the 1847-founded hospital's historic Uptown Pittsburgh campus from the street. The building is an active medical facility; interior access is limited to patients and staff.
- Duration:
- 15 min
Asylum / Hospital
UPMC Mercy Hospital
Pittsburgh's First Hospital and Its Enduring Nun
1400 Locust St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 3 sources
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Active hospital — public access is limited to patient care areas and lobbies only. No admission fee.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1847 · Sisters of Mercy · First Pittsburgh Hospital · Historic Medical Institution
On January 1, 1847, seven members of the Sisters of Mercy opened a hospital in the Uptown neighborhood of Pittsburgh, establishing what would become two simultaneous firsts: the first hospital in Pittsburgh, and the first Mercy Hospital in the world. The congregation had arrived in Pittsburgh from Ireland in 1843, and their commitment to care for the sick and poor quickly outpaced their initial resources.
The following year, 1848, Mercy established the region's first teaching hospital with resident physicians in training — a structural innovation that shaped medical education in western Pennsylvania for generations. Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the hospital grew in both capacity and specialization, eventually occupying a substantial institutional campus in Uptown.
In the 1960s, Mercy made the consequential decision to rebuild and remain in Uptown Pittsburgh rather than relocate to the suburbs. Over the following four decades, the hospital expanded, replaced aging facilities, and developed specialized programs. The obstetrics department, which had operated on the sixth floor of the older building, was relocated and eventually closed in the late 1960s.
Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh merged with UPMC on January 1, 2008, becoming UPMC Mercy. The hospital continues to operate as a Level I trauma center in Pittsburgh.
Sources
- https://www.upmc.com/locations/hospitals/mercy/about/history
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UPMC_Mercy
- https://www.brooklineconnection.com/history/Facts/Mercy.html
ApparitionsResidual haunting
The sixth floor accounts share a particular quality that distinguishes them from most institutional ghost lore: the figure acts as a caregiver. Patients on overnight shifts have told staff that a nun visited their room and brought them a blanket or a water pitcher. The patients describe the interaction as warm and unremarkable — a routine act of care. What becomes remarkable is the response from staff, who know that no nuns currently serve in a patient-care capacity at the hospital.
The woman in the reports is believed to be Sister Mary Loretta. Her name circulates among longtime staff, though the specifics of her biography — when she served, how she died, whether her death occurred at the hospital itself — are not documented in accessible sources. What the accounts agree on is her character: attentive, gentle, oriented toward the practical comfort of patients rather than dramatic manifestation.
The sixth floor was home to the obstetrics department until the late 1960s, when it closed. The temporal layering is characteristic of this type of account — an attachment to a specific space and function that persisted after the institutional role itself ended. Whether this represents genuine residual activity or the accumulated weight of a story repeated among generations of staff is, as with most such accounts, genuinely unclear.
Notable Entities
Sister Mary Loretta
Plan Your Visit
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Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is UPMC Mercy Hospital family-friendly?
This is an active hospital. Paranormal interest is drive-by only. The legend of Sister Mary Loretta is gentle in character — a caring figure, not a threatening one. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit UPMC Mercy Hospital?
Active hospital — public access is limited to patient care areas and lobbies only. No admission fee. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is UPMC Mercy Hospital wheelchair accessible?
Yes, UPMC Mercy Hospital is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Paved.