Birmingham Community Charter serves as a high school for more than 3,000 students who walk and occupy its historical halls daily. The real question is, ‘What Is Birmingham’s History?’ Before serving as a high school, Birmingham served as a U.S. Army hospital in the 1940s when it was first known as the Van Nuys General Hospital. Shortly thereafter, it was renamed to honor Brigadier General Henry Patrick Birmingham, who served in the medical corps of the U.S. Army. Van Nuys General Hospital then became known as Birmingham General Hospital.
The hospital specialized in general medicine and helping war veterans. Unfortunately, the doctors at Birmingham General Hospital didn’t have the right equipment to treat their patients. The most common illness ranged from rheumatic fevers to gangrene–which is a terrible infection resulting in the death of tissue in the skin. In 1952, it was sold to Los Angeles City Schools in the Los Angeles High School District until 1961 and it merged into LAUSD.
The bizarre stories and history of Birmingham!
While rumors still circulate among staff and students regarding Birmingham being haunted, no one knows if Birmingham is truly haunted, but stories are still told! On our adventure of discovering whether or not Bham is haunted, we spoke with Mrs. Turner, BCCHS Spanish teacher, and asked her the infamous question, “Is Birmingham haunted?” Turner said, “I don’t believe that Birmingham is haunted, but I do know that the ghosts enjoy watching kids play in the gym but aren’t too fond of the custodians who work the night shift.’’
Mrs. Sands, an art teacher here at Bham, stated, “I don’t believe that Birmingham is haunted, but I believe in hauntings!’’ Sands did refer us to someone familiar with Birmingham’s hauntings. Mrs. Bedrossian, also an art teacher at Birmingham, is a teacher who isn’t unfamiliar with the spooky activities that haunt her classroom. The following stories that she told me next sent chills down my spine. Warning!!
Bedrossian goes on to retell the story of an experience she had in her first year at Birmingham in room B-71. She said, “One day I arrived at school in the early morning, and since it was dark, I turned on the light and walked into my storage room to put away my stuff, but in my left peripheral, I saw a black figure which I assumed to be maintenance.’’ On another occasion, she went to open her door and the classroom next to hers, so both she and her neighbor’s classroom could have access to the storage room. She then heard the tape cutter being used–even though no one was in the storage room!
Finally, in Bedrossian’s haunting storytelling, she recalls staying late in her classroom since she intended to attend a play being hosted in the school’s theater. While at her desk in her classroom, she saw her paper cutter move by itself!
One mystery remains. What are the underground tunnels from the hospital like now, and where are their entry points? These tunnels did serve their purpose during WWII, and a lot of people currently speculate where you can enter the tunnels. Many people who have previously attended BCCHS have allegedly gone through the tunnels as a shortcut to get to class. Although many people even go as far as to say that they have heard voices or seen paranormal things, this hasn’t been confirmed, and I guess this is up for investigation till the next spooky season! Scary isn’t it? So do you believe that Birmingham is haunted?
