A recently released episode of the hit show “Ghost Adventures” places a national spotlight on Pioche, focusing on two abandoned locations tied to the town’s mining-era past. Season 40, Episode 14, explores Pioche Hospital and the Pioche Consolidated Mill, commonly known as Godbe Mill.

Led by host Zak Bagans and his team, the investigation centers on reports of disturbing activity inside the former hospital and claims of a demonic presence at the mill. Both locations date back to Pioche’s violent and fast-paced 1800s mining boom, a period the series notes is frequently associated with heightened paranormal reports.

Pioche Hospital, which closed in 1958, is currently owned by Megan Robinson and Josh Robinson. During the episode, the Ghost Adventures crew documents unexplained sounds, intelligent and responsive voices, and light anomalies inside the building. Similar phenomena are observed during the investigation at Godbe Mill, which ceased operations in 1980.

The episode also features independent paranormal investigator Marie Mason, who is shown accompanying a tour of Godbe Mill. Mason previously led public investigations at the mill and other historic Pioche locations, offering hands-on experiences that combined local history with reported paranormal activity.

Bagans reflects on Pioche’s reputation during the episode, stating, “I’ve said this statement several times, and I’ll continue to say it for as long as we do this. For some reason, mining towns elicit the most energized activity of any of the locations we investigate. The town of Pioche contains many hidden secrets about what we all wonder while we take each breath of life. There is an afterlife, and what’s happening here could provide us with those vital answers we search for day in and day out. Something tells me we aren’t finished investigating the town of Pioche.”

A historical storyline woven into the episode centers on the late Dr. Quincy Fortier, often referred to as the “evil doctor of Pioche.” Fortier was a Nevada physician whose decades-long fertility fraud was uncovered years after his death through DNA testing. From the 1940s through the 1980s, Fortier secretly used his own sperm to impregnate patients without their knowledge or consent, ultimately linking him to at least 26 children. Fortier died in 2006 and was never held accountable for his actions. In reenactment segments, Panaca local and Lincoln County High School drama teacher Jacob Lester appears, portraying Dr. Fortier.

Locations highlighted in the episode connect directly to activity that took place in Pioche during 2024, including public tours and cultural events that opened several historic sites to visitors in advance of filming. In 2024 the mill was also visited by NATJA Photographer of the Year Therese Iknoian and played host to the Annual Photo Festival hosted by LCAT.

With the episode now available to a national audience, many local residents are expecting that the exposure will bring renewed interest to Pioche’s history and its long-recognized paranormal reputation. “Ghost Adventures” airs on the Discovery Channel and is available for streaming on platforms that carry Discovery programming. The episode first aired December 31, 2025. Availability may vary by provider.