Some stories are more than just tales, and some places are so haunted by the events of the past that they remain stuck in time. Indiana is one such place where odd things happen all the time. The midwestern state of Indiana is rich in history, agriculture, biodiversity, but also in ghost stories and hauntings. We are counting down the haunted places in Indiana that are sure to give any bravehearted person the spooks. There is an eerie side to Indiana that no one told you about and these following stories prove just that!
Haunted Places In Indiana
Here is a list of the top haunted places in Indiana that will give you a scare from head to toe and make you reconsider your opinions on the paranormal world. Take a look!
- James Allison Mansion
- Elkhart Civic Theatre
- Indiana State Sanatorium
- Avon Haunted Bridge
- Willard Library
- Embassy Theatre
- Bell Mansion
- Markle Mill
- Whispers Estate
- French Lick Springs Hotel
1. James Allison Mansion, Indianapolis
Indianapolis, fondly known as Indy, is filled with ghost stories and alleged hauntings. But one of the scariest haunted houses in Indiana is the James Allison Mansion located inside the Marian University. James Allison was one of the wealthiest people in the city and was the founder of the city speedway. The mansion was built between 1911 and 1914 and was sold to the Uni later on. It is in the house that Allison died at the age of 56 from a bout of Pneumonia. It is believed that his spirit still lingers in the building, going about his daily business, switching on lightbulbs, and rearranging furniture. People also report seeing the ghost of a little girl in the mansion. The girl reportedly drowned in the basement pool in the mansion and her screams of anguish and cries of pain can still be heard to this day.
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2. Elkhart Civic Theatre, Bristol
Imagine rehearsing for your play that opens very soon and ghosts start throwing books at you and bullying you. These are stories about the Elkhart Civic Theatre, which is run out of a 1897 building, where ghosts send papers flying, levitate your objects away, and wreak havoc on your mental well-being by playing with strange shadows. Some people have claimed seeing the apparition of a brunette woman with tangled hair and grim appearance, while others believe the ghosts belong to the family of a handyman who lived on the premises and died during the Great Depression era.
3. Indiana State Sanatorium, Rockville
Hospitals and Asylums see a lot of paranormal activity. Across cultures and folklores, it is believed that those spirits haunt a place where so many people succumb to untimely deaths. The Indiana State Sanatorium in Rockville is one of the haunted places of Indiana. It was opened in the early 1900s as a quarantine and treatment centre when America was going through a tuberculosis epidemic. For the next 2 decades TB continued to ravage the population and the treatments done here were largely ineffective. A lot of people died in this manner. Some underwent surgeries and extreme experimental treatments that were not entirely scientific or humane. Over the next decades as the cure for TB was found and the disease was largely mitigated, the sanatorium was put out of use. In 2011, it was completely abandoned, but due to the haunting experienced here by many, it has now been turned into a ghost tours property.
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4. Avon Haunted Bridge, Avon
Image Credit: Michaeldavisson for Wikimedia Commons
This landmark bridge in Avon, Indiana, is one of the distinctive features of the city. With its hauntingly beautiful gothic archways, it is no surprise that the bridge is alleged to be haunted. Legend goes that a mother with her baby was walking the tracks on the bridge and fell down to their deaths. The screams of the woman wailing for her child can be heard to this day. To muffle the screams of the mother, cars driving under the bridge are supposed to honk every time. This is one of the must-visit attractions and one of the most haunted places in Indiana that many tourists pay a visit to.
5. Willard Library, Evansville
The ghost of the “Grey Lady” haunts this local library – one of the most haunted houses in Evansville Indiana. Established in 1881 by Willard Carpenter, the Willard Public Library was set up to serve the local community of Evansville. Willard Carpenter was a businessman and a charitable public servant, but when he died he left nothing for his own children. Louise Carpenter, his daughter, fought in court for the ownership of the Willard Library, but lost the case. It is said that she grew so resentful of her father for this supposed betrayal that she haunts the halls of the library and torments the people trying to use the resources. The spectral form of the Grey Lady, believed to be Louise, is seen by many visitors over the years, lending weight to the conspiracy.
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6. Embassy Theatre, Fort Wayne
Image Credit: Cliff for Wikimedia Commons
There are many haunted houses in Fort Wayne Indiana. This is a city that hosts annual Fright Nights and Zombie Walks and believes in its ghosts. So, it is no surprise that it has many such stories to tell. The Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne is said to be home to a spirit which is decidedly not haunting the place, but rather is a benevolent ghost. Bud Berger is this spirit, a man who lived and worked at the theatre for about 30 years until his death in the 60s. Staff has often felt his presence in the theatre. A seat always descends when the orchestra rehearses with the pipe organ in an empty theatre as if someone was sitting down in that place. The stage manager and crew have often woken up from dreams about Bud Berger just in time to see that a fire had started somewhere or a major leak was opening up. The spirit of Berger still looks after the theatre all these years later from beyond the veil.
7. Bell Mansion, Fort Wayne
The Bell Mansion was built in the late 19th Century by Robert and Clara Bell. It later changed hands and became a funeral home. It is estimated that somewhere between 300 to 500 thousand funerals have taken place here in the last century, and that many of these souls haunt the place. The Bell Mansion is considered an epicentre of paranormal activity with investigators finding evidence such pictures with shadowy figures and audio recordings with terrifying disembodied voices. One of the scariest and most haunted places in Fort Wayne Indiana, the mansion now offers ghost tours and public investigation that will give you goosebumps.
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8. Markle Mill, Terre Haute
Image Credit: Nyttend for Wikipedia
Markle Mill was the oldest operating grain mill in the region, operating on the energy generated by the moving waters in the dam. The mill is also rumoured to have been a part of the underground railroad, a network of routes through which the escaped slaves sought a path to their freedom before slavery was abolished in the USA. The ghost girl who has been seen here is believed to have been someone who passed away while using the now-closed underground tunnels. All that remains standing today from the 1816 structure are the dam and parts of the foundation. This place is said to be one of the creepiest haunted houses in Terre Haute Indiana.
9. Whispers Estate, Mitchell
One of the most deadly haunted houses in Indiana is the Whispers Estate which can only be visited by people aged 18 and above. The tragic history behind the house is truly heartbreaking. John and Jessie Gibbons purchased this house in 1901 and moved in. They later adopted orphaned children and gave them a place to stay. It is said that one of the children, a 10 year old girl accidentally set fire in the front parlour of the house and, being badly burned, died a couple of days later. Another infant, only 10 months old, soon after died of unknown causes. Visitors have confirmed being able to smell faint fragrance of baby powder and shrieks of terror from the girl that was burnt alive.
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10. French Lick Springs Hotel
Image Credit: Quentin Melson for Wikipedia
First built in 1845 and purchased by Thomas Taggart later on, the mayor of the town of French Lick, who put a ton of effort into making the hotel a thriving destination for visitors, French Lick Springs is one of the landmark hotels in Indiana. But not just that, it is also one of the top haunted attractions in Indiana as well. It is said that the ghost of Thomas Taggart hangs around the building to this day and cigar smoke can be smelled whenever his presence is near. Others have reportedly also seen the ghost of a bell hop on multiple occasions, even appearing in pictures. Famous for its ghost stories, French Lick Springs is a great destination for tourists even today.
How To Reach Indiana
The best way to reach Indiana is by air. Visitors can take a flight to Indianapolis, the capital city of the state of Indiana. The average time to reach Indianapolis from New Delhi is about 20 hours. Any international airport will connect you to Indiana, and you can book a ticket with any prominent airline service. The ‘Hoosier State’ is 9 hours 30 mins behind on time from India, and therefore, you can experience some jet lag, but nothing that a night’s sleep and a cup of coffee won’t fix. You can also fly to any other major US city like New York, Chicago, or LA, then take a connecting flight or a bus/train to Indianapolis.
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So, now you know all the top spots to visit in Indiana if you plan on taking on a challenge. Whether or not these legends are true, you’ll have to go myth-busting and ghost-hunting to confirm for yourself. If you are bold enough, plan a trip to the USA and visit these chilling places.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Haunted Places In Indiana
What is the most paranormal place in Indiana?
Whispers Estate is believed to be the most haunted place in Indiana with its whispering walls and rattling doorknobs. The story of adopted orphans dying in the house in multiple tragic accidents is truly heartwrenching.
What is the number one haunted house in Indiana?
There are many scary haunted mansions and estates in Indiana, some of which are James Allison Mansion, Indiana State Sanatorium, Bell Mansion, Markle Mill, and Whispers Estate.
What is the ghost folklore in Indiana?
Each haunted house in Indiana has its own ghost folklore. Often the stories include people dying in untimely deaths, or passing away with strong resentment and attachment to certain places and people. Mass death during epidemics also lead to hauntings in places like the Indiana State Sanatorium.
Which state has the scariest haunted houses?
The state of Ohio has the most number of haunted houses, while the states of New Mexico, San Diego, and Indiana have the scariest ghost stories trapped inside haunted mansions.
What is the most paranormal place in the world?
The Djinn Blocks in Petra, Jordan, are believed to be one of the scariest places in the whole wide world. No one knows how or when the Djinn Blocks appeared, but some think they were carved to repel evil spirits that reside in this region.
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Abhay Kumar is a graduate of English Literature. Writing is both his hobby and his passion. He writes academic research articles as well as poetry and short fiction. He loves reading science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, and translated fiction. He also loves traveling and writing about himself in the third person.
