INDIANA's
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History
This bridge was built for the Big Four Railroad. It is used by CSX today, so it is an active rail line.
Active rail lines are private property and extremely dangerous. You want to investigate the site; not become of its ghosts so please stay off the rails.
Paranormal Activity
There are a number of legends associated with this bridge and there are records of people dying on this bridge.
The first is that a worker – possibly drunk – fell into the cement while the bridge was being constructed. When a train passes over the bridge his dying moans can still be heard.
Four workers – possibly doing an inspection on the bridge – fell over the side and drowned in the river below. Phantom thuds and splashes can be heard. Anyone looking at the river during this activity will see only calm water and no ripples.
The most famous legend – the one that makes this one of the many crybaby bridges in the world – is that a young mother carrying her baby slipped and fell off the bridge. Tragically, this killed them both. At night the sounds of the mother’s screams and the baby crying can be heard. Locals beep their car horn as they pass under the bridge to avoid hearing the baby crying.
The apparition of the mother is occasionally seen on the bridge or falling over the edge into the water.
This location is said to be the most active on Halloween Night.
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Both Photos from Wikipedia
Gmiller123456 - Own work
History
In the late 19th century this area was developed as a family picnic ground and church camp and was known as Fern Grove due to the large number of ferns growing in the area.
It was then purchased by the Louisville and Jefferson Ferry Company and promoted as a destination to increase business for their ferries over the Ohio River.
In 1923 David Rose purchased it and converted it into an amusement park and renamed it Rose Island. A hotel was built as well as a swimming pool, wooden roller coaster, a ferris wheel and a combination dance hall/roller rink. There was even a small zoo containing wolves and a black bear named Teddy Roosevelt.
Rose sunk $250,000 (just under 4.5 million in 2023 dollars) into the new amusement park.
It could be reached either by a steamship from Louisville or by parking and crossing over a swinging bridge by foot.
When the Great Depression began in 1930 it decimated the finances of the park. After the Great Flood of 1937 – destroying much of the park’s infrastructure and flooding the site with 10 feet of water – the park was closed.
The swimming pool still exists – see photo above – but all that’s left of the buildings are some concrete foundations. The foot bridge was destroyed by falling trees, but the footings are still visible.
The site became part of the Indiana Ammunition Plant – much of which has now been demolished – and finally it was transferred to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and became part of the Charlestown State Park.
Since 2011 the area has become accessible again – other than using a boat - via Trail 3 in the State Park.
Paranormal Activity
Amusement parks in the first half of the 20th century and earlier did have the strict safety laws modern parks operate under. All of them had their share of fatalities although there’s no historical record of any here, any records of them would probably have been buried quickly, people dying is not good for business.
As a whole the flood of 37 did have a large number of fatalities it is unclear if any of them were in the park.
Shadow figures and apparitions have been reported as watching people from in the trees.
Phantom footsteps, disembodied voices (including some recorded EVP’s) and other unexplained noises are heard.
The phantom sounds of the roller coaster operating and children laughing and playing are also reported.
Balls of light and sudden mists have also been reported.
People also report suddenly feeling as if they are not alone and being watched by unseen spirits in the park’s ruins.
Overall, the energy of the site is reported to be positive; after all people did come here to have fun.
Testimonial by parafrankiec
Just be very relaxed, carry your digital recorder, sit down and relax and you will be able to carry a cool conversation with the souls hanging around there. Very chill place, I would do that your first visit, then gradually bring in more gear, very cool place.
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By <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Nyttend" class="extiw" title="w:User:Nyttend">Nyttend</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, Public Domain, Link
History
This is a private donation library that was incorporated in 1881 by Willard Carpenter. Willard was an agent of the Underground Railroad so was very concerned that the library be available for anyone who wanted to use it.
A true “public” library which was all but unheard of in the late 18th century.
The library was not declared haunted until 1936 when a custodian quit his job after reporting running into the spectral figure of a lady in grey in the building’s basement.
Since then, the grey lady has become Evansville’s most famous ghost with the library featuring many tours and 24/7 ghost cam set up with internet access.
Paranormal Activity
No one knows the identity of the lady in grey – although most think she is the daughter of the founder Louise Carpenter - but her apparition is dressed in clothes from the late 19th century. Her ghost is seen all over the library and has been witnessed by both staff and patrons.
The library runs 6 ghost cams 24/7 which are accessible via the Website Link we have posted above.
Other activity: light anomalies, smell of perfume, water taps that turn themselves on and off, unexplained noises, cold spots. reports of being touched, books and furniture being moved and strange items being found.
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This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
History
Long before any hotels were built, or European settlers even came to the new world, there was a salt lick here that the animals visited while using the Buffalo Trace (a tri-State path the buffalo herds used to use while migrating).
The Aboriginal population once used this area as hunting grounds.
In 1826 the State of Indiana authorized salt mining in the area but the saline content was too low to make mining economically feasible, so they sold the property. Two brothers bought 1,500 acres (610 hectares) of the land including an area near the mineral springs.
The first hotel was built on the site in 1845 and was called the French Lick Springs Hotel. It only operated during the summer months but didn’t perform very well financially.
In 1850’s and 1860’s under new management the land area was increased to include the mineral springs.
In the early 1880’s the original hotel was rebuilt and made larger.
In the late 1880’s the hotel was bought by a hotel group based out of Louisville, Kentucky and both the property and the building were expanded. It was said the mineral springs could cure everything from arthritis to gout.
In 1897 the main hotel building was burned down in a fire.
In 1901 the property was bought by a conglomerate of politicians and businessmen who rebuilt and greatly enlarged the hotel.
By 1905 Thomas Taggart, a famous politician, had bought out his partners and became the sole owner.
Under Taggert’s ownership the hotel saw great expansion and the beginning of the true resort. Between 200 and 300 guests were checking in every day and the property was showing approximately $2 million (almost 35.5 million in 2023 dollars) profit.
Taggart died in 1929 and passed the property on to his son. Unfortunately, that was also the year of the Great Stock Market Crash and the beginning of the Great Depression.
The resort went into decline but saved itself by advertising itself as a golf and conference center rather than as a health spa. Business went up during the Second World War but suffered another downfall after the war ended.
In 1946 Taggart’s son sold the property to a group of New York investors who then sold it to Sheraton in 1954. Sheraton spent millions on the property, but it was still showing it’s age.
There were numerous owners until 2005 when the new owner petitioned the State of Indiana for a gambling license which he was granted.
Today the resort includes the hotel, 3 golf courses, the casino, a horse stable, multiple swimming pools and miles of hiking trails as well as many other resort facilities.
Paranormal Activity
Thomas Taggart, after pouring his heart, soul and dreams into the hotel, it comes as no surprise that he haunts it today.
His shadowy apparition is often seen near the service elevator. He also makes himself known by the phantom smell of cigar smoke.
Taggart’s apparition has also been seen riding his horse in the ballroom and the halls of the hotel.
Entire parties in the ballroom have been heard behind closed doors. Should the door be opened it all shuts off like a switch.
Front desk clerks have gotten numerous calls from empty rooms with no one on the line; most often from the 6th floor (see below).
In one room a red stain keeps reappearing in the bathtub where a bride killed herself.
An African-American bellhop sometimes shows up in photos of the bellhop station.
Disembodied voices are frequently heard in the halls.
The 6th floor is said to be the most haunted with shadows, unexplained breezes, phantom footsteps and disembodied laughter.
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By Unknown author - Scan of a postcard, Public Domain, Link
History
This hotel and spa were built by Harry L Kramer in 1890; he also gave the nearby town his name.
In 1884 a Civil War Veteran discovered the healing powers of the spring. While he was trying to dam it up he drank the water and the rheumatism he was suffering from began to alleviate.
Several famous people did visit the hotel while it was running to take advantage of the healing mud baths that were offered. However, some of the most famous cannot be substantiated including Marilyn Monroe, Al Capone and the John Dillinger Gang.
A devastating fire was completely destroyed the hotel on February 29, 1920. The property would remain abandoned until 1960 when a smaller building (than the original hotel) was constructed and used as an old age home and later a restaurant which also burned down in 1968.
It is unclear whether anyone perished in either of these fires.
Another building – which still exists on the property – was built after the restaurant burned called the Mudlavia Lodge. It was operated until 1976 when it too burned.
Only one building remains on the grounds now as well as the ruins of others. The water is still bottled by the Perrier Group of America and marketed under a variety of names.
Paranormal Activity
Feelings of unease and what has been described as an eeriness. Feelings of being watched and of not being alone.
Light anomalies have been seen and photographed both on the grounds and (more commonly) in the buildings. Faint disembodied whispers have also been heard.
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History
This quaint bed and breakfast is located in the tiny village of Story. It is located in the old general store for the town.
It is unclear what causes this haunting it is thought the "Blue Lady" may have been one of the wives of George Story. The stories of her date back for years and are told by both guests and staff.
The current owner has renamed the room she is most frequently seen and felt in the Blue Lady.
Paranormal Activity
Activity has been reported most often when a certain blue lamp is turned on in the room - hence the name of the ghost - but activity has been reported with the lamp off.
A blue shadow crossing the room, often crossing right over people is frequently reported. The full apparition of the lady is often seen after this.
She is reported as looking at herself in the mirror and looking directly at the room's living occupants. She then seems to get herself ready - fixing her nails, fixing her hair etc.
She is also reported as often whistling and often glides over to the window.
Her name was also given by the fact that she wears blue from head to foot.
She seems to be very aware of the living and has interacted with them including at least one report of a man having his bottom pinched. Another report indicates she left long scratches down a man's back and cuddled up to him as a lover.
Her apparition has also answered questions posed by the living. She also leaves souvenirs behind after her visits including fake fingernails and hair ribbons.
There also reports of her calling out people's names as well as whispering them into their ears. She may possibly be one of the friendliest ghosts in history especially to men.
Her energy is said to fill the room completely, there can be no doubt when she is there.
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History
This sanatorium was the first and only tuberculosis sanatorium in the State of Indiana.
In 1907 with the tuberculosis pandemic – what many called the ‘White Plague’ – showing no signs of abating the State began looking for a site to build a sanatorium. Tuberculosis was highly communicable with a high mortality rate. Before antibiotics were discovered the only thing that could be done for the sufferers was isolation and fresh air.
Some medical practices 21st century medicine would consider almost inhumane were also tried on the severe cases; like surgery to remove ribs and lung tissue.
Indiana decided the sanatorium would be built 3 miles east of Rockville and in 1911 the site was completed and began admitting patients.
In the 1950’s, with the discovery of antibiotics, the number of tuberculosis patients began a steady decline.
The sanatorium was closed down in 1968 and the site left abandoned for a number of years.
It was then re-opened in 1976 as the Lee Bryant Healthcare Center. This nursing home and psychiatric facility took care of mentally and physically disabled seniors.
By the 2000’s the facility was facing several lawsuits and under investigation by the State for reports of abuse, negligence and losing patients.
In 2009 one employee shot another employee in the maintenance building and then shot themselves. The police labeled it a drug related murder-suicide.
Over the next 2 years all patients were transferred out of Bryant Healthcare and the doors were locked. They left everything behind and until nature began it’s slow reclamation of the area it looked as if the next shift might be coming in any second.
The site remained deserted for 10 years until Gregg Larson bought it in December of 2021 and converted it into a paranormal investigation, urban exploration and photography premier location.
Book your own experience at the phone number or website link above. This site has numerous excellent reviews and is highly recommended.
Paranormal Activity
Reported Activity: apparitions of former patients, apparitions of former staff, shadow people, being touched, tugged and pushed by unseen forces, feelings of unease, intense sadness, fear, being watched, wanting to leave, not being wanted and not being alone, phantom smells, mysterious mists including some moving against the wind, cold spots, warm spots, unexplained sounds including – voices, laughter, foot steps, screams, weeping, something being dragged and banging, time slips, dimensional shifts, unexplained light phenomena, sudden movement in the peripheral vision, doors and windows opening and closing on their own, objects moving on their own, objects disappearing and reappearing, unexplained winds and breezes etc.
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title="User:OfficialRandolphCountyAsylumInfirmary (page does not exist)">OfficialRandolphCountyAsylumInfirmary</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
History
In 1851 this land was put aside for the building of a poor house to take of those with nowhere else to go and unable to fend for themselves. The original building held only 13 inmates who were expected to work on the farm to earn their keep. Of course, most of them were unable to work due to physical and mental disabilities.
In 1853 a new building was constructed so 16 people could be housed. In less than a year – the following January – the building caught fire and burned to the ground.
Between 1855-56 a brick building was constructed but was eventually demolished due to unsafe conditions and the need to house more people.
In 1899 the existing building was constructed. It is over 50,000 square feet, had 6 wards; some with private rooms, men’s and women’s dining rooms, laundry facilities and sat on 350 acres. Sounds like the perfect facility; except living there was a nightmare for the residents; and yes, they really were called inmates.
The County changed it over to the Countryside Care Center in 1994 although the building was almost empty with very few residents.
It was closed in 2009 and used as a County storage facility until 2016 when it was privately bought and turned into a paranormal attraction.
Paranormal Activity
Apparitions of former patients and staff as well as shadow figures. Objects moving on their own including doors opening and closing on their own. Unexplained noises including crashes and bangs, disembodied voices and screams. Touches, pokes and prods by unseen forces. The phantom sounds of footsteps and children laughing.
Overnight investigations and 2 hour ghost hunts can be booked.