A Haunted Tour of Indianapolis, Indiana

The state capital of Indiana is Indianapolis. This large city is located right in the middle of the state and has many interesting ghost stories and haunted places. Some are fairly well known, while others are more popular with locals.

Start with the Cathedral High School, which was once the Ladywood High School, a private boarding school for girls run by nuns. Loretto Hall was one of the buildings on campus that was part of Ladywood and is rumored to be haunted. People see burning candles in the attic, hear someone walking in the hall, and see one of the nuns making her nightly rounds.

There is also the haunted Decatur Central High School. Five female students were killed in 1979 when a drunk driver drove into the auditorium. On the anniversary of the crash students and teachers smell the scent of burning rubber and the electricity goes out. There are also stories told of a girl seen crying on the stairs, but she disappears when people approach.

Two public schools are also haunted: I.P.S #18 and I.P.S #50. The number 18 witnessed a tragedy when the old gym collapsed and a number of kids and a teacher were all killed. People claim to hear kids playing in the old room and see the ghosts of the students. The school itself is now closed. The number 50 school is also closed, but people claim to hear weird things and feel cold spots inside the school.

Central State Hospital and Asylum is one of the more popular ghost stories told in Indianapolis. The hospital was used for a number of years before being closed down, and while some buildings were torn down, there are a few still standing. At night there are ghostly figures seen that quickly disappear. Some also report hearing people screaming and the sounds of people walking around when no one is there.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church is also haunted, though the building itself is now abandoned. Visitors hear people walking around inside the church and hear things moving when the building is empty. There are also stories of people seeing blood appear on their hands.

At the Edgewood River a child supposedly died years ago. Locals sometimes hear someone splashing around in the water and crying for help, only to find the area empty.

Indianapolis also has a few haunted houses. The Hannah House is haunted by a few different ghosts and visitors sometimes see the dark figures moving around inside the house. There are also stories of weird noises and people smelling phantom scents.

A mansion on Meridian Street goes by the name of the house of blue lights. The original owner of the house was grief stricken when his wife died and refused to have her buried. Instead he ordered a glass coffin and had her body moved to the tower. Every day he would sit with his wife and talk to her as if she was still alive. There are now stories of a strange blue light seen in the house, especially in the window of the tower.

Another haunted house is the James A. Allison Mansion that now sits on the campus of Marion College. Students tell the story that the original Allison family saw the death of their child in the indoor swimming pool located in the basement. The sounds of a baby crying are sometimes heard coming from that area. There are also stories of things being moved, rearranged, or simply taken.

Marion College also has the haunted Stokely Mansion. People claim to see the ghostly image of a man walking his dog, and a woman with brown hair on the side porch. Sometimes this woman is seen running to catch a ghostly carriage. Others experience cold spots and feel someone pushing them off the dog path.

The bridge on Millersville Road near the state fairgrounds is also haunted. Legend claims that a little boy was pushed into the water by his older brother who stood there laughing while the boy died. People hear the sounds of someone crying, fighting against the water, and spitting up water.

Or visit the Indiana Repertory Theater. The old artistic director was a jogger who often used the upstairs for his workouts. After his death he apparently came back to the old theater. People often hear the sounds of someone running on the upper level when it's raining or cold outside.

A former firefighter haunts the Indianapolis Athletic Club. The man died while trying to help put out a fire in the building. People sometimes claim that a man in firefighter gear tried to wake them up in the middle of the night.

The Indianapolis City-County Building is also haunted. At one point in the history of the building, police escorts were moving a federal witness in a hidden elevator. Unbeknownst to the other men in the elevator, one of the men had been hired by the crime boss the witness was supposed to testify against. He shot and killed the man in the elevator. Later the so-called hidden elevator was closed off. There are stories of the elevator moving and a man screaming, even though the power is turned off. There are also stories of people seeing the man's ghost walking through the building.

If you're looking for a good meal and a few ghosts, visit the Magic Moments Restaurant. Supposedly the building was once used as an illegal fighting ring and several men died there, only to have their deaths covered up. People claim to feel anger or sadness in the building as well as cold spots. There are also stories of things moving and being rearranged at night.

You can also visit the haunted Paul Ruster Park Cemetery. A young man was killed when he got run over by a passing train. Now when you walk around the area you can hear the sounds of him playing the harmonica, and maybe even see him walking down the road.

A group of school children supposedly died on Post Road when their bus careened off the road and hit a tree. Many people claim that their car has died while driving down the road and refused to turn back on.

Looking for a place to stay overnight? Try the haunted Slippery Noodle Inn. A number of people have spotted the ghost of a slave in the basement and this area was once used as part of the Underground Railroad. The ghost of a prostitute is sometimes seen in the halls. The woman was killed there in the 1800's.

Lastly, visit the Waterbury Neighborhood. One particular condo is haunted by a former owner who died there. People see and experience a number of things in the house including cold spots and someone screaming.

Indianapolis just might be the most haunted city in the state.

Sources:

http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/haunted/hauntedplacesofindiana.htm

http://theshadowlands.net/places/indiana.htm