Haunted Indiana: Tippecanoe Place Restaurant in South Bend
Tippecanoe Restaurant Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=372966
For awhile, I worked as a surveyor for Indiana Landmarks, then known as the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. I was lucky enough to live in both South Bend and Mishawaka. While I lived on the campus of Indiana University at South Bend for a few months, I then moved into an apartment on Lincoln Way West. One place I visited that is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in Michiana is the Tippecanoe Place Restaurant.
It's hard to live in South Bend or even go anywhere in the city without hearing the name Studebaker. The family owned the Studebaker Corporation, a massive auto manufacturer. Clement Studebaker was a member of that famous family and the owner of a private mansion that later become a restaurant.
Born on March 12, 1831 to John and Rebecca Studebaker, Clement lived in both Pennsylvania and Ohio where he studied blacksmithing under his father before moving to Indiana. He settled in Saint Joseph County and later opened a blacksmith shop with his brother, Henry. The business grew during the Civil War as the company built wagons for the Union Army. Clem would later open the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Corporation with three of his other brothers.
Often known by his nickname of Clem, he married his first wife, Charity, in 1852. The couple had two children who died young, followed by Anna herself in 1863. He married his second wife, Anna, in 1864 and had three children with her. Though Clem owned a large plot of land that he bought in 1868, he did not begin construction on his home until 1889. Located on West Washington Street, the home served his family for many years. Some believe the name came from Tipp City, Ohio, where his family lived for several years. Ironically, I grew up right outside of that town.
Following his death, Tippecanoe Place became the residence of his eldest son, George. George made a serious of bad financial decisions that led to him filing for bankrupcy and losing the home to his creditors in 1933. E.M. Morris bought the house nine years later and donated the estate to the city of South Bend on the stipulation that it become a school for handicapped and disabled kids.
Unfortunately, the school never opened. The American Red Cross, instead, took over the property. The organization used it as their main headquarters for several decades before Southhold Restorations, Inc. took it over in the hopes of bringing it back to its former glory.
Now known as the Clement Studebaker House, it is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is part of a designated U.S. Historic District and a U.S. National Landmark. The house has walls and a foundation made from local limestone and boulders. Locals occasionally refer to it as the Studebaker Mansion, but many call it Tippecanoe Place in honor of its original name and the restaurant that is inside.
Tippecanoe Place is a gorgeous restaurant with an extensive menu. The diverse menu includes options such as Mustard Shrimp served with drawn butter and Chicken Oscar, which comes with asparagus and crab meat with a hollindaise sauce on top. It ranked on a 2022 list of the Best Wedding Venues and hosts special events, too. While I could spend even more time talking about the history of the restaurant and the building itself, I wanted to get to its haunted history.
Most of the stories cite a nursery fire that happened around the turn of the 20th century. According to local lore, one of Clement's sons was asleep late at night with his nanny watching over him when a fire broke out. Though she tried to act quickly, the two suffered extensive burns by the time they got outside and help arrived. While they both survived, Clement was so devastated by what happened that he blamed himself. Between the accident and learning that his business was on the brink of bankruptcy, he took his own life.
The only problem is that I can't find any proof of a hire ever affecting the home. Another issue is that some claim both the son and nanny died in the house fire. While Clem did lose two children, they died long before he built Tippecanoe Place. The two sons he shared with his second wife died in 1932 and 1939, long after his own death. It's also worth noting that Clem died in 1901 and the company he started with his brothers existed up through World War II.
While I couldn't find any truth behind local legends, I did uncover many stories from people who had unusual experiences at Tippecanoe Place. Many of the bartenders tasked with working late night shirts report feeling someone staring at them and seeing things out of the corner of their eyes when there is nothing there. Some workers just feel uncomfortable in the bar area, which is where the nursery once was.
One of the more chilling stories comes from a bartender working with a close friend. While talking about some of the stories they heard, the friend made a joke about not believing in ghosts. Seconds after the words came out of his mouth, a large glass bottle of alcohol dropped from the shelf and shattered on the ground.
Ghosts are also abundant in the ballroom. While he was alive, Clem and his wife loved entertaining their friends and inviting them to parties held in the ballroom. Workers often hear soft footsteps and whispers coming from the room when no one is there. A friend recalls using the restaurant's restroom and hearing the sounds of a lively party upstairs. When she mentioned it to the waiter and joked about the people having a good time, he turned white and said there were no parties happening that day. Though she didn't necessarily believe him, she changed her tune when she looked up from the parking lot and saw blackened windows looking back at her.
And there there's the ghostly woman in white. Since opening in 1980, both employees and guests had interactions with her. One former manager claimed he spotted the woman in white while walking up the stairs one night and that she walked right through him, leaving him chilled to the bone. Other workers spotted the same woman standing on the staircase. Though she looked like yet another guest, when they looked closer, they realized they could only see her outline from the knees up.
Another story surrounds Beatrice. While some say she was the nanny injured in the nursery fire, others state she was a maid who worked for the Studebaker family. Beatrice usually haunts the attic, where she likes to make random noises and frighten those stuck working alone. I've also heard stories of people walking by who saw a woman in a long white dress staring out of an upper window. Is this Beatrice making her presence known or yet another spirit?
An odd footnote to this story surrounded Clement Studebaker, Junior. Peter Peterson worked for the family for a number of years as their private chauffeur. When Studebaker Junior passed away, he left $5,000 to the man, quite a sum in those days. Peterson was excited to use the money to pay for his daughter's education and to set up his own future. The Studebaker family then discovered another will that took precedent over the other one, leaving him with nothing. In despair, Peterson killed his wife and daughter before turning the gun on himself.
While Peterson may not haunt Tippecanoe Place, it's clear that this old restaurant has a few resident ghosts. Let me know about any odd experiences you had or if you have any other haunted stories about South Bend.
TippecanoePlace is located on 620 W. Washington St. in South Bend, Indiana
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