Haunted Indiana: A Tour of Haunted Hotels in the Hoosier State

 As someone who lived and work in Indiana for many years in both the North and South, I had the chance to stay in quite a few hotels. Throw in the trips to the Brickyard and it's easy to see why I wanted to write about the Hoosier State's haunted hotels. Though I had my fair share of good and bad experiences, I can safely say that I've yet to come across any hotel ghosts.

Barbee Hotel & Restaurant - Kosciusko County Tourism Board

The Barbee Hotel in Barbee Lake, Indiana is just one of the state's haunted hotels. This hotel was highly popular during the early part of the 20^th century and a frequent guest of the hotel was Al Capone. Legend claims that he stayed in Room 301 every time he arrived and it's believed that he still haunts the building. Some smell cigar smoke in the room, even when it's empty. There are also stories of ghostly orbs, weird noises, and footsteps heard inside the hotel.

The Old Mudlavia Hotel in Kosciusko County is also haunted. The hotel was once a spa noted for its powerful mud, which many believed had healing or restorative powers. The guests of the hotel seem as though they've never moved on and some have heard them still playing inside. Others have seen and heard weird things inside. There are some rumors that the owners like to play up the ghostly thoughts and there really isn't any ghostly activity. It's usually called the Mudlavia Hotel.

A small hotel in South Bend on Lincoln Way was also haunted. I came very close to almost living here but decided against it. People who stayed at the Wooden Indian Motel claimed to have things disappear, only to return back to their original location hours later. The city demolished the motel in 2018. The Story Inn in Nashville has its own Blue Lady ghost and the owners even encourage people to spend the night in the hopes of seeing her.

Kouts, Indiana has the haunted Baums Bridge Inn. Supposedly the ghost here is of an older man, though no one knows who he is or where he came from. Legend claims that he moves with lightning-fast speed and hates people interrupting him or invading his space.

There are also stories surrounding the Holiday Inn in South Bend. Legend says that a flight attendant was killed by a pilot in one of the rooms. Those connected to the airline who have also stayed in this room sometimes claim to see the ghost of the woman in their mirror.

Mudlavia Hotel - Public Domain

The Windrift Motel in Madison is also supposedly haunted, though it's now used as a home and not a hotel. Former owners claimed to see strange things inside and hear odd noises, which were also echoed by employees who once worked there.

Spend a night in one of the haunted Indiana hotels and you never know what you might hear...or see.