Hoosier Myths and Legends

In August of 1955, Naomi Johnson, her friend Louise Lample, and Naomi’s three children went to the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana to go swimming. However, while swimming that day, Naomi had a terrifying experience when she was suddenly grabbed and dragged underwater by a strange creature with a rough, claw-like hand. So turn down the lights and settle in as we bring you a mystery that baffles...

We're revisiting one of our favorite episodes today—Episode 1.4. This is the legend of Silas Shimmerhorn, a Confederate soldier and one of Morgan's Raiders, who came through Indiana in 1863. After deserting, Shimmerhorn hid out in the woods of Versailles and partnered with a wolf pack for survival, which earned him the nickname, "The Wolfman of Versailles."

Belle Gunness was a notorious Norwegian-American serial killer who buried her many victims on her farm in La Porte, Indiana. The farm has long been rumored to be haunted due to its dark history. So turn the lights down and relax as we bring you the tale of “The La Porte Ghoul.”

"Crybaby Bridge" is a term used to describe several bridges across the United States that are steeped in urban legends and ghost stories, particularly involving the eerie sounds of a baby crying. These stories often feature tragic backstories, such as infanticide, accidents, or other sorrowful events that are said to have taken place at or near the bridges. This phenomenon is not confined to a sin...

In November of 2011, Latoya Ammons, along with her mother, Rosa Campbell, and her three children moved into a house located at 3860 Carolina Street in Gary, Indiana. Immediately after arriving, paranormal activity began to happen. What followed was a series of events that would become one of the most documented and terrifying hauntings in Indiana history. 

In this episode, we chat with authors Christopher and Christina Hunt as they share their book with us, "Ghosts & Legends of Crawfordsville, Indiana." We delve into some of the mysteries that Crawfordsville and Montgomery County have to offer.  

In 1848 the Indiana Hospital for the Insane, later known as Indiana Central State Hospital, opened its doors on the west side of Indianapolis.  The hospital treated patients who suffered from schizophrenia, dementia, depression, hysteria, alcoholism, and epilepsy.  However, over the years, stories began circulating about patient abuse, and the hospital was closed in 1994 due to concerns about pati...

Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and relax as we delve into the ghostly legends surrounding three Hoosier libraries that many believe to be haunted -  Willard Library in Evansville, Bartholomew County Public Library in Columbus, and the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis.

The idea of people being able to glimpse into the future has intrigued many of us for centuries. One of the earliest accounts of premonitions can be found in the bible in the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. In this episode, we have gathered a few premonition stories that have happened to fellow Hoosiers. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and relax as we explore the extraordinary phenomena...

In this episode, we bring you the legend of one of Indiana’s most famous Cryptids - Elkhart’s Cable Line Monster.  

Visitors to the Arlington East Hill Cemetery in Rushville, Indiana love to gaze into the windows of an antique dollhouse that represents the final resting place of little Lova Cline. Over the years, many visitors have also reported seeing the windows glow even though there is no electricity connected. So sit back and relax, as we bring you the legend of Lova Cline's Dollhouse.

Since the early 1950’s, tales of a Hatchet Man have made their rounds across the country. The best-known version of the legend didn’t become popular until the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. This version takes place on a college campus, where two unsuspecting girls encounter the hatchet man while alone in their dorm on a holiday break. Sit back, relax, turn the lights down low, and get comfortable a...

Since the early 1990s, the Mount Zion Cemetery in Henryville, Indiana is thought to be haunted by the spirit of a murder victim. Turn the lights low, sit back, and get comfortable as we bring you the chilling tale of the murder of Daniel Guthrie, and his cries for help from beyond the grave. 

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe is by far, one of the most popular and well-known creepy stories of all time. The story depicts the tale of an unnamed narrator who murders an old man. The narrator attempts to prove his sanity while describing being haunted by the dead man’s beating heart. So turn the lights low, sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy this creepy tale.

In the Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis sits a home known as the Indianapolis Death House. In this episode, we explore the history of this house and its ties to H.H. Holmes, America’s first serial killer.

The Water Ghost of Harroby Hall by John Kendrick Bangs was first published in 1894. It tells the story of an ancestral mansion haunted by a water ghost which appears only on Christmas Eve and how the owner of the mansion devises a plan to get rid of it.

Sightings of unidentified flying objects have been around for centuries. In today's episode, we discuss a few of the most popular UFO sightings in Indiana.

The Man of Science by Jerome K. Jerome  tells the story of a scientist who believes a skeleton recently bought is that of his old enemy and is haunting him. So turn the lights low, sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy this creepy tale.  

Since the 1930’s a legend has persisted about a mysterious woman in black who haunts the town of Boonville, Indiana.  So sit back, relax, and get comfortable as we bring you the legend of Black Annie.

The Red-Haired Girl was written by Sabine Baring-Gould and was part of a collection called, A Book of Ghosts, that was published in 1904. We hope you enjoy it!

In this episode, we bring you a special monster edition from Churubusco, in Whitley County, Indiana. Sit back, relax, and get comfortable as we bring you the legend and history of one of the most well-known Hoosier cryptids, The Beast of Busco.  

In this episode, we share a chapter from our book Haunted Dearborn County, Indiana, which was released today and is available wherever you buy books and at www.arcadiapublishing.com.  We hope you enjoy Chapter 10 - The Aurora Public Library Hauntings.  

Today we bring you the history and lore of Indianapolis' own Hannah House. Built in 1858, this two-story brick mansion has been nicknamed “the house that reeks of death.”  

We're back with our third creepy story. "The Terror by Night" was written by E. F. Benson and was part of a collection, The Room in the Tower, and Other Stories, published in 1912.

In this episode, we bring you a tale about what we believe may be the best-known haunted house in the Wabash Valley, The Dewees-Preston-Smith House.