Dorothy Salvo Davis - Haunted Tales from The Region: Ghosts of Indianas South Shore

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2010 by Dorothy Salvo Davis

All rights reserved

First published 2010

e-book edition 2012

ISBN 978.1.61423.416.6

Davis, Dorothy Salvo.

Haunted tales from the region : ghosts of Indianas south shore / Dorothy Salvo Davis.

p. cm.

print edition ISBN 978-1-59629-917-7

1. Ghosts--Indiana. 2. Haunted places--Indiana. I. Title. II. Title: Ghosts of Indianas south shore.

BF1472.U6D3785 2010

133.1097729--dc22

2010032461

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is dedicated with love to my grandfather, Leonardo Salvo. His love of the written word has been passed to me, and I hope to honor him always

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The cities in this book have done a sensational job in maintaining their history through their historical societies and libraries. Thank you to the staff at the Notre Dame University archives for preserving information on the surrounding areas past. The Indiana Dunes is a national asset, and it is being fabulously maintained. The education that the park passes on to our youth is invaluable.

A special thank-you is due to those individuals who were willing to share their stories. Paranormal encounters often leave the victim feeling ashamed and unable to share what occurred for fear of criticism. To those who allowed me to interview them, I admire your courage.

In closing, I must mention my very supportive family. Chris, thank you for listening to endless accounts of ghostly encounters. Josie and Conner, you keep me laughing; I need that when spending so much time researching the paranormal. My kids, I owe you for my endless joy. To my role model, Paolo Salvo, what can I say but thank you, Dad. Thank you Mom for reading to me so much as a child! You started me on a lifelong love for reading and writing. If not for you, my career as an author may not have happened.

INTRODUCTION

Northwest Indiana is also known as the South Shore. Many of the cities in The Region are considered suburbs of the Chicago area. The cities in the northwest area of Indiana have bred many great individuals who have reached celebrity status, forever becoming immortal in the areas past. Gary boasts the honor of raising the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Crown Point holds the blemish of having had John Dillinger escape from jail in 1934. Both positive and negative events forever left a mark on the area. After all, the state of Indiana did not get to where it is today without a lot of hard work, sacrifice, love and loss, as well as scandal.

Events unfolded on the rich land of the Hoosier State that forever changed the outcome of our countrys future. Northwest Indiana claimed several forts in the states early years. The risk involved for the brave settlers who ran these communities was high. Often they were attacked by native tribes. In the end, sons, fathers and brothers of both white man and red were forever taken from their love ones.

The unbelievable struggle these people must have experienced has been imprinted on the land. The area has raised strong and determined men and woman who strive to stand against injustices. Indiana played a large role in the Underground Railroad. Other tragediessuch as the Revolutionary War battle at Fort Le Petit that took place on December 5, 1780, in the Indiana Dunes or the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918were devastating situations that one would prefer to leave in the past.

Unfortunately, the unpleasantness of the past wont disappear silently into Indiana history. The supposedly peaceful Hoosier State is alive with ghost stories both horrific and romantically eerie.

In Crown Point, Indiana, stands a beautiful Victorian-style home that was once the area jail and sheriffs home. The most famous prisoner of the past is John Dillinger, who knocked out the sheriff holding him prisoner in 1934. After beating the sheriff unconscious, Dillinger is said to have left, grabbing machine guns and leaving the sheriff bleeding and locked in a cell on the floor. Today, those who pass by the old home claim to hear an unexpected gunshot go off midday. A man walking his dog past the home claims to have been knocked flat on his back by an unseen force. Could the emotion of Dillingers escape have been so great that it replays itself repeatedly in a residual haunting? Explore this and other claims of paranormal experiences that seem to have some connection to the past of northwest Indiana.

PART I

MICHIGAN CITY

TRYON FARM GUEST HOUSE

Staying at the Tryon Farm Guest House is a certain cure for stress. This bed-and-breakfast is a refreshing example of the way a B&B should be run. A very well-executed conversion of a charming century-old brick farmhouse into a modern bed-and-breakfast without losing any of the past has been accomplished. Mary and Scott stayed at the inn for their twenty-first anniversary and fell in love all over again. The couple had been under a lot of stress during the months leading up to their anniversary. Their youngest of three children had just left home for college. They were alone together a lot now. They realized that without the kids at home, they had nothing in common anymore. Their lives had revolved around their children. Mary and Scott had grown apart. Seeing the tension between their parents, their grown children pooled together and reserved their accommodations at the Tryon Farm Guest House.

Scott was not looking forward to the trip and fought with Mary on the long drive from Detroit to Michigan City. They fought about foolish things like the radio and speed limits. This was going to be a very long weekend. Both Mary and Scott were secretly thinking to themselves that a perfect anniversary present would have been separate vacations. Mary wondered to herself, Where did the romance go?

They pulled into the bed-and-breakfast on a sunny and warm Friday morning. The scenery that welcomed them was calming to their senses. The 1896 Victorian farmhouse was beautiful and inviting. Mary felt a strong feeling of nostalgia. Scott was feeling like hed been there before, although he knew that this was his first visit. When they entered the home, they were welcomed by the woman who ran the bed-and-breakfast. Her warm personality was contagious. She was very polite and made the couple feel right at home. Mary remembers the smell of fresh baked goods that just seemed to put the finishing touches on the moment. She felt like she was on the set of an old Hallmark movie.

Michigan City Welcome Sign.

Once they were settled in the immaculate and perfectly decorated Oak Room, they decided to take a walk. Neither one knows the exact moment when their feeling for each other warmed up, but they did. Scott took Marys hand and led her outside to the grounds. Everything about the afternoon seemed perfect. They laughed and talked like they were teenagers again. Later, they enjoyed an amazing meal and retired to their room. As they snuggled in bed that night, plans for the future were made. Both fell asleep feeling at peace.