Haunted Crown Point
Have you ever walked through an old house and thought you heard or saw something that wasn’t or shouldn’t be there? Folk legends and ghost stories seem to go hand in hand with older buildings and homes, and Crown Point is no exception. In addition to structures, cemeteries are often a place of paranormal intrigue. One could travel the streets of Crown Point and Northwest Indiana and pass many places where someone has a ghost story to tell.
Some of Crown Point’s most recognizable places have a story. The Courthouse on the Square has been known to have a board creak or a whisper in the halls by former occupants of the courthouse, or perhaps a disgruntled offender. Furniture has been known to move or appear as if being dragged around. There is even a mysterious lady that roams the building; some say she’s wearing a white gown while others claim she’s in all black. Either way, the Grand Old Lady of Lake County has experienced some paranormal activity.
The Sheriff’s House and Old Lake County Jail has had many a hardened criminal within its walls. Some seem to have stuck around long past the jail’s closing. Voices are often heard in the cells and in the walkways. Apparitions have been seen as well; they could be that of an inmate or even a guard. Whether it’s John Dillinger or someone else, the jail is known as a haunted space.
The old library and Carnegie Center on South Main Street had too many instances to ignore, that a Ghost Hunter team conducted an investigation in 2009. The team did experience several paranormal situations, including books falling off shelves and whispering in several areas of the stacks and the library building. The old Indiana Room gave one a feeling of being watched while researching. Perhaps it’s a former librarian making certain you handled the books appropriately. Take a look at the photograph in the Indiana Room window display of the former reading area in the Carnegie Library. What do you see?
Other stories from around Crown Point include current home owners hearing former residents walking in the rooms. They may hear speaking or whispers in certain areas of the home. Or even tales of picture frames being “adjusted” on the walls and furniture being rearranged.
The Gypsies Cemetery, South East Grove Cemetery, in south Crown Point is the resting place of several people cast out of Crown Point who perished one harsh winter from exposure and flu. Those who lived left behind both their dead and a curse. One can see firelight that may not be there or hear the moanings of those who remained. There are claims of other cemeteries or former cemeteries being haunted by spirits as well.
Maybe that feeling wasn’t “just in your head.” Perhaps you were being greeted, or haunted, or visited by someone who was present before you. Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or just have an interest in the stories that go with the places that surround us, you can enjoy the haunted tales of Crown Point. Do you dare to explore the places more?
Further Reading
Haunted Crown Point, Indiana Judith Tometczak
