On October 24, students from Marian University got in the
Halloween spirit and ventured through Indiana’s most haunted community,
Irvington, on a ghost tour. Alan Hunter, a columnist for the Eastside Voice,
led the students of Marian University through Irvington, educating everyone on
the spirits that haunt the neighborhood and sharing famous ghost stories that
shape its culture.
Irvington, being named after
Washington Irving who wrote the famous tale “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,”
holds quite an exquisite history that haunts over its citizens. Spirits such as
Bona Thompson (a student who once studied at Butler College), George W. Julian
(a politician who served in Congress who really doesn’t want drinking, drugs,
or cursing nearby his house), and even Abraham Lincoln’s train (which carried
his corpse to Springfield, Illinois after his assassination) remain on the
grounds where they once lived and make frequent appearances.
Hunter discussed and showed a few
houses which contain disturbing facts and stories for those living in
Irvington. Students learned about D.C. Stephenson, who was Indiana’s leader of
the KKK, and the madness that occurred in his mansion. Stephenson was charged
for second-degree murder of Madge Oberholtzer, who lived down the street, which
led to the deconstruction of the Klan in Indiana. Also, Hunter told students of
the haunted cottage where H.H. Holmes once stayed and the murder of boy traveling
along with him. These stories remain famous; however, people rarely go near
these locations due to fear, especially when the sun has gone down.
Travis
Ybarra, a student who took the tour, really enjoyed learning about the
paranormal in Irvington and plans to return to take pictures and recordings of
the various haunted locations.
“I really
enjoyed the tour guide; I felt he was well-spoken and likeable,” said Ybarra.
“I’m really interested in the paranormal and what happens after life, so the
experience was really cool. I enjoyed the H.H. Holmes story and found it to be
most fascinating.”
It was
revealed in the tour that a movie about H.H. Holmes is in the works and will be
played by the one and only, Leonardo DiCaprio. Residents of Irvington hope that
some of production will take place in Irvington where H.H. Holmes murdered a
little boy in one of the cottages in the neighborhood.
Learn more
about the spirits that lurk through Irvington and its history. Irvington Ghost
Tours will offer their last tours of the year on Friday, October 28 at 7:00
p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and on Saturday, October 29 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. This
Saturday, Irvington will also be hosting their annual Halloween Festival, which
will include a costume parade, a five mile run, performances, and readings.
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