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    Haunted Crown Point, Indiana
    Haunted Crown Point, Indiana
    Haunted Crown Point, Indiana
    Ebook144 pages1 hour

    Haunted Crown Point, Indiana

    By Judith Tometczak

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    About this ebook

    From the jail cell that once held John Dillinger to quaint shops with dark beginnings, the restless spirits of Crown Point purportedly result from a century-old hex.


    Legend had it that a caravan of gypsies found themselves unfairly exiled from town. Forced to leave their beloved dead behind in unmarked graves, they invoked a venomous curse on the townspeople and vowed that no ancestor would be allowed eternal peace. Paranormal researcher Judith Tometczak exposes evidence of this deceptively quiet town's dark side.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThe History Press
    Release dateSep 25, 2017
    ISBN9781439662670
    Haunted Crown Point, Indiana
    Author

    Judith Tometczak

    Judith Tometczak has conducted paranormal research for over fifteen years and is the founder of Crown Point Haunted Tours, operating in the Historical Crown Point Square. She continues to investigate documented haunted sites, as well as residences, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Judith is currently living with her husband, David, in Portage, Indiana.

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      Book preview

      Haunted Crown Point, Indiana - Judith Tometczak

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      CHAPTER 1

      THE GRAND OLD LADY

      As you travel south from Route 30 on Taft Street, one of the first things you will encounter on your journey to the quaint town of Crown Point, Indiana, is the welcome sign. It reads Welcome to Crown Point: Hub of Lake County. It is given that title because of its location, surrounded by Merrillville to the north, Winfield to the east, Cedar Lake to the southwest, St. John to the west and unincorporated Schererville to the northwest. It is at this point that Taft is renamed Main Street, a benevolent name bestowed upon hundreds of streets across our nation. This street does, however, warrant that title, because as you make your way farther down the road, you are greeted by the oh so regal Crown Point Courthouse. She stands tall and proud, surrounded by quaint antique shops, specialty shops and numerous businesses, in the very center of town, known as the Square.

      Confirming her position as the foundation of Lake County, the courthouse, fondly named the Grand Old Lady, depicts the architecture of the Victorian period, which made for a most interesting combination of Romanesque and Georgian styles. Soaring toward the sky are her triple regal towers. Center stage is the clock tower that has kept track of time since 1878, never missing a minute. Flanking the clock tower are two sister towers that complement her and appear as if they are guarding the citizens of Crown Point, who go about their daily routines far below.

      The history of this admirable structure and the land on which she stands dates back to the last day of October in 1834, when Solon Robinson emerged from a thicket of woods and gazed upon miles and miles of open land. What he imagined as an opportunity of wealth and accomplishment became just that and eventually led to the creation of Lake County and the founding of Crown Point. Never before occupied by the white man, this vast expanse of prairie was quite secluded. Neighboring this region were many Potawatomi Indians who had not yet settled into reservations. Robinson and his wife, Mariah Evans, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and their two children, Josephine and Solon Oscar, claimed the land of Crown Point and established their homestead on the northwest corner of what is now the Crown Point Square. It became known as Robinson’s Prairie. They soon opened their residence to aid travelers and many soon-to-become settlers, newly arrived.

      The year 1837 was a busy one for Solon and his brother, Milo. They opened a store well stocked with supplies, used for trade with both the Indians and the settlers, their best customers being the Potawatomis. One of Robinson’s priorities was setting land aside specifically to be used as a public square, and it was on this land that he soon constructed a small log cabin. This two-story structure cost him $500 to build and served as the very first courthouse. Even as early as 1834, the Square, then called the Courthouse Yard, was a favorite place for the townspeople to gather and children to play. Often you could hear their young voices crying out with joy and excitement as they engaged in a raucous game of hide-and-seek. In 1868, this small area, now known as Crown Point, became a recognized community due to its continuous increase in population and businesses.

      By 1849, the log cabin courthouse had outlived its usefulness, and a second courthouse was constructed on the north side of the town square at a cost of $10,000. Besides being the courthouse, the new building also housed the sheriff’s office and a single jail cell in the basement.

      The third and final courthouse, which graces the Square today, was built in 1878. It was more conducive to the now prominent and growing town of Crown Point. The architect, J.C. Cochran of Chicago, soon designed the structure, and a contract was signed by Thomas and Hugh Colwell from Ottawa, Illinois, to complete the building for the cost of $52,000. Half a million hand-kilned bricks were donated by Henry Wise, who was a schoolteacher in Lake and Porter Counties before he formed his brickyard company in Crown Point. Wise is buried with honor in the historical Maplewood Cemetery in Crown Point and is commemorated in a wall mural at Colonel John Wheeler Middle School, showing him in his sergeant’s uniform and depicting construction of the old courthouse. It took only one year to finish, and the historical landmark was dedicated in 1880.

      Solon Robinson’s residence, 1836, where the first court was held, Crown Point. Courtesy of the Lake Courthouse Foundation.

      The Grand Old Lady began as a place of public service to handle simple legal disputes and decide on civil and political matters. Marriage licenses were issued there, and the rotunda hosted wedding ceremonies. As time moved forward, the town welcomed its growth in county government. The economy was booming. The oil industry was started by John D. Rockefeller, and the region was becoming host to the steel mills by Judge Elbert Gary, making the Calumet Lake County region one of the greatest industrial regions of the world. A decision was made to enlarge the building by adding north and south towers for $160,000. Construction began in 1907, and once again, it was dedicated in 1909. The Crown Point Courthouse has seen many changes to its original beginnings; its last addition came in 1928, with a north and south single story, at a cost of $80,000.

      Many infamous people and worldwide celebrities have graced the steps and halls of the Lake County Courthouse. William Jennings Bryan, secretary of state for President Woodrow Wilson, addressed the citizens of Lake County on October 7, 1896. He gave his speech from the courthouse steps, vying for their votes for United States president and drawing a staggering crowd.

      Grand Old Lady, Crown Point Courthouse, 1878. Courtesy of Lake County, Indiana Historical Society.

      Construction crew at the Lake County Courthouse, 1878. Courtesy of Calumet Regional Archives, Indiana University Northwest.

      William Jennings Bryan addressing the citizens of Crown Point from the Lake County Courthouse, October 7, 1896. Courtesy of the Lake Courthouse Foundation.

      Crown Point had no waiting period to obtain marriage licenses and became the place to wed. It became known as the Marriage Mill in the 1920s and hitched movie stars such as Rudolph Valentino and Tom Mix. Heavyweight champion of the world Muhammad Ali also chose to tie the knot here, and online sources claim that even Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman came here to say I do.

      After decades and decades, is it any wonder that the walls of the Crown Point Courthouse, steeped in history and emotion, hold the secrets of the past and perhaps have a story or two to tell? Legends and eyewitness accounts of hauntings concerning it abound in the Calumet region, so much so that several paranormal groups and avid ghost hunters still use their investigative talents and techniques to satisfy their curiosity and record factual evidence to support the accounts of restless spirits.

      The most intriguing legend takes us back to the American gangster era associated with organized crime and Prohibition during the 1920s and ’30s. It has been rumored that several tunnels were once constructed under the streets of the Crown Point Square, originating from the cellars of several businesses and making the Crown Point Courthouse their destination. These tunnels are rumored to have been used to transport illegal alcoholic beverages during Prohibition, as well as serve as secret passageways for chosen travelers. Stories have even been told of tunnels that once transported the deceased discreetly from local mortuaries and funeral homes to the courthouse for funeral services. Although no official substantiation of these tunnels was obtained, it is a fact that at least one of these paths still exists, probing some twenty feet into complete darkness and sealed in mystery.

      The courthouse was placed in the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1973. Once a building is placed in this honored register, its physical appearance cannot be altered. Dr. David R. Hermansen, professor of architecture and planning at Ball State University and noted authority on historical buildings in the state of Indiana, was quoted referring to it as the most significant building in Lake County.

      Ascending the limestone steps on the east side, opening the double wooden doors and crossing the threshold into a breathtaking rotunda truly transports the visitor back in time. The entrance is said to be guarded by the spirits of the past courthouse, and on several occasions, access has been denied by locking the doors, if only for a brief moment. To the right of the foyer is the office of the Lake Courthouse Foundation, where you will find the dedicated and admirable president of the foundation, Martha Wheeler. Martha—or Marty, as she is fondly referred to—devotedly

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