The South Bend and Mishawaka area are closely connected, with one main road serving as the divider between the two towns. Visitors to the area may not even be aware when they cross between the two cities because of this connection. I have some great memories of my time living in both cities, and that includes hearing about the local ghost stories.
In South Bend you’ll find a haunted bridge over Juday Creek. A train engineer supposedly killed himself years ago and how haunts the bridge. Many people have seen his lantern swinging back and forth.
The Central High Apartments were built using the old high school and the builders kept a number of features intact such as the old signs. Residents can even live in portions of the old gym. One of the areas that remains closed is the auditorium because that room is supposedly haunted.
On Sycamore Road some people report ghostly cars chasing them down the street, which was once known as Roller Coaster Road. I’ve been down that road many times, including in the middle of the night, and never saw a thing.
The Oliver Mansion is haunted by a former resident and owner Katherine Oliver. Visitors and employees have reported seeing the woman inside the house and hearing whispers. There are also stories of things moving on their own.
A child who once drowned in the water can be heard crying and calling for his mom at the Potato Creek State Park. Local legend has it that dozens of children drowned here over the years. People who here the cries try to investigate, only to find no one there.
According to locals, the most haunted place in South Bend is Primrose Road, which has several stories attached to it. One story claims that you must drive exactly between 20mph and 30 mph. If you don’t, your tires will suddenly go flat or your car will die. Cell phones don’t work in the area, ghosts appear out of the woods, and people seem to be running through the woods.
There are also stories of ghostly warnings and a creepy farmhouse that appears out of nowhere. Supposedly a woman will appear and either grant you good luck, or make your car disappear. I have traveled down this road, and while my cell phone didn’t work, I did make it to my destination in one piece without my car dying, my tires going flat, or my luck changing!
Also on Primrose Road is the Blood Rock. The rock sits in the middle of a pond at a local housing development. The rock seems to move from time to time and changes its position. Primrose Road also has the haunted Adams Street Graveyard. People who have taken pictures there on a clear day see their images turn out with a light fog covering the tombstones.
Near Cleveland Road you may see a ghostly farmhouse that comes and goes at night. There are also stories of glowing eyes seen in the woods and the sounds of horses running through the woods. Some people have even seen the ghostly apparitions of the horses. There are also stories of satanic cults that practice in the area and the ghost of a human sacrifice who haunts the nearby lake. People who visit the lake notice that there’s a heavy or oppressive feeling in the area.
At nearby St. Mary’s College you can find the haunted bell tower at Le Mans Hall. A former student hanged herself from the bell tower and people sometimes see a figure swinging from the tower. Another student died at the infirmary and students sometimes claim to see blood spots on the floor where she died.
You can also visit the Tippecanoe Place Restaurant that sits in the old Studebaker Mansion. The mansion was once owned by Clement Studebaker, who was part of the family that created the Studebaker automobile in South Bend. Studebaker’s child and nanny were seriously injured when a fire broke out in the nursery and he killed himself not long after. Employees see things moving from the corner of their eye and occasionally see things move on their own.
Of course you can’t forget the very haunted nearby University of Notre Dame. The Potawatami Indian tribe once used the land and some students report seeing the ghosts of old Indians wandering around. George Gipp, aka the Gipper haunts Washington Hall. Washington Hall is also haunted by the ghost of a worker who died when he fell from the steeple.
Ghosts of Indians and horses are sometimes seen on the steps of Columbus Hall on the Notre Dame campus. Father Sorin who founded the original campus is sometimes spotted in the administration building, usually on the third floor.
A ghostly flight attendant haunts the Holiday Inn located at the City Center. Supposedly the woman was killed by a pilot she was having an affair with. She only makes her presence known to other flight attendants and pilots who stay there. Those guests sometimes see her sitting on their bed or in the bathroom mirror.
You can also see the ghost of a woman near the former railroad tracks on North Michigan. The woman and her dog were killed one night when walking the tracks. People claim to see the woman and the dog, or hear a woman shouting for her dog.
In Mishawaka you can visit the old mansion that now serves as the Hacienda Mexican Restaurant. The former owner of the mansion supposedly had an affair with one of his servants, but turned her away when she became pregnant. She then killed herself in the attic. The former owner is also rumored to have shot himself in the basement.
Employees sometimes see dark shadows or ghostly figures and hear people whispering. There are also stories of customers hearing the water turn on and the lights go out in the bathroom. I spent a lot of time at Hacienda and while I never experienced anything unusual, I can say that their margaritas are excellent!
Lastly, visit the hotel on Lincoln Way in Mishawaka. Only parts of the hotel are currently used and guests see weird things in the hotel. There are stories of doors opening on their own and things disappearing and reappearing. This one is a little confusing, but only because there are not a lot of hotels on this stretch of road, and most are either completely closed or fully operational.
So, if you’re in the northern part of Indiana you might want to take a day to visit all the haunted places in the South Bend/Mishawaka area. You won’t be disappointed.
Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/haunted/hauntedplacesofindiana.htm
http://theshadowlands.net/places/indiana.htm
