When the current owner of the inn took over the business, he was a skeptic but he now knows for sure the inn is one of the most haunted places in Indiana. One of the first things he noticed was the fact that most rooms had one guestbook each. He was surprised to find out that each guestbook had documentation of the guests’ stories of the paranormal. The room with the most documentation of paranormal activity was the one located just above the inn’s restaurant. The guest books have been left in the inn’s rooms for a long time that it has become a tradition. Once the books have reached maximum capacity they would then be placed in the attic and employees would then replace them with fresh, new books.
One of the most common stories among guests and hotel staff is the “Blue Lady”. She is believed to be the spirit of the wife of Dr. George Story. The room where the Blue Lady is always seen was once called the Garden Room. However, it has been renamed after its most frequent visitor. People believe that is a blue light is placed in the room in the on position, the Blue Lady would appear. However, there have also been cases when the Blue Lady would just appear on her own. She is described as having blue eyes and has the habit of leaving behind items that are blue in color. Some people also reported smelling cherry tobacco, the Blue Lady’s favorite, when she was still alive.
History
The town of Story was founded as a logging community in 1851. During its heyday, the town of Story was the largest settlement in the area. It had two general stores, a schoolhouse, a slaughterhouse, a sawmill, a post office, a blacksmith forge, and a nondenominational church. However, during the Great Depression people left to go somewhere else.
No new construction followed after the Great Depression and no one has ever since attempted to modernize the assign structures of Story. The Story Inn was created by two hippies from Bloomington who also bought and reassembled the town. Rick Hofstetter is the current owner of the inn. For two decades he fought to preserve a lot of Indiana’s distinguishing landmarks. He almost always finds himself in the midst of battles to preserve remnants of the past so that they can still be enjoyed in the future.
About
The Story Inn offers 18 rooms and cottages and each of the rooms has its own unique history so no rooms are alike. Rooms in the inn are not identified by numbers but by name. All rooms are non-smoking and to preserve the inn’s historic setting, none of the rooms come with modern inventions, such as clocks, televisions, and radios.
The inn is part of a village in Indianan which has been painstakingly restored to its former beauty. The village still looks very much the way it did years ago. It still has old houses, a restaurant and a country store which was once very famous for Still Tavern. Aside from being a great place for weekend relaxation, it also makes a great venue for weddings and receptions. The Story Inn has now become Indiana’s premier country inn and it is also the best-preserved building of a 19th-century village in the American Midwest.
Story Still Tavern is the inn’s very famous bar. They have an extensive wine and beer list to please every palate. The bar also offers distilled beverages and mixes which cannot be found anywhere else. The inn’s restaurant is also recognized as one of the finest in the state and serves authentic Hoosier cuisine. The restaurant uses nothing but fresh and locally grown products. Couples who would like to have their wedding reception hosted at Story can choose from three reception venue; The Barn, The Old Mill, and The Porch. The Story Still, the inn’s tavern also makes an interesting choice. Banquets and business retreats can also be hosted in the same venues.
Features
- Air-conditioned rooms
- Full private bathroom
Things to Do
Nashville, Indiana is a wonderful place for people who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the busy city. People who thrive in adventure will find a large selection of things to do. The Holler Hoppin’ Zip Lines has five separate zip lines which total over 1100 feet of fun for the whole family. There is also Valley Branch Retreat, an adventure retreat that has 80 acres of paintball fields; 30 miles of ATV, biking, and hiking; fishing lakes, cabin rentals and zip line canopy tours.
For people seeking entertainment, the Palace Theatre of Brown County is the place to go. The theatre offers a selection of smash-hit musicals, as well as comedy shows. Another place to go is the Brown County Playhouse. Wine connoisseurs can go to Chateau Thomas Winery and Brown County Winery.
Room Tariffs
- Lieber room starts at $99
- Morrison-Kelly room starts at $99
- Blue lady room starts at $99
- Hedrick room starts at $99
- Schultz haus starts at $109
- Wheeler homestead starts at $109
- Wilkerson homestead starts at $109
- Carriage house starts at $119
- Treaty house starts at $119