5 of the Spookiest Places In & Around Kokomo
Originally published October 2020
Ghost stories. Cooler weather. Creepy dark nights. Halloween decorations everywhere.
It’s spooky season, y’all.
This is easily one of my favorite times of the year. Fall is perfect. Football season is starting up. The weather forecasts of chilly mornings and evenings but a low 70-degree afternoon is perfect in my eyes.
One of the things I’ve loved the most about fall is somehow things immediately get creepy. Maybe it’s the vibe that the Halloween decorations put off, but for some reason, it’s just an eerie time of year.
You see, I was always that weird kid that loved scary things. Haunted houses? Yes, please. Ghost stories? All-day. Scary movies? Let’s just say I watched the first “Paranormal Activity” movie alone, in the dark, by myself. Yep, I’m that guy.
When I was younger my friends and I would go around Kokomo and Howard County looking for creepy, old abandoned houses to explore. I would be lying if I said that there were a few times that really freaked me out. But that idea of going somewhere with the goal of being scared still gets my adrenaline up almost more than anything else.
I’ve asked around to some local experts — professional ghost hunters in Kokomo — and asked them what they think are the top spookiest places in and around Kokomo and their reasons why. Here’s what our friends at the Indiana Ghost Trackers had to say.
TKP file photo
Old Jacob’s Funeral Home - 208 E. Mulberry St., Kokomo, IN 46901
Built in 1901, Jacob’s Funeral Home was the first black-owned funeral home in Kokomo. Being the social setting of that time, racial issues were an unfortunate reality for this business. Due to the close proximity to the courthouse downtown, after hangings would happen the remains would be quickly brought to Jacob’s.
One of the biggest claims of this building, they said, other than simply being an old funeral home with a lot of history, is the sighting of orbs. An orb is a bright circular light that shows up in photos of a space. It is believed that these orbs can be energy from spirits that are inhabiting the space.
Okie Pinokie - Located Off Of River Road In Peru
This is easily one of the most well -known haunted spots in the area. Okie Pinokie is an area of woods near Peru, Indiana. YouTube is full of videos from teenagers adventuring into the woods during this time of year to test if all the legends are true. If I’m honest, I think any area of forests at night time can be spooky for someone that is in the right mindset. So, what makes Okieponokie any different?
According to online research and local legends, this wooded area used to be swamp land where bodies of murder victims were dumped. It really is one of those places where if you don’t know where it is or you’re not looking for it, you’re most likely not going to find it. Which, in perspective is a pretty great place to dump a body.
One of the more recent stories is about a man named Joey Peoria who disappeared during a camping trip back in 1976. Stories online tell us that you can often hear voices of a man looking for help, but they never can find the person behind the voice. There are also many documented stories of people hallucinating and seeing fires in the woods that are not there in reality. Being rich in Native American history, these Peru woods are also rumored to be a Native American burial ground.
TKP file photo
Jerome Cemetery - Greentown
If you have an interest in the paranormal and live anywhere near the Central Indiana area, you’ve heard of Jerome Cemetery. It is easily one of the most visited haunted attractions in our area, especially during this time of year.
There are a few stories and legends that make this place famous. The first one is the driveway that surrounds the cemetery. If you look closely at the cemetery from above, it is said that the driveway is in the shape of a 6. The trick is the drive around the entire numerical shaped driveway 3 times until you create “666” and then that will summon the spirits in the cemetery. It’s a pretty captivating idea, isn’t it? Imagine being in the car almost done with the third lap knowing what might be coming your way soon.
Another legend of this cemetery is that it is haunted by the spirit of a dog. It is said that this dog laid by the grave of its owner until it passed away. The dog's spirit still lives in the cemetery protecting its owner from anyone who could cause harm to the gravestone and remains. Many have reported hearing barking and growling noises as well as seeing two eyes glowing in the dark until the people visiting get back into their car to leave.
Photo Provided | Howard County Historical Society
The Elliot House - 1216 W. Sycamore St., Kokomo, IN 46901
Located right next to the Seiberling Mansion on Sycamore Street, The Elliot House was first built in 1889 and is named after the second owner of the home, Matthew Elliot. The home is everything you could ask for and more in an older home. It is full of elegant design touches, beautiful wood accents, the feelings of a Disney movie set right here in Kokomo. Oh, also there is a ghost of a young boy who died in the 1930s.
The Harvey family moved into the home in 1930 after the husband, Dow, was hired as the president of Globe American Corporation. The family lived in the home for 5 years and their youngest son died after falling from a second story window. It was a tragedy that shook the whole town of Kokomo.
Now, this is where it gets creepy. I’ve spoken to sources that say the spirit of the Harvey boy is still alive in the home. The Elliot House has been owned by the Howard County Historical Society for quite some time now. One of the employees has told many stories of seeing the boy in the window at night time as well as hearing a child’s footsteps running and playing upstairs next to the window where the boy fell. The creepiest story I’ve heard is every now and then in the middle of the night you are able to hear a child laughing.
TKP file photo
Original Treasure Mart - 1201 E Vaile Ave, Kokomo, IN 46901
Oh, The Original Treasure Mart. You may know it for being one of the best antique shops in not only Kokomo, but the entire Midwest. But did you know that the building that Treasure Mart is located in is also known for being extremely haunted? It’s not a surprising thing to hear, is it? It’s an extremely old building, it’s packed full of items that were originally owned by dead people. It’s the perfect storm for some haunting action. So what specifics have been recorded at this location? We spoke to an employee of The Treasure Mart and she told us some pretty eerie stories.
This has become a popular spot for local ghost investigators. During one of the investigations, the investigators were trying to get a spirit to control the only lights on in the building which were the safety and security lights. If you’re not aware of how these lights usually work, they are only turned on when a security system is armed or the whole building has lost power. In other words, it’s very difficult to control these lights. They don’t have a normal switch. The investigators, while attempting to communicate with a spirit, were able to get the spirit to turn the security lights on and off on command.
Another story that the staff informed us of is the story of a little girl in a 1900s era dress. There have been reports from multiple staff, customers and ghost investigators that a younger girl, age 7-10, has been seen as a full apparition in the shop. If you’re not sure what a full apparition is, it is when you see the full body of a ghost or spirit performing some sort of action. This little girl is always reported just walking around the store looking around. No reports have the ghost trying to cause harm and frankly pay any attention to the people in the room.
Now, the main question that pops up with these stories is, “who is she?” Unfortunately, no one knows. There are thoughts that maybe she worked in the building when it was a factory or maybe her parents were employed there? Nothing has been confirmed, however.
So, there it is. Our list of the top 5 spookiest places in and around Kokomo, Indiana. Do you have any spots we should know about that didn’t make our list? Let us know!
