On the Fence
This house was the site of Indiana’s most atrocious murders. A man came home after a tough day at work and snapped. He decapitated his entire family and placed their heads on fence posts. Before police arrived, the man shot himself in the mouth. Today, the house is haunted. Many have seen heads strewn throughout the house upon first glance only to later see them disappear.
I was just wondering if you had the location of, and directions to, this house. I’m doing a study on supernatural phenomena and it seems like a good place to check out.
Comment by Brittney Silcott | 09.24.2005 | 3:28 am
I too was wondering if you have the address of this house. I am from the Valpo area and am just curious what part of town?
Comment by Mike Joppa | 09.27.2005 | 10:08 pm
My sisters boy friend has been there it is a old broken down farm think its called brummer farm or something. He saw nuthin but they say the best time to go is night in the early summer. Might have been Brummer rd not sure
Comment by Dragonfire | 09.28.2005 | 6:38 pm
It’s Brummitt Road. It’s right behind my house. I’ve heard there are some strange things that go on in the Dogwood Park area too after dark. If you remember, there used to be an abandoned house/Barn there. I am not sure if it is there anymore, but that place used to really be haunted. Both of these places are in Chesterton, not Valpo, but it is generally the same area.
Comment by Mrs Morley | 10.6.2005 | 3:03 am
the house is not on brummer road i do have directions you go down 700 N and the turn on 150 or you can also turn on 125 west its on the curve of the road and its an old farm house that had several barns and an a garage there is more to the story i have the old newspaper clippings, but the house was torn down all that remains is the barns and garage, he did not shoot himself either he hung himself in the barn thats open in the middle section!! contact me at badassmpchic@yahoo for more info and the real story to what happened!
Comment by badassmpchic@yahoo.com | 10.9.2005 | 7:48 pm
Me, myself have not been there, but I would like to see this house I think the story is kind of far fetched and I think that the story, if it was real would have had more of a back ground to it. From what it sounds like a bunch of kids got bored and made up some story while they were drinking on some scary night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Chelsea Denay | 10.18.2005 | 3:43 pm
Please send me the correct address so that I can print Directions off Yahoomaps.
Thanks a bunch!
Comment by Ashley | 10.19.2005 | 2:38 pm
Well, that story sounds pretty wierd to me? The people that are actually believing this story, are crazy.
Comment by Butterfly | 10.22.2005 | 7:03 pm
Are you guys crazy? I mean come on does the story even sound real?
Comment by Emily | 10.22.2005 | 7:04 pm
okay if you see something then you turn around and its not there then its gone dont you think that maybe the people that told this myth is not true …. is there any proof of this story that shows that this true ??? Didnt think so !!!!
holla at ya later
Comment by Danielle Curtis | 10.24.2005 | 3:54 pm
this story is a bit far-fetched. i believe in ghosts but that is a really weird story.
Comment by angie | 10.28.2005 | 8:42 am
the story is true its down 700n which is 7mile road turn left on 125w. the house and garage sit on corner of road.but the story is he kill his family and kill the police officers that show up on the scene, then hung himself in the garage. the place is call old man deweys.and if you go down the road the last house on the left hand side is haunted too.if you turn the corner from that house and go down the road a bit,on the right hand side of the road is a cemetary and there are two trees in the back,if you walk between those trees you will die.
Comment by angela | 10.28.2005 | 2:01 pm
Hey this is a true story.Before they tore it down i went there when I was pregnant with my oldest whom is now 16. The Dewey house is very real .The part of the story thats missing is that after he killed his family in 1954 someone tried to buy the farm and house but when the workers went in and started to fix it up,they had layed a brand new wood floor down and a man fell thru landing on a pitchfork in his back. the other man who started to fix the basement up was killed in a strange way unsure of how but noone wass there for this to happen.After that noone would touch it. I went into the house and they had what look like some type of heads or eggs in jars with fluid. The old tv was facing toward the kitchen when we went in but when we left the tv was facing toward the door. He did kill his family and that place is still haunted.
Comment by ghostbleiver | 11.11.2005 | 8:03 pm
The correct addresss is 125 W off of 700 North between Valparaiso and Chesterton. The stories all seem to add up and if you go out into the yard you can still hear the dogs parking . Also the outhouse is still outside and you’re supposed to open up the door and look in. DO NOT GO INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!! Only look through the windows and you will see the upstairs floor has fallen through! Do not go in!!!!!
Comment by Stephanie | 01.19.2006 | 8:45 pm
Just for everyones info I am very familiar with the Dewey house and legends. There is infact no truth to the stories. I used legends around the area as a basis for a project I did in college and then debunked as many as I could. There was infact no murder that took place at the house and certainly no multiple murder of that sorts. The closest I ever found to the Dewey Case happened to a family named the Duncans. However the murder took place in April of 1955 and it was not in Indiana, though the man responsible was caught in Indiana and remained in a prison here dying shortly before trial. The Dewey house is a popular hang out for teens none the less. Last I heard they were planning on tearing the place down for fear of teens getting hurt while poking around within. Anyone who claims they have proof of this happening, well I would love to see it. I have spoken with various police who were on the force at that time as well as having combed through hundreds of articles and files searching for any proof on the alleged “Dewey Murders”.
Comment by Samantha | 01.27.2006 | 3:14 am
i belive it
Comment by Courtney&Cheyenne | 02.5.2006 | 1:21 pm
it aint make sents and aint spookey and i’m not scared like as so you are.you might not know me but so.
Comment by sophie | 02.6.2006 | 4:29 pm
hey i was wondering where in Valpo is this im currently traveling on weekends to haunted places in Indiana and my friend Lindsey told me about this place and I want to know where in Valpo.Thank You.
Comment by Gloria | 02.15.2006 | 12:14 pm
yes, i have been there to, and i know that place is haunted. i have been there so many times and i’ve seen thngs that make me not want to go back, but i cant resist. and the place is called Old Man Duey’s House. He didn’t shoot himself, he hung himself in the barn right behind the house.
Comment by jennifer | 02.21.2006 | 12:06 am
ok i have been there and seen crazy things one of which was i was outside the gate and the first window on the right there was a curtain that was open and as i was looking around the outside of the house i looked back up at the window and the curtain was closed. my mother who had gone with me had claimed she seen the shadow of a man holding an ax. another thing that happend was i had climbed up onto the gate and had my hand on one of the posts and i had smelt this horrible rotting smell and then it was gone. so i dont care what anyone beleives i know its true i’ve been there and seen things.
Comment by jennifer | 02.21.2006 | 12:13 am
omg thys story is true i went there ma self n i freeked so ppl beleive me its true i scared ma self silly bi tellin ppl bout ma experences cuz i went threr n saw the hads on the post n i 2 smelt a terrible rotting smell so there3
Comment by Lori | 02.21.2006 | 1:50 pm
Alright, I went there tonight. Just got back. As far as the story goes, I would imagine that it has very little to no truth behind it. I’m planning to do some research myself, but I don’t much expect anything to come up. Now, for the site.
The road is neat. A decent amount of wildlife, trees, and creepy looking areas. The fence seems rather old and is surrounded by barbed wire. It’s connected by rusted chains. We climbed over and started to hike down the short trail further into the ‘woods’. To our left was alot of debris and the remains of an older home. As we had been told that you have to march into the woods before you can see the home, we continued down the trail. We got to the end and saw a rather kept looking home. A car in the drive way. Fresh garbage sitting outside. I took it that someone lived there. So, we decided to make our way back towards the fence and check out the debris and old damaged home. I assume this is what is considered “Old man Dewey’s.”
The house seems to have been ripped to shreds and torn down. Debris is spread out everywhere and certain sections of the home still stand. I noticed that much of the debris was common household objects. Old coffee cups and pots. Clothes hangers. A washing machine. A clothes basket still full of clothing. We even found some skiing equipment and some comic books. Some of these objects, and wood from the home were burnt. I even noticed scorched areas up high on some trees. It appears as if a section of the home had been burnt. I thought this was all very interesting. And, maybe to the believer or easily shakened, quite creepy.
We moved passed some of the debris and made our way to a farm like garage. Most of it was boarded up and sealed, but not well. The door was torn open, and nailed shut several times over several years, clearly. We gave a few tugs and it sprang open. Old bikes, shelves, and tools were spread out all inside. We made our way into the next room and found a metal ladder attached to the wall. It led up into the attic area. I nearly slipped climbing up. As I heard animals moving about up there, I didn’t want to be attacked by a wild animal, so I only poked my head up into the hole and surveyed the area with a flash light. Much like the rest of garage aside from a very cool spot where a single wooden chair sat in an empty spot around the middle of the attic. Very cool.
We made our way back and around the property a bit more, scoping out areas we may want to visit some day in the near future. Altogether, it was uneventful but interesting. Also, a very dark, cold, and creepy night. So, it was fun.
Only scary for the superstitious and weak hearted, but worth a look for the curious.
Comment by Nate | 03.14.2006 | 5:45 am
As I am reading these comments I am reminded of my childhood stunts. The place is indeed the Dewey house. It was rumored haunted and we would dare each other to hop the fence and knock on the front door. The scariest part for us was that there is a bridge and a cemetery on the road and we called it Troll bridge, you were to shut your car off flash lights 3 times and then your car wasn’t supposed to start. I personally was a wuss and wouldn’t partake but I do know that the rest of the story is that a ghost of the deceased was to be angry with visitors and would chase you away in a car or something with a big light. I do know someone thought that was funny and would hide out on the weekends and summer nights because when we stopped to contemplate knocking on Dewey’s door a car came out of what seemed like nowhere and chased us all the way back to 700 N. before it stopped and turned around!!!
Comment by Jodie | 04.1.2006 | 3:06 pm
This is crock…I traveled all around gods green earth to find this place….AND I CAN’T….I need to know where this house is located….Thanks
Comment by Brittaney | 05.19.2006 | 8:33 pm
Does anybody know of the Wolf Mansion? I know its on the National Historic Register of Houses. But, I don’t know the history or where it is located. But to my understanding, it is in fact haunted. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Comment by Andrea | 05.23.2006 | 3:19 pm
This one is 100% true! I remember a long time ago, maybe about 10 years ago I went to this place and I looked down in a window and a head was laying there on the floor… I screamed and told my mom and when we looked back down in there it was gone….
Comment by steve | 06.7.2006 | 2:01 pm
I drive down 125 W. everyday. The house did burn down as I was unable to pass the house when the fire department was battling the blaze. If you go, take Meridian road to 700 N. and turn west on 700. Go past the 4 way stop sign and continue west till you come to the next road on the left (125W) Turn down the road and go to the first curve. You will see the old buildings and what remains after the fire. If you continue down the road it will take you to 200W. Turn right and it takes you back to 700n.
Comment by Teresa | 06.9.2006 | 11:37 pm
OK someone asked about the Wolfe Mansion. I was raised in Valpo and now reside in Alabama. I am 35 and can remember from when I was a teen going to the mansion before someone bought as it had sat empty for many years. There are many ghosts who reside there. I had walked into the grass from theroad up towards the front door. That place is huge anyway, it was about 11 at night and there were about 4 of us and while we were walking we were looking at the top window that faced us. There was what seemed to be a candlle lit in it. As we got closer I seen a shadow that walked over to the candle and blew it out. The night was warm with no wind blowing but when I seen it blow the candle out a sterong smell wind come from the North and itscared the **** out of all of us. We ran so hard towards the back of the house because I guess it didnt scare us enoughto leave. Anyway, when we approached the back side of the house we all seen a man with a gun mumbling o himself when we said excuse me do u live here? The man turned with his head down and said in a deep voice NO YOUR NOT SUPPOSE TO BE HERE!LEAVENOW OR DIE! We ran back to our car andnever went back. As we were leaving we drove oward the back of te house and there as noone there. Very scary. It was the scariest night of my life.
Comment by Nikki | 06.10.2006 | 4:09 pm
I am retired from the Porter County Police Department after 25 yrs. service. What most people think was the famous Dewey House is actually the Alabach residence. They still live there and have put up with the teen agers all summer long there and especially at Halloween time, looking for the ghosts of the Dewey murders. This residence is at the curve of 650 N and 125 W. The Dewey home was actually west of there on the north side of 650 N. It was torn down decades ago. The murders never happened. It is a myth. Now the Alabachs tore their older farm house and barn down due to the harrassment from the ghost hunters and the danger it presented. They still live behind there in a newer home.
Another myth in that area is the one about the troll under the bridge, which is on 175 W, just south of 650 N., near the Kimble cemetary. This is a myth also and is just around the corner from where the old Dewey House used to sit.
Comment by John Dobbins | 06.12.2006 | 4:46 pm
I use to live down the road from this house. It is located off of 700 N. driving toward 149.
The house no longer stands but there is a barn with a silo connected. My friend and I went threw the barn to the silo. There was a small opening into the silo and directly above the opening the words “He’s in here” were written. It was very faded of coarse, but those words gave me the chills.
Comment by Holly Arwood | 06.14.2006 | 11:35 pm
All of this **** is way too fake, you all can’t even agree where the place is, geez!!!!!!! I can’t wait to hear the next story!!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOL
Comment by cancermoon | 06.15.2006 | 12:47 am
wolf mantion is located at the corner of 700 and 450
Comment by russ | 08.14.2006 | 10:22 pm
there is actualy ppl that are liveing there at the present time
Comment by russ | 08.14.2006 | 10:24 pm
this is pasiaand kayla - we were riding in kaylas dads truck on the wy to that house when suddenly we broke down !! but it was so scary ….when the car started back …..as if someone had taken over!!!!!…..since then we had never gone back ….and i think you know Why !!!!….- but from that day forward i see the same things in my sleep!! (ps)-there really are ghosts but in spirit kinds……so if you ever been mean to someone that is dead - better watch your every move!!!! pasia and kayla
Comment by pasia and kayla | 09.7.2006 | 9:48 pm
Ive grown up in Porter County my whole life. I still live there today, and Im 28 years old. Ive been to the dewey house, troll bridge, and cemetary many times in my youth. We have heard all the storys, but have never found anything out of the ordinary except for the disgruntled property owner. The house is no longer in existance but some of the remains are still there. Ive tried to find newspaper articles or any real proof but have come up empty. The piece of property can still be fun and spooky for a bunch of kids though. As for directions take 700n east from rt149 to 125w go south just before the road curves back to the west is were the property is at on the right. The old barn and newer home are there, but beware of the owner he has put up with a lot of kids snooping around and may not be in the best of moods!
As far as Wolf mansion goes, once again all kinds of rumors but no solid evidence there either. I remember back whin I was a young kid, the high school students made a spooky movie about the place and thats about as much as I know except for all the spooky stories. We walked around the place a bunch of times and once while it was vacant we went through it at night like a bunch of scared kids and never saw anything out of the ordinary. To get there from the intersection of rt6 and 149 head south on 149 to 700n. Go west on 700n to 450w or better known as wolf rd. The mansion sitts on the nw corner of the intersection.
Comment by Tom | 09.23.2006 | 1:27 am
this story sounds way sweet!
Comment by amber | 09.25.2006 | 12:30 pm
I have done the research on this property with the Indiana Ghost Trackers many years ago. It’s mearly a myth folks. Check it out for yourselves. Research through the Valparaiso Library Indiana Room shows this is one of their more requested pieces of historical information and also completely bogus.
People tresspassing on this poor lady’s property give ghost hunters a bad name.
I guess it continues, even though untrue, because its such a good campfire story.
The Police officer who post has the correct information.
Comment by Mike | 09.26.2006 | 4:50 pm
I’m back…you’re local retired police officer. In regards to the Wolf Mansion, it is not haunted. The story has it that Josephus Wolf had several children who died of Typhoid Fever, during the epidemic in the 1800’s. He was so depressed, that he went up in the cupola and hung himself, and to this day supposedly haunts the house.
During my patrol days, I had been in the mansion many times when it was vacant and occupied by various businesses and residents. It was a haven for runaways from the South Haven area.
I learned from previous owners that Josephus Wolf had the home built and farmed the area, which is currently South Haven.
He used the cupola to watch over his farm hands in the fields. He also had a small family cemetary on the the north side of the home, where several family members were buried.
He died of cancer. He and some of the family members were buried there, but several years later, the bodies were moved to the Mccool Cemetary, in a family plot, near the maintenance barn.
I can attest to tnis, as I found one of the old headstones in the garage while I was checking the mansion for runaways one day.
There was a low budget movie produced there several years ago. Believe me, it was very low budget and was only available on tape at he local video store. I believe it was titled “Terror in Psycho Town” or “Murder in Psycho Town”, something along that line.
The mansion is located at the nw corner of Wolf Rd.,aka 450 W, and CR 700 N. The cemetary is the SW corner of Central Ave. and Mccool Rd. in Portage, Ind.
Comment by John Dobbins | 10.3.2006 | 4:01 pm
Does anybody know the story about dogwood park in chesterton?
Comment by Tom | 10.5.2006 | 9:00 pm
what the HELL is wrong wit yall every story you here aint true if someone told you to jump of a bridge u do it? Yall stupid this **** never happend if it did it would be in news it would be documented you ***** *** liars!
Comment by RJ | 10.11.2006 | 6:54 pm
I like the stories on the Wolfe Mansion, I’m 23 years old and lived in South Haven for 20 years. I lived only a few blocks away from that place. I was told many stories about that place but don’t know which to beleive. I believe in Ghosts but I have never once seen one. I don’t think I would want to.
Comment by April | 10.13.2006 | 4:30 am
I live down the street from the house and i have been thier more then a dozen and brought along with me a couple of my friends and i halfto to say that, the house is very much haunted you feel it right as you step onto the property. Trust me i dont scare easy but after being thier alot i def dont sense ghosts just a real and creepy erie feeling.
Comment by Manuel | 10.13.2006 | 4:46 pm
Hi..I was Wondering if you Could Send Me Directions and the location of this house.I was also wondering if people were allowed to go to this house just to walk around it and look?.i am not sure if this is a halloween attraction or a private property so i was wondering if we were allowed to walk through it .please email me with the informationi have asked.thank you!
Comment by Doris Mattingly | 10.17.2006 | 4:53 pm
My hubby and his buddies grew up and still live in Valparaiso. Him & his buddies broke into this house when they were teenagers to get that “thrill”. Nothing happened. He says over & over that it was very scary but I wonder if it was just their imagination. A friend who was with him took a book off of a shelf from the house and still has it to this day. The original house no longer is there, instead a brand new house stands right on top of where the old one was.
Comment by Denise | 10.17.2006 | 10:43 pm
Anyone know any real haunted places near North Judson and Knox that still stands?
Comment by April | 10.18.2006 | 9:34 pm
I have heard of all of these, but our favorites in High School, (in the late 70’s) where out off of Rt 2 towards Westville, Stero Bridge and the Pumpkin Heads Family who lived out on a Farm, the Pumkin Head Family where a real family with a bunch of kids who had some kind of disease like water on the brain and had enormous heads! They were always out in the yard, didnt attend school and the parents hid them from the public. The father was not real happy with everyone coming out to see them and was known to shoot a gun at lookers!!
Comment by gina daveys | 10.26.2006 | 3:05 pm
Yes.. Out by NOrth Judson in I believe Francesville are the Frances ville Lights and the Dogface Tree. My teenage sons have been there and said they are really scary
Comment by gina daveys | 10.26.2006 | 3:07 pm
out of curiosity…i was wondering if the house on 500 N. off of 49 in valparaiso is really “haunted”. there are pictures on a ghost hunting website (angelfire/the force.com) and the story goes, that during the early 90’s,a man in the kkk went crazy and killed his wife and locked his daughter in a trunk in the attic, while he slit his wrists in the tub. the story and the pictures are really creepy. just wanted to know if this murder really happened or if it’s another urban legend?
Comment by kimsue | 10.27.2006 | 12:16 pm
I HAVE BEEN THERE JUST RECENTLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. WE CLIMBED OVER THE FENCE AND WALKED DOWN A LONG PATH TO A HOUSE (WHICH IS STILL STANDING JUST SO EVERY ONE KNOWS.)THERE IS STILL A CAR THERE PILED HIGH WITH GARBAGE.IT WAS PRETTY SPOOKY WE DIDNT STAY LONG DUE TO ALL THE NO TRESSPASSING SIGNS
Comment by ALI | 10.28.2006 | 9:24 pm
Hey yea i just went there today.And no one lives in that house there is so much garbage in it. Yes there was a car at the house piled with garbage. I really wish that we had some permission to go there at night.Yea me and my dad went i took my cell to take some pics, and so did my dad but his cell did not work till after we left. I dont know if it is true if the place had a murder there. But its a pretty cool place to go to. But dont get caught because i dont really think your sappost to be there because the property is for sale. yea but me and my dad and some friends are going to go to the cemetary at night. And mabe visit that house. But if any one has some info on it let me know.
Comment by mike | 10.29.2006 | 4:54 pm
Hey yea i just went there today.And no one lives in that house there is so much garbage in it. Yes there was a car at the house piled with garbage. I really wish that we had some permission to go there at night.Yea me and my dad went i took my cell to take some pics, and so did my dad but his cell did not work till after we left. I dont know if it is true if the place had a murder there. But its a pretty cool place to go to. But dont get caught because i dont really think your sappost to be there because the property is for sale. yea but me and my dad and some friends are going to go to the cemetary at night. And mabe visit that house. But if any one has some info on it let me know. Please i really want to know if there was a murder there.
Comment by mike | 10.29.2006 | 4:56 pm
i heard about this. i thought it was a mith!!!
Comment by Ryan | 10.29.2006 | 9:17 pm
hey where is this house at
Comment by Josh | 10.30.2006 | 12:56 am
I just got back from there. We first went to the barn and the torn down house. Then we went all the way back on the path, to the somewhat newer house with the car in the driveway. This was definatly one of the scariest places I have ever been, because it was 2 in the morning. The front door was wide open. Every room in the house was filled with newspapers and books. All clothes are still there. Old records, beds, everything. It was like people just left and never came back. The property is for sale, I don’t understand why this house hasnt been demolished or at least cleared out. I don’t know if this is the “dewey” house or whatever, but it was horrifying. Felt like I was in a horror movie.
Comment by valpokid | 10.31.2006 | 5:10 am
this is a story about friends who pranked me using this story
Well, I heard this story when i was fourteen (not on the site, but my friends told it to me.) well, we were camping out in my backyard and my friends took the liberty of putting some fake heads on the fence and dressing up like zombies. well, they knew that i was really scared so that night, when i was going to the tent, they came out, i saw the heads, and i SCREAMED. the door was locked, and they were moaning, and on the other side of the yard (the part that had no heads on it) had a small hole under it. i was desperate, so i tried to squeeze under it. my head and torso forced their way through, but my hips got stuck! so, i’m petrified, thinking that zombies are going to eat my flesh and suck my blood (i’m easily scared and gullible) and trying to shove my rear end through a hole that i’m hopelessly stuck in. well, you can imagine how i felt when i heard the laughter of my friends who had gotten me wedged under the fence. you can imagine the embarrassment of me, who was stuck halfway under the fence and thought that she was going to be eaten. the worst part was, after alot of pushing at the girl who was an idiot, they couldn’t get me unstuck! thanks alot, hips, you could’ve gotten me killed.
i was eventually freed (from alot of pushing, pulling, crying, laughing, and squeezing) but i will never forgive my friends for what they did to me.
Comment by Jillian | 11.18.2006 | 3:22 pm
Go to the Valpo library Geneology Department and you can find Dewey’s obituary. He died at Whispering Pines Nursing home in ‘86 or something. In fact, you can find his wife’s obituary, who died after him. It also states that they had no kids. His name was Dewey Babcock. The story has no truth to it whatsoever. It’s unfortunate that this is all he is remembered for.
Comment by Ashley | 12.31.2006 | 12:23 pm
If you go to the Valparaiso Library’s Geneology Dept. you can find Deweys obituary. He never hung himself in his silo; he died at Whispering Pines Nursing home in ‘86 or so. His wife also survivied him, you can find her obituary aswell. They had no kids together for him to decapitate. His name is Dewey Babcock. This story has no truth to it at all. It’s unfortunate that he has this story to his name.
Comment by ashley | 12.31.2006 | 12:30 pm
Sorry about the duplicate.
Comment by ashley | 12.31.2006 | 12:31 pm
If you guys are speaking of The Wolf Mansion, he didn’t hang himself or kill anyone. His newborn and the 2-3 year old kids ( 2 of them ) died from disease. I’ve been to the Wolf Mansion, because I lived close to it. My MOTHER, Dianne Artis, worked there when it was a womens shelter. The place is “haunted” if you want to use that term, I’ve seen them multiple times. My mother has had encounters and so have many more people. Today, there are people who live in the house, and they have lived in there for almost 5 years or so now. Even though the spirits are still there, they are nothing but sweet spirits that haven’t moved on yet. And the children that are still there, are playful, but calming. The woman in the second story window that I seen almost everyday of my 6th grade year coming home from school ( I’m in 11th now ), isn’t harmful. Josephus did not hang himself, nor did he kill anyone. Small Pox was the reason the kittle kids died. A heartattack or so for Josephus. The bodies were burried in the back, supposively, and if that is the case, anyone could see why the spirits of the house haven’t moved on.
Comment by Tiana Artis | 01.5.2007 | 9:58 am
My great-grandparents and their children (including my grandfather) lived in the Wolf Mansion between 1915 and 1921, managing the farm for owners of the property who lived in Chicago.
The story of Josephus Wolf hanging himself is absolutely false. The children of Wolf died from typical diseases of the day, as pointed out by Tiana Artis above (although I believe he lost five of his children).
My great-aunt (now dead) told me that she could remember there being a small graveyard on the property and it could be viewed by looking out the window of the kitchen area. It contained about a half-dozen tombstones. No stones are now located in the area, and I presume that the graves were either removed to McCool Cemetery or possibly Kimball Cemetery, which would have been the closest to the farm.
By the way, someone above mentioned that if you walk between the two large trees in the back of Kimball Cemetery that you’ll die. That made me chuckle, as many, many of my ancestors are buried in Kimball Cemetery and I’ve probably walked between those two old trees dozens of times. I’m not dead yet!
Comment by Local Resident | 02.5.2007 | 12:25 pm
Here’s the obituary for Josephus Wolf, who had the Wolf Mansion constructed:
SOURCE: The Chesterton Tribune - March 15, 1895; Volume 11, Number 49, Page 1, Column 5
The pioneer of Twenty Mile, has finished his earthly labors, and gone to join his fathers. Josephus Wolf breathed his last Thursday, March 8, at his home in Portage township, after a lingering illness. While it was expected that he could not get well, yet the hope was cherished by his thousands of friends that he would live years yet. A cancer had for years been doing its deadly work, and hope of a cure had long since abandoned.
Josephus Wolf was one of Porter county’s history makers. He was born in Athens County, Ohio, June 22, 1822, and was the youngest of seven children born to Jacob and Lydia (Dorr) Wolf. The family moved to Porter County in 1834, and settled on Twenty-Mile Prairie, in Portage township. They took up land in the then wilderness, and Josephus stuck to the farm until 1854, when he went to California to join the gold hunters. He remained there two years, and returned with $3000. This gave him the foundation for the vast fortune he left at his death, which included a 5000 acre farm, of the finest land in all this county. The Wolf home resembles a minature city, covered as it is with fine barns and a magnificent farm home. The estate has substantial houses for tenants, all of whom are prosperous and contented. One notable feature of the Wolf home, was that its table was always set, and no man or woman ever went away from there hungry, no matter who he was or what his condition was. True hospitality abided in that home.
On returning from California Mr. Wolf was united in marriage to Miss Susan M. Young, a sister to Martin Young. Eight children were the result of this union, only two of whom are now living — Elmer and Martin — both grown to manhood, and for several years past, have managed the estate. Mr. and Mrs. Wolf were extremely attached to each other, and upon the devoted wife falls heavily the separation. The funeral was held Sunday, and the remains were laid to rest in the McCool cemetery, followed to their last resting place by a very large concourse of mourning relatives and friends.
[Note: Twenty Mile Prairie got its name since it was located twenty miles from Michigan City/LaPorte. When the General Land Office in LaPorte was selling land in Porter County in the 1830s, it described the area as Twenty Mile Prairie.]
Comment by Local Resident | 02.5.2007 | 12:31 pm
WOWE well i was just wondering if u had any pics???
Comment by Taylor | 02.17.2007 | 11:55 am
is there any pictures? is there people still alive that had to handle with the investigation. if so then adress there location.
Comment by ateeva | 02.19.2007 | 5:12 pm
Wolf Mansion is in South Haven, IN. It’s not hard to find but I wouldn’t bother anyway. I lived down the street from it for years. There was rumors of it being haunted because no one was ever seen going in or out. But in 2000 the town doctor purchased and moved into it. No stories or reports have ever been made about the house since then.
Comment by Charlene | 03.5.2007 | 11:15 am
this story sounds like somthen from a book or a movie! i do believe in certain kinds of ghosts, but this is just too weird. this story is full of C-R-A-P!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by TuffGrrl | 03.13.2007 | 1:15 pm
My friend has the newspaper with the article about this murderer, when you go there you can see the bullet holes in the barn, trust me its true, watch out for the shotgun lady who lives ontop of the hill who shoots her gun into the air to try and scare the visitors off, the house is now torn down but the barn still stands
Comment by bob | 03.27.2007 | 5:46 pm
Im still trying to find the story of why Dogwood Park is supposedly haunted. Can anyone help?
Comment by Tom | 06.24.2007 | 4:53 pm
what is the address to this haunted place. i would like to know.. cause i used to live in valpo my self. if you have the address. here is my email lil_punkgirl85@yahoo.com. thanks.
Comment by crystal | 07.22.2007 | 10:15 pm
My friend from school lives in valpo so one night she went in the barn where he hung himself….i guess it was the scariest thing she’s ever experienced.
Comment by Mary | 09.10.2007 | 9:07 pm
I live in Valparaiso, not far from the Duey house. (By the way that’s the name) The house is no longer there, there is just a house that an older lady used to live in (filled with newspapers and junk). I’m not quite sure what ever happened to her, never could find the resources to figure that out. There is an older cemetery near the old property, however I personally have not had the chance to explore it as of yet. Here’s the story from another website I have found. Duey’s House - This is a real haunted house with many a legend behind it, it is off of 50 West, near an old graveyard. If you take 700 N going east, you turn right on 125 W and it’s at the end of the road just before the road curves. They story goes, Duey got fired from his job and had family problems. He was also an alcoholic. He killed his family and chopped their heads off and stuck them of the posts of the gates that are right next to the road. He hung himself in the second silo. In the house you can see blood stains and splatters on the wall. Also note that there are plenty of do not trespass signs, and also a lot of dogs guarding the gates of the drive. If you go there at night sometimes you can see red glowing eyes, and orbs in the back of the woods.
Hope this helped some of you. && By the way it is a true story, Maybe not as grueome as the story says, but still true.
Comment by Naomi | 09.18.2007 | 2:16 pm
be careful going out there. me and some friends went out there a few years back and the neighbors keep a very close eye on the place. when we went out there one of the neighbors tried to block us in on the road and pulled a gun on us. so please be carefull!
Comment by Ben | 10.3.2007 | 12:28 pm
first of all he did not shoot himself in the head he hung him self in the barn lern the facts before you actually post stuff,and he snapped because he caught his wife in bed bed with another man so he killed his children because he didnt belive they were his
Comment by david | 10.8.2007 | 6:02 pm
(Oct. 11, 2007) Wow, being an old resident of Valpo this really brings back some great Halloween memories. But, just like chinese telephone everyone has a different story/account of the old Duey House and they are still fun to read/hear. I have never been there and I am not saying that I beleieve all of the hype, but I am a true believer in getting the **** scared outta ya and this story always gave me chills. So keep on going!
Gravity Hill is the only place I have ever personally visited and that was real (the going back up the hill part) as real can be and it was a real rush to feel the truck get pulled in the opposite direciton! We had put the truck in neutral and turned the engine off at the top of the hill and coasted down, and at the bottom of the hill we had come to a complete stop when the truck was jerked (I say jerked but I am sure that it really was my imagination on the exact thrust of it all!) in th oppostie directin as if we were being pulled back UP the hill.
PLEASE, always use caution when out at night no matter where you are and be curtious of other peoples property. Have fun!!
Comment by Amy | 10.11.2007 | 8:54 am
Where exactly is this “troll bridge”? Its not in south haven.
Google earth you can see the silo’s at the dewey farm and rubble where a house used to be. You can see several barns there still. type in highway 650 and highway 125 valparaiso,IN.
Comment by I_be8_my_wife | 10.12.2007 | 4:33 pm
Lots of conflicting stories on this site. One thing that is consistent is few people are using correct grammar, punctuation or spelling here.
Comment by Aubrey | 10.16.2007 | 3:50 pm
Well, I beg to differ. I did not grow up out here, but when I was 17, my friends took me to the Dewey House. I didn’t believe in it at all but I never went back there. It is off of 125 and 700 in the valpo/chesterton area. and when i was there we pulled up and got out. It was pitch black except for a light pole with a dim light. you look at the windows to the barn and we all saw heads. then we saw a shadow of a man with an axe. we took off and as we were jumping back over the fence out of nowhere was a ratty old nasty dog. just the name dewey house sends chills through my spine to this day.
Comment by brandi | 10.18.2007 | 3:12 pm
oh and i myself have heard shots.
gravity hill is real too. was there the same night as the dewey house. scared the **** out of me.
i will never go back.
as for wolf mansion i live 5 minutes down the road from it and it spooks me even during the day. The story i heard was that the baby died,and the father hung himself from the tower and if all the lights are on u can look up and see him swinging. well, ive never seen any of this but i have seen pictures that were taken inside the mansion. A lady i work with daughter had her wedding pictures taken on the beautiful winding staircase. well half of the peoples faces are distorted and then the next pic is the same. well the pics that were taken outdoors from the same roll of film were just fine. so how can half a roll of film have only the peoples faces distorted and only when they are in the house?? many many people have moved in and moved out MONTHS later. everyone blames the amount of the electricity bill but i say otherwise.
Comment by brandi | 10.18.2007 | 3:21 pm
hey all
i too can seem to find any info on the web about these murders too.
i have lived around here all my life. when i was in high school at portage around the late 80’s me and a group of friends went to this house…it was scary as hell, we didnt go around but i heard my friends we to it before…i heard all the rumors that are going about on here, just wish we could find something to back them up….also went to the gravity hill and that was pretty neat, trying to find it again as i would like to go back….very interesting site they have here…the dewey house, what legends are made of.
Comment by Ron | 10.22.2007 | 10:45 am
READ MY COMMENTS FROM 6/12/06 & 10/03/06. YOU’LL THEN BE INFORMED OF THE TRUE HISTORIES OF THESE TWO “HAUNTED” PLACES. SORRY TO POP EVERYBODY’S BUBBLE. THE OBITUARY OF JOSEPH WOLF PRETTY MUCH SUPPORTS MY INFO OF THE WOLF MANSION. AS FAR AS THE DEWEY HOUSE GOES, I’VE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES AS A PATROLMAN. IT DOESN’T EXIST, BELIEVE ME.
Comment by JOHN DOBBINS | 10.23.2007 | 1:21 pm
You will find that a trip to this site requires going to this address:
2755 State Road 49
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Comment by David Lain | 10.29.2007 | 10:56 pm
This is a bogus stunt and is not true…
If you Trespass on this private property you will be arrested on site!
The current resident has contacted my Department in order to stop the constant harassment by people that are too dumb to realize that this is not a haunted site… Why do you think that this Webpage is part of the “Dumb Network” anyway?
Stop Harassing, Trespassing, and Breaking and Entering into the new residence on this property. The owners are armed and have a valid permits to protect themselves if necessary. Consider this your one and final warning!!
Respectfully;
Porter County Sheriff David Lain.
Comment by David Lain | 10.29.2007 | 11:06 pm
The FACTS are:
The property at the curve of 650 North and 125 West is private property, occupied, and it is not even the site of the so-called “Dewey” house.
The old farm house was in fact built by homesteaders from Virginia named the Campbell’s at the turn of the century and it was burnt down in 2003 by trespassers.
The old house never had a full basement, only a small furnace room dug out below one part of the house.
The only crimes committed on this property have been by the people trespassing, committing arson, and stealing private property. No deaths or murder has ever been recorded in connection with this property.
The new houses have been broken into on several occasions and are private property. If you get caught trespassing you might get shot by the owners or you will be arrested by the police because the owners will certainly press charges due to all of the damage and theft already done.
I talked to one the owners and they said that not only did they loose the original home but that they have lost several belongings and even family pictures due to the vandalism and theft by people that do not respect their property or privacy.
The property is for sale as the current owners are fed up with all the nuisance and crime perpetrated on them and want to sell and move. So if you really think that this property is Haunted (it is not) then buy it yourself and then you can attempt to scare people all you want on your own property!
DO NOT GO TO THIS PROPERTY. If you go here without permission of the owners you are subject to arrest and full prosecution and you could even be blamed for crimes that someone else has already committed…
Comment by I Went There | 10.30.2007 | 12:36 am
Holy Moly people!!!!!!!!!!!!
can’t anyone get a story straight? Or spelling well, except for these officers. I really think people need to stop trespassing when it’s OBVIOUS when you see the NO TRESPASSING signs. Duh!! I think the owners want to make it scary for you so you WON’T come back!!! I hope for these owners they can find some peace so they won’t have to move. It’s not fair that they should go, it’s the people who need to learn how to read signs that should go away. I will help put up some other signs up that say “GO AWAY NOW OR ELSE” or something like that. Yours truly, kristie
kgaskil10@onlyinternet.net
Comment by Kristie | 10.31.2007 | 1:38 am
wow.
i used to live by it
Its near south haven indiana by the way
kind of near portage
ive been outside of the house but never in it
it creeps me out being near it!
also,
theres a few other haunted places near it
In Crown point indiana the court house is supposedly haunted
you should check it out
Comment by Kristen | 11.4.2007 | 9:35 pm
and for a fact,
he didnt shoot himself,
he hung himself
and buried his family under the house and they were later dug up
Comment by Kristen | 11.4.2007 | 9:37 pm
its a big mansion
not a farm!
my goodness
ive been past there many many times
Comment by psshhh | 11.4.2007 | 9:39 pm
hey can anyone email me true facts about anything haunted in nw indiana please SpoiledMommy80@yahoo.com
thanks
Comment by amy | 11.22.2007 | 11:01 pm
Way to go Sheriff. I believe in ghost hunting, and do it quite frequently. NOT at the expence or aggrivation of any property owner. If they dont have permission, they are not true hunters. “BUST THEM ALL”
Comment by J.T. | 11.24.2007 | 12:08 am
well my step dad just put windows in the house and said that the lady that lives ther is vrazy that she runs out at people with a shot gun he said the house just looks scary
Comment by porkchops | 11.27.2007 | 7:21 pm
i was just at this place today and the house was burned down the newest hose is in the back you all have no idea of what you are talking about
Comment by john | 11.27.2007 | 8:39 pm
I just can’t believe how gullible some people are. The myth’s associated with Wolf Mansion and the Dewey house are FALSE!!! Not true!! Campfire stories to scare small children!! SEE THE PROOF ABOVE. Grow up. No rational adult is going to hear that crazy story about heads on fence posts and believe it to be true. I believe in ghosts and that some places are legitimately haunted, but come on, wake up!
And how difficult is it to understand that “No Trespassing” signs mean stay out? You are breaking the law if you go into a place that is posted with no trespassing signs. Anyone with a legitamate interest in ghost hunting is not going to go onto private property without permission. I can very well understand how upset the current property owners are with a bunch of idiots running around their property, trespassing, breaking and entering and vandalising the place. They have the right to deffend their property and it would be sad to see some thrill seeker get hurt just because they were the one’s to push the owners over the edge.
LEAVE THOSE POOR PEOPLE ALONE!!!! Get a life. Get a grip. How many ways does someone have to say that those stories are all lies to get through to some of you? You are giving people who have a serious interest in collecting FACTS about ghosts and haunted locations a bad name.
Comment by Sue | 12.9.2007 | 7:09 pm
For one thimg, anyone can get on here and say they are a sheriff and another, why don’t we just let them all RIP? …..be considerate.
Comment by steph | 02.11.2008 | 1:56 pm
I and three friends have been to the house it is true but The story is different but almost the same as the one told this happen when my dad was a kid and my grandma told me about it as well she had a news paper from the time it happen so its sad to say it is the truth. when we got to the house two things happen I had three lines of blood on my pants and a upside down hand print was on the window I had never left the car and my pants didnt have blood on them before I got there thats crazy. To this day I tell everyone not to go there. Ryan Tapper, jon markos and shay? was the three people that had gone with me. Fear had set into all of us after that this was back in 1999 and I can forget it
Comment by Tamara Hall | 03.9.2008 | 11:40 pm
I think its funny that the story changes offten with time but people should not go there I can only go by what I see and for people to say that something did not happen at the house is crazy
Comment by Tamara | 03.9.2008 | 11:53 pm
I live in valpo and have been told by a few friends that this place is HEAVILY guarded by police patrols. Also, that wrecking crews fear even going in to demolish the place. PLUS there are many signs deterring anyone from even stepping NEAR the house. I have never been there, haven’t got the gull to do so at the moment. And the idea behind the police deterring anyone from going there, or claiming that this never took place, is all just a giant cover-up in my books. They just want the residences in the area to feel at rest and not believe there are paranormal activities afoot. I mean, c’mon. Any govermental official is going to tell citizens something to make them feel better. I truly do believe this place is haunted.
Comment by Roe Phelps | 04.27.2008 | 1:25 am
Alright. Today. May 13th 2008 me and some friends went up to this old deweys house. It was creepy because of the rain. There was no shot gun or no one living there. But we didnt get to look at everything. the only thing that was creepy about it was that it was dark, in the woods, and everything was run down. We didnt interupt anyones personal life. We kept to ourselves and respected the property. So. Go check it out. its pretty neat even if it isnt haunted.
Also. We got a bunch of pictures. and many of your debates could be settled if you would check out my pictures. ask for them and i’ll post them somewhere. If you have pictures i would like to share.
-mallory.
Comment by mal bop! | 05.14.2008 | 12:27 am
Lieutenant Dan here,
Reporting to all you rapscallions and you tom foolery at the Dewey property. Those folks were good people, and ya’ll kids have been messin’ up their property for years. Any one entering i will personally SHOOT!
Please and thankyou,
LTD DAN.
Comment by Lieutenant Dan | 05.14.2008 | 12:46 am
6/5/08.first of all old man deweys 100% haunted! or was shall i say! i was told by a neighbor when checking out the house that it was under investigation bc someone had burned it down a few weeks be4. i was very surprised to see this bc we had came too investigate this house many times be4. they still do not know how did it. as i was walking around i came to an abrupt stop when i seen something that made my stomach turn. firstly let me tell u that the night be4 this there was a terrible storm which nothing could have stayed in its place that wasnt very heavy or nailed down. so all of a sudden i look down and all this old makeup and hair stuff was perfectly set out as if someone was just about to get ready. i nearly pissed myself when i seen this!!! nothing could have stayed in its place from the night be4! no possible way! and no one was there be4 us this day after the storm im sure! bc we came very early!! that place is disgustingly haunting burned down or still standing! also me and my cousin found lots of weird and odd things one including a 1st aid kit that we opened and it it was old bloudy gauz just put back in there fot keeps or something!! idk but the story is true bc a friend of mines relative was on the case back when and said its still an open investigation or atleast as of 3 yrs ago!! try it but be careful! i advise u to go in daylight! ull find stuff and dont worry ull still be scared!!
Comment by Christina | 06.6.2008 | 1:45 am
First off let me tell you sherriff ease up kids have been checking out the dewey house for yrs.second yes the post from the retired sherrif are as actual as you are going to get dobbins has been a friend of my dads for long time and hes a stright up guy if there was anything haunted out there he would be able to tell you . now what i will confirm about the dewey house is when i was 20 yrs old maybee even 19 abunch of us kids taht hung out at the county seat went out there one night i would say there were like 20 of us in 7 different cars and one of our buddies maybe two decided to jump the fence and see what was up well all i know is that whoever lives there is damn sure tired of teenagers cause she let out the dogs and fired a couple of shots from a shotgun now i ve been by the dewey house a million times and just drove by and never seen nothing and we probably would have seen nothing that night had we not caused a commotion and aggravated the lady who lives or lived there then so pls take my advice it could have got bad that night if you want to see the grounds go during the day and be polite and ask you might just get lucky and not get run off by a shotgun wielding grandma
Comment by JP | 06.27.2008 | 3:20 pm
Okay now first off i would just like to say it is okay for people to look around the “dewey” house as long as you do not take anything. I promise you that beyond the burnt wreckage there is nothing to see. My house is in the back of the property and is off limits. I know that many kids like to go there to get spooked and im not against that it is just when stuff starts going missing that i get angry and call the cops i love my home but some people are making it impossible for me to live there and keep nice things. So if you want your kids to be able to go there stay at the old burnt house and do not come any further back ….please it is expensive to tear down a house i have looked into it.
Comment by i live there | 07.10.2008 | 5:37 am
I do not believe the story that people claim about a decapitation, but I do believe that a murder of a family took place there. My father told me that when he was younger and lived near to the home, he remembers walking with my grandmoter(whom was also murdered shortly after) that road was all taped off and a murder had taken place of a man that killed his family. He had burried the bodies of the family in the barn accross the road. When I was about 16 my father and I were really big into ghost hunting and we visited the home long before it was torn down. We went during the day first and then returned at night a few times to take pictures. While we were there in the day time, we had found nothing, but we did see an old vehicle sitting in the garage and the windows were mostly boarded up. When we returned that same day, it was about to get dark and we were sitting in the truck waiting for it to darken. I heard what seemed like a scream and then a dog barking. I asked my dad if he had heard it and he said :yes: then right when it had gotten dark, I heard what sounded like a snap of a branch. I asked my father did you hear that? he said :yes: When it had finally gotten completely dark, we got out of the truck and went up to the house and started snapping pictures with 2 different cameras through the holes in the boarded up windows and the outside of the home. When we got them developed, my fathers pictures had nothing strange or unusual in the but mine did. In my photos, I had see a few strange objects. The first picture i had taken was an inside view from the window and seen what looked like a body wrapped in a white bed sheet on the floor. i didnt see it when i looked in. in the other pictures that i had taken, i just snapped the rest to get out of there. i discovered that in 4 of the same pictures that i had taken, they were in a small room and the door was in all pictures. when you looked at all 4 pictures, the door was either opening or closing. they were all different degreeses or angles. The next day that we discovered these pictures, we returned in the day time and walked around the barn. I peeked into a whole that was in the door to the barn. i was too afraid to go in but i didnt see anything. After that visit, we just drove by the home a few times at dusk and in the front room window, there had been a lamp lit or an oil lamp. it would be on sometimes and sometimes as dark as it could be. I dont know the whole story but I believe something horrible happened there and the latest i heard it was torn down.
Comment by venessa | 07.18.2008 | 5:58 pm
i was wondering what the adress was to this place
Comment by sarah | 07.24.2008 | 10:02 am