1851 Federal Land Patent under President Fillmore · Indiana's Oldest Country Inn · Reassembled 19th-Century Village
Dr. George P. Story received a federal land patent signed by President Millard Fillmore in 1851 and founded the village of Story as a logging settlement in what is now Brown County, Indiana. The village grew through the late 19th century into a working community with a general store, residences, and small workshops, but its economic decline after the Great Depression left the cluster of buildings effectively abandoned by the mid-20th century.
In the early 1980s two residents of nearby Bloomington purchased the abandoned village and began reassembling its structures into a country inn. In 1998, current owner Rick Hofstetter purchased the property. Hofstetter has said publicly he did not believe in ghosts when he bought the inn but was surprised to find documented paranormal activity recorded in the property's guest books.
The property at 6404 IN-135 sits between Brown County State Park and Hoosier National Forest. Fifteen rooms and cottages — named rather than numbered, each occupying a 19th-century building that once served as a residence or workshop in the original village — are decorated with Victorian-era furniture and antiques. None have televisions, clocks, phones, or radios; Wi-Fi is available in the dining room and tavern.
Nightly rates range from approximately $164 to $499+ plus tax, with seasonal tiering across Non-Peak, Peak, and Premium dates. The Blue Lady Room is $164-$224 per night. The Story Inn restaurant runs brunch Friday through Sunday and dinner Thursday through Sunday. Reservations are at +1-812-988-2273 or [email protected].
Sources
- https://storyinn.com
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story,_Indiana
- https://fox59.com/news/indys-most-haunted-blue-lady-haunts-the-story-inn-in-brown-county/
- https://the-line-up.com/blue-lady
- https://browncounty.com/stay-list/story-inn/
- https://visitindiana.in.gov/listing/story-inn/19158/
- https://www.allstays.com/Haunted/in_nashville_storyinn.htm
- https://www.indianahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/story-inn.html
- https://emptynesterstraveling.blog/2023/04/23/a-ghost-in-indiana-the-blue-lady-of-the-story-inn/
- https://www.baltimoresun.com/2016/02/03/welcome-to-story-ind-a-comeback-town-with-a-happy-ending/
ApparitionsPhantom smellsObject movement
Each room at the Story Inn keeps a guest book in which visitors are invited to write any unusual experiences from their stay. Owner Rick Hofstetter has said in published interviews that the books fill quickly enough to require regular replacement, and that he did not believe in ghost reports until he saw the volume of independent accounts logged across decades.
The Blue Lady is the property's most-described figure. She is said to be the wife of founder Dr. George P. Story. Guests describe her with hypnotic blue eyes and an accompanying scent of cherry tobacco; she reportedly leaves behind small blue objects after appearances. The Blue Lady Room, above the historic General Store, carries a blue lamp on the bedside table; folklore associated with the room holds that turning on the blue light at night invites her presence.
The Story Inn was the subject of the 2024 documentary feature 'Paranormal Adventures 3: The Haunted Story Inn.' The property has appeared in regional Indianapolis news coverage including Fox 59's 'Indy's Most Haunted' series. Owner Rick Hofstetter told the Baltimore Sun in 2016: "I'm a skeptic who needs empiric proof and for me that would consist of a blood draw and a conversation with the Blue Lady."
Notable Entities
The Blue Lady (Mrs. Story)
Media Appearances
- Paranormal Adventures 3: The Haunted Story Inn (2024)
- Fox 59 'Indy's Most Haunted'
