It's Tradition...
Every moment spent brainstorming and crafting with these girls fills me with joy and inspiration! Their enthusiasm and creativity are truly infectious. Would you believe me if I said, we've already begun sketching out ideas and dreaming up next year's session? Details from this creation:
The Sanatorium
I spent weeks researching the perfect location for this year's Halloween session. Last year's session was at a local pumpkin patch, so I was really interested in somewhere else. I scouted for old, raggedy barns, fields, or a small town that could look and feel haunted. Initially, I had found locations we could use but I wasn't 100% satisfied. Until, I stumbled upon the Indiana State Sanatorium on TikTok. I could feel in my bones this was the perfect spooky location. Previously known as the main tuberculosis hospital (1908-1968) in Indiana, then reopening as a nursing home and mental hospital in 1976. The Lee Alan Bryant Health Care Center remained open until 2011, when it suddenly closed. Now, the Sanatorium is open for daytime and nighttime tours.
MAIN HALL BETWEEN HOSPITAL AND NURSING HOME
CITY BUS
Facing My Fears
A little bit about me: I'm not a scary movie person, I can count on one hand the number of scary movies I have watched in my life. I don't visit haunted houses during spooky season. Almost three decades of life and I have visited ONE haunted house. So, you can imagine my heightened anxiety when deciding to visit Indiana's 'premier location for paranormal investigation', in real life. One squeak/creak/whisper and I was out of there.
THE SAUNA
LAUNDRY ROOM
BEAUTY PARLOR
Exploring
Flashlights in hand, sticking together, and very slowly, we ventured inside. The rain and thunder from outside making inside even darker and more spooky. On the inside, the sanatorium was pretty neat. When the previous owners left in 2011, they left everything behind: equipment, paperwork, medical books, and more. We explored quite a bit, but unfortunately, we were unable to explore the entire building during their session. A few places we missed are the morgue and underground tunnels.
ONE OF THE HEARSES
LIBRARY & GAMEROOM
Planning a Visit?
Whether you're a fan of haunted places and paranormal activity or not, I recommend planning a full day visit to the Indiana State Sanatorium. The few hours we planned wasn't enough. After conquering my initial fears, I too will be visiting again soon to check out more of the area and learn more about the location.
FROM THE OUTSIDE
NURSING HOME HALLWAY
PATIENT ROOM
