The Willard Library.
Incorporated in 1881 to serve the residents of Evansville, Indiana, the Willard Library contains the kind of publications one would expect to find in a typical storehouse of knowledge. It is also home to local and genealogical archives. But its most interesting feature: the Willard Library is haunted.
AN IMPRESSIVE BUILDING
A wealthy Evansville resident, Willard Carpenter, built and endowed the library, creating a trust fund that would last for decades, if not centuries, to come. He did this out of the hope that, in his own words: “…such an institution may become useful toward the improvement of the moral and intellectual culture of the inhabitants of Evansville.” Even prior to the groundbreaking, Carpenter deeded his dream to Library trustees.
Like John Hammond in Jurassic Park, Carpenter “spared no expense” in creating the vessel for his vision. Willard Library was built in the Victorian Gothic style, with turrets, steep roofs, and Gothic arches in its window arcades. Terracotta was used for exterior decorations, including the “owls of wisdom.” Decades later, the building would be listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
THE GREY LADY
Sadly, Willard Carpenter died in 1883 and did not see the completion of his library, now in the hands of the trustees. Enter Louise Carpenter, his daughter, who felt snubbed by dear old dad and believed that the Library should have been hers. She filed a lawsuit against the Library Board of Trustees, claiming that her father was of “unsound mind” when deeding it as he did. The court found in favor of the Library, leaving many to believe that Willard Library’s numerous subsequent paranormal incidents were the result of Louise seeking revenge.
Louise Carpenter
The first unexplained phenomenon occurred in 1937, a few decades after Louise Carpenter’s death. A night janitor entered the Willard Library basement around 3 a.m. to stoke the coal furnace. There suddenly appeared before him an “all grey lady,” as he related, grey shoes, grey veil, Victorian dress, and everything. Scared the living hell out of him, especially after she “dissolved” into the shadows of the basement. He gave his notice posthaste.
Since then, there have been many sightings of the Grey Lady by employees, visitors, even a policeman, in the basement hallway, an upstairs window, and—would you believe—in an elevator! (That especially creeps me out!) Additionally, books fall off shelves with no one nearby. (Shades of Ghostbusters!) The scent of an old-fashioned perfume, like lavender or lilac, suddenly overwhelms people. And some folks report their hair or earrings touched.
All of this paranormal activity has inspired the Willard Library to post Ghost Cams around the building. Much of what they’ve captured has been debunked, some of it…unexplained.
Is this really the Grey Lady?
The Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana welcomes paranormal investigations, and it offers Ghost Tours. Check out their interesting website for details.