Al Capone hangout highlights haunted places in Kosciusko County

WARSAW, Ind. (WANE) — While Fort Wayne has many haunted places such as the Bell Mansion and Devil’s Hollow, other areas in northeast Indiana also feature buildings considered by some to be paranormal.

In and around Warsaw, several spooky spots that range from a former county jail to even a mile-long stretch of State Road 25 have been highlighted by the Kosciusko County Visitor’s Bureau and the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

One of those sites also happens to have ties to arguably the most notorious mobster in American history.

Barbee Hotel & Restaurant

Nestled along the Barbee lake chain in northeast Kosciusko County, the Barbee Hotel & Restaurant has been open since 1897 and was initially known as Hotel Ormond, according to the Kosciusko County Visitor’s Bureau.

Greg Steffe, co-director and soon-to-be president of the Kosciusko County Historical Society, said Chicago mobster Al Capone and his gang made many visits to the establishment during the 1920s.

“It’s very well-noted that Capone spent a lot of time there back in the 1920s,” Steffe said. “When things would get a little too hot in Chicago, he’d come down here and he and his associates would take over the third floor of the hotel and basically just kick everybody else out.”

Steffe said he and others have reported smelling smoke from a cigar — something Steffe said Capone was very fond of — coming from the third floor.

Old Kosciusko County Jail

According to the Kosciusko County Historical Society — which uses the former county jail as its headquarters — the jail was built in 1870 and served as the county jail for 112 years. Like many jails from the time, the sheriff and his family lived in the building.

During the jail’s lifetime, many violent deaths took place from inmate suicides to a killing on the property just outside the building, Steffe said.

Today, the jail houses a trove of historical artifacts pertaining to Kosciusko County’s history, including military pieces, vintage school uniforms and sports photos, and items from John Dillinger, who robbed a police station in Warsaw during his crime spree. More information about visiting hours and what is available can be found on the organization’s website.

The jail was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Devil’s Backbone

A winding stretch of State Road 25 southwest of Warsaw has earned the nickname “Devil’s Backbone” due to its reputation for crashes and its association with local legends, according to the Kosciusko County Visitor’s Bureau.

The piece of road runs from county roads South 400 West to West 200 South, and Steffe said the main tale surrounding the Devil’s Backbone related to a supposed fatal crash many years ago involving a buggy.

“The Devil’s Backbone is kind of a very typical urban legend type story,” Steffe said. “Every small town has got one.”

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