This building has aroused much popularity in the area. Many people make the 30 minute or so trip from Evansville to check out this building which many people say is haunted.

The deteriorated building some 15 years ago. Courtesy of the Willard Library Archives

There are three different accounts to what happened hear to cause it to be haunted. The most popular story is that in the 1930's a crazy man ran into the building while class was in session and shot several of the students. People say they can still hear the gunshots and screams of the children.

A different story often told is that one day the teacher went crazy and locked all the doors and set the place of fire killing many of the students.

The third, and most believable story, is that a woman was raped and murdered in the basement and that you can feel a significant decrease in temperature if you get close to it.

I'm going to take the opportunity to set everyone straight on this. First off, basements are always colder especially in older brick buildings. Secondly, there are no fire burns anywhere in or on the building to substantiate claims there was ever a burning. Lastly and most importantly, it never was a school.

The truth about this gorgeous old building is quite simple, and definitely not scary. Though years of neglect, busted windows, and overgrown foliage might make it look creepy, this building is about as haunted as The Grudge was scary. It actually was the administrative building for Dam 48 which was built around 1915. Actually, at one point it was named Boehne Dam. Here are some pictures of the construction of this dam.

The workers are lined up and ready to build. Courtesy of the Willard Library Archives	This blurry picture shows some of the major construction required to complete it. Courtesy of the Willard Library Archives

As you can see, there is nothing really creepy about this. The damn was used for a while and then later replaced by a dam in Newburgh, which was then replaced by the current damn around 1966 or so.

Putting the final touches on it. Courtesy of the Willard Library Archives	The first boat to go through. Courtesy of the Willard Library Archives	This is what it looked like when it was finished. Courtesy of the Willard Library Archives

In 1975, plans were made to use what was left of the dam and the surrounding land as a park. They wanted to use the dam as a fishing pierre as the locks and dam were still there just not in use. There were a few houses that were used for the dam that they planned on renting out to help subsidize the cost of all this. This never happened and the dam was eventually blown leaving only this building. I'm not sure how long this building was neglected, but now it is being turned into a house.

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