Allison Mansion

Allison Mansion is, at least in my opinion, deceptively ordinary on the outside. Oh sure, it's a mansion and you can tell it's a mansion. However, looking on the outside can't begin to prepare you for the wonder of what's on the inside of this former residence that now serves as the Office of the President for Indy's Marian University. The mansion was first built by James Allison, co-founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500. The ceiling's Tiffany stained glass windows allow the sun to shine brightly inside. The mansion's most impressive room was, in fact, originally designed as a marble aviary by Allison to contain his wife's exotic bird collection. The 2-story, red-brick arts and craft style home continues to have an expensive chandelier imported from Germany, a sunken conservatory, and a 2-story pipe organ. Seriously. The property itself is remarkable. Atop a cliff that overlooks a wetland, the property includes greenhouses, ponds, and orchards. Seriously, I would become Marian University's president just to spend time in the office. Allison passed away in 1928 and the property remained unsettled until it was acquired by the Sisters of St. Francis - the founders of Marian University. At one point, public tours were offered but this is no longer the case. You can, however, rent it for events (which is how I've been inside, though it's definitely not wheelchair friendly in any real sense).

Circle City Tours took a roll through private Catholic Marian University and my eyes feasted upon the beautiful Craftsman Allison Mansion. One reviewer stated "The Allison Mansion remains perfectly restored and beautiful to an almost eerie degree." Eerie alright--there is a disquiet about the Mansion: it is said to be haunted!Builder James Allison was a wealthy man and founder of the Indianapolis Speedway and Allison Engineering Company. The mansion was built between 1911 and 1914 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Allison died young from pneumonia at age 56. The mansion was later sold to what is now Marian University,. However, many locals and visitors feel that Allison never really left the building! Most stories claim Allison still haunts the mansion, rearranging books in the library and furniture as he sees fit.But there are other ghostly goings-on here: the spirit of a little girl who drowned in the basement pool still lingers around the mansion. "Visitors claim to have seen the ghost of a little girl and even heard shrill screams and heartbreaking cries from the basement. Voices in the attic have also been reported," said www.onlyinyourstate.com.I can understand the ghost of Allison hanging around: this place is plush! No expense was spared while building the two-story, red-brick, arts-and-crafts-style Mansion. The exquisite marble aviary was built for Allison's first wife's exotic bird collection, Also impressive: the expensive chandelier imported from Germany, a sunken conservatory, and a magnificent music room with a two-story pipe organ.Outdoors, enjoy lush gardens, manicured lawns, greenhouses, ponds, and orchards that overlook a wetland now restored and maintained by Marian University. Upon Allison's death, there was some concern about the historic property's fate. Bless the Catholics: Allison Mansion was eventually acquired by the Sisters of Saint Francis, who also founded Marian University. Allison Mansion is still part of the university. It is open for public tours and can also be rented for private events. The Mansion is a feature on annual Halloween Ghost Tours. 5 YELP STARS for spooky spectacular!