The Culbertson Mansion was built in 1867 by William S. Culbertson, a businessman and philanthropist who was the wealthiest man in Indiana at the time. Much thought and effort went into its construction and decoration, and you can see spectacular details such as hand-painted ceilings that reflect the tastes and ideals of the late 1800s. When the State of Indiana took ownership of the Mansion, the interior had changed from the passage of time and updates from previous owners.

The Friends of the Culbertson Mansion began the tradition of hosting a haunted house in 1985 and have since raised over $2 million towards the interior restoration. The event was originally named “Literally, a Haunted House” in reference to stories of strange activity in the Carriage House where it takes place.

Over the years, the Mansion staff and volunteers have reported unusual occurrences in the Carriage House: electrical problems, missing items, strange sounds after hours, and mysterious figures moving from room to room. It's not unusual for the motion-activated security alarm system to get set off by something moving around late at night. A few staff members and past volunteers have even refused to work in the building because of personal experiences with the unexplained.