The Ghost City of Hindostan Falls: Indiana’s Misplaced Jewel

Think about a bustling frontier city, poised to develop into certainly one of Indiana’s most outstanding settlements, immediately vanishing into the mists of historical past. That is the story of Hindostan Falls, a once-thriving neighborhood that met a tragic destiny. Although a lot of the city has pale into historical past, the attract of Hindostan Falls stays, with whispers of buried gold charming treasure hunters and historical past buffs alike.

 

 

Historical past of Hindostan Falls

In 1808, Frederick Schultz traveled from Vincennes to buy land and begin a city. Situated on the falls of the East Fork of the White River, Hindostan Falls rapidly turned a beacon of promise within the newly-formed state of Indiana. The city’s strategic location alongside the stagecoach route between New Albany and Vincennes fueled its fast development. Named by Captain Caleb Fellows, an English immigrant with a colourful previous within the British East India Firm, Hindostan Falls quickly boasted a inhabitants of 1,200 by 1820. This made it one of many largest settlements on the Indiana frontier, with many residents even residing alongside the White River.

 

Nonetheless, Hindostan Falls’ prime location alongside main journey routes turned its undoing. The fixed inflow of vacationers and new settlers uncovered the city to a melting pot of ailments. Within the early 1820s, a devastating outbreak – doubtless cholera mixed with different diseases like yellow fever – swept by the neighborhood. Inside a span of simply 4 years, the vast majority of Hindostan Falls’ inhabitants had both perished or fled. Court docket information paint a grim image, noting that over 138 individuals died in a mere three-month interval.

 

 

The Lore of Buried Treasure

As with many ghost cities, Hindostan Falls has its share of treasure and legends. One story speaks of the city treasurer who died earlier than revealing the place he had hidden the city’s funds, together with cash earmarked for a courthouse and library. Legend has it that the treasurer hid the cash in a nicely, however nobody has been capable of pinpoint its location.

One other story, handed down by Native American lore, tells of a cave of gold beneath the falls. A 3rd legend entails Spanish explorers who supposedly stashed gold in a close-by cave, by no means to return. 

 

Whereas these tales may appear far-fetched, they’ve impressed many to go looking the world, together with one decided particular person who introduced in heavy tools to excavate a promising web site.

 

 

What’s Left of Hindostan Falls

At present, Hindostan Falls is a serene pure space owned by the state of Indiana. The 134-acre web site, bought within the late Nineteen Fifties, has been reworked right into a fishing and wildlife space. Guests can benefit from the breathtaking Hindostan Falls, which holds the excellence of being the widest waterfall in Indiana with the best water quantity. The realm options boat ramps above and under the falls, permitting for river exploration.

 

Proof of the city’s previous can nonetheless be seen within the type of 128 holes, every 18 by 18 inches, carved into the expansive flat rock the place mills as soon as stood. The falls space affords a peaceable retreat, free from the distractions of recent expertise – there is not any cell service or web, offering a real escape into nature.

 

 

Learn how to Study Extra

Whereas Hindostan Falls could have pale from its once-promising future, its legacy lives on. At present, it stands as a testomony to the challenges confronted by early Indiana settlers and serves as a hidden gem of pure magnificence. Whether or not you are drawn by the historic significance, the attract of hidden treasure, or just the picturesque surroundings, Hindostan Falls affords a singular glimpse into Indiana’s previous and an ideal alternative to disconnect from the trendy world.

 

For these intrigued by Hindostan Falls’ story, there’s a number of locations the place you’ll be able to study extra.