In 1894, H.H. Holmes rented a small cottage in the Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis. He was on the run from Chicago and Philadelphia police for committing several grisly murders, but he didn’t stop killing. After leaving Irvington, the charred remains of a 10-year-old boy were found in his chimney. He was caught in Boston in November 1894.
Holmes confessed in 1895 to 30 murders spanning Chicago, Toronto and Indianapolis.
The 19th-century serial killer was the inspiration for Hotel Holmes, a collaboration between the Indianapolis-based Bindy Agency and University of Indianapolis students.
“We originally decided to do this haunted house about H.H. Holmes because we wanted to partner with the Irvington Halloween Festival,” said Sarah Hendrix, Bindy Agency operations manager.
The collaboration has been in the works since the university’s fall semester began. It was one of several projects presented to experience design students for their consideration.
“Experience design uses all five of the senses,” explained sophomore Chelsea Marshall. “You’re transporting people with their senses into a different place and time.”
That’s what made the class perfect collaborators.
The Bindy Agency envisioned a haunted house that was “more American Horror Story, and not your typical ‘jump-out-and-scare-you.'”
“We’re going to try and assemble the room like he had in his actual house,” junior Meghan Fogas said.
Jillian Conrad, a senior, wasn’t excited by the idea. “At first, when I heard about it, I was like, ‘Ugh, another haunted house, really?'”
But, once the historical tie-in was clear, she became more interested.
“This was something more challenging than your average haunted house,” she said.
The university, festival, local theater groups, sponsors and others all played a role in Hotel Holmes. Playground Production Studio allowed the crew to use their space, and Black Acre Brewing Co. will host an after-party. Hendrix said the agency is proud to work with so many community partners.
That enthusiasm for partnership has rubbed off on the students.
“The fact that we can all come together and work on one project is something special, so I’d love to do something like this again,” Conrad said.
After it’s done, $1 from every ticket sold will go toward helping victims of the tornadoes that hit central Indiana last August.
For ages 15 and older, Hotel Holmes will operate Oct. 27-31 at 5529 Bonna Ave., Suite 10.
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2016. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.