The Ghosts of the Slippery Noodle Inn

• The Slippery Noodle Inn is Indiana's oldest bar in its original building, continuously serving alcohol since 1850.
• According to local lore, the basement was a stop on the Underground Railroad, where freedom seekers hid in secret rooms beneath the bar.
• The building opened in 1850 as the Tremont House roadhouse; decades later it reportedly housed a bordello, with private "cribs" for prostitutes to entertain clients, that operated until 1953.
• John Dillinger and his gang reportedly used the bar as a hideout during their crime spree in the 1930s.
• Local lore tells of at least two killings on the premises, and both victims are believed to still haunt the bar.
• Bullet slugs said to date from the gangster era are still lodged in the basement walls; legend credits them to the Dillinger gang's target practice.

The Slippery Noodle Inn has been a fixture of downtown Indianapolis since before the Civil War. The building was constructed in 1850 as a roadhouse to serve travelers on the new railroad lines that were transforming Indianapolis into a transportation hub. In those early days, it was simply a place for tired travelers to get a meal, a drink, and a room for the night.

But the roadhouse, according to local lore, quickly became something more. As tensions over slavery increased in the years leading up to the Civil War, the story goes, the building's owner became involved in the Underground Railroad, the network of safe houses that helped escaped slaves make their way north to freedom. Tradition holds that the basement was modified to include hidden rooms and tunnels, making the roadhouse a station on the dangerous journey to liberty.

After the Civil War, the building's purpose shifted again. In the 1860s it became the Concordia House, Indianapolis's first German American club, later known as the Germania House. In later decades it also housed a bordello, one of many such establishments in Indianapolis, which reportedly operated until 1953. The building was modified to include small rooms called "cribs" where prostitutes would entertain clients. Business boomed during this era, and the bordello developed a reputation for satisfying all manner of desires.

Prohibition brought another change. The establishment became a speakeasy, serving illegal alcohol to those willing to risk arrest. Gangsters frequented the bar, including, according to local legend, John Dillinger himself. The bullet holes in the walls are said to date from this violent era.

The building went through several more incarnations before becoming the Slippery Noodle Inn in 1963. Today, it's beloved as a blues club, with live music most nights of the week. But for all its transformations, one thing has remained constant: the ghosts of its colorful past refuse to leave.

The basement of the Slippery Noodle Inn is one of its most haunted areas, and the spirits that dwell there are believed to date from the building's days as an Underground Railroad station.

The basement still contains the hidden rooms where escaped slaves waited in darkness for the signal that it was safe to continue their journey. These cramped spaces were terrifying places - the fugitives knew that discovery meant being returned to slavery, or worse. The emotional intensity of their fear and hope seems to have left a permanent mark on the building.

People who enter the basement report feeling watched, followed, and occasionally touched by invisible hands. Some have heard whispered conversations in languages they cannot identify. Others have seen shadowy figures huddled in corners, as if still hiding from slave catchers.

The most commonly reported phenomenon involves the sound of chains. Despite there being no chains anywhere in the basement, visitors and staff members have heard the distinctive sound of metal links clinking together. Some believe this is a residual haunting - the sounds of escaped slaves who arrived still wearing their chains, waiting for freedom.

Psychic mediums who have visited the basement describe sensing multiple presences - both the spirits of escaped slaves and those who helped them. These spirits seem to be peaceful, having completed their journey to freedom in death if not in life. But their presence remains powerful, a testament to one of the most dramatic chapters in American history.

When the building housed a bordello, dozens of women are said to have worked within its walls. Some were willing prostitutes who saw the profession as their best option in an era of limited opportunities for women. Others were essentially prisoners, trapped by debt, addiction, or the threat of violence. All lived hard lives, and some died hard deaths.

The ghosts of these "soiled doves" are frequently encountered throughout the Slippery Noodle Inn. The most commonly seen is a woman in period dress who appears on the upper floors where the cribs once were. She is described as young and pretty, with sad eyes and a resigned expression. She moves through walls and closed doors, sometimes glancing at witnesses before fading away.

Staff members have given this ghost several names over the years. Some call her "Lillie," claiming she was a prostitute who died of disease in one of the upstairs rooms. Others call her "Sarah," after a woman supposedly murdered by a jealous client. The historical records are unclear, but the ghost herself appears regularly regardless of what name is used.

Other phenomena associated with the brothel era include the smell of heavy perfume in areas where no one is wearing any, the sound of women's laughter echoing from empty rooms, and the occasional feeling of someone sitting on beds that have been empty for over a century. Male visitors have reported feeling as if someone is trying to get their attention, brushing against them or whispering in their ears.

The women of the bordello era lived largely forgotten lives, their names unrecorded and their fates unknown. In death, they seem determined to be noticed.

The Prohibition era brought a new kind of violence to the Slippery Noodle Inn. Gangsters used the bar as a meeting place, a safe house, and occasionally as a site for settling scores. Bullet slugs still lodged in the basement walls are said to date from this era; local lore credits them to the Dillinger gang's target practice.

Local legend has long held that John Dillinger himself frequented the bar during his notorious crime spree in 1933 and 1934. While Dillinger's presence cannot be confirmed, it's well documented that Indianapolis was a hub for criminal activity during this period, and the Slippery Noodle's reputation as a place where questions weren't asked would have made it attractive to men in Dillinger's line of work.

The ghosts from this era are among the most frightening at the Slippery Noodle. A man in 1930s attire has been seen near the bullet-scarred walls, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. He appears to be in a state of shock or confusion, and witnesses have reported that his chest seems to be covered in blood. Some believe this is the ghost of someone killed in one of the shootings.

More disturbing are the reports of ghostly violence. On rare occasions, visitors have reported feeling as if they've been punched or shoved by invisible assailants. Others have heard angry shouting and the sound of breaking glass, only to find everything quiet and undisturbed. These incidents seem to be residual hauntings - echoes of violent events that replay in the building.

The gangster ghosts are not as frequently encountered as those from other eras, but when they do appear, they leave a strong impression. The violence of their lives and deaths has marked the building indelibly.

Local lore holds that at least two murders occurred at the Slippery Noodle Inn over its long history, and both victims are believed to haunt the establishment.

The most frequently seen is the ghost of a woman believed to have been killed in an upstairs room during the brothel era. She appears as a young woman with dark hair, wearing a nightgown that appears to be stained with blood. Her throat shows signs of injury, suggesting she may have been strangled or had her throat cut. She is seen most often late at night, wandering the upper floors as if searching for something - or someone.

This ghost has been known to startle staff members who encounter her unexpectedly. She appears solid enough to be mistaken for a living person until she walks through a wall or vanishes before the observer's eyes. Some witnesses have reported hearing her crying or calling out a name, though the words are never quite clear.

The second murder victim is believed to be a man killed during a dispute in the bar's early days. His ghost is less frequently seen but has been encountered in the basement and on the main floor. He appears as a rough-looking man in working clothes, and witnesses report feeling intense anger emanating from his presence. Some believe he may be searching for his killer, seeking revenge that was denied to him in life.

These murder victims represent the darker side of the Slippery Noodle's history - the violence that occurred behind closed doors and was quickly hushed up. Their restless spirits serve as reminders that not all of the building's stories are fit for polite company.

Not all of the Slippery Noodle's ghosts are victims or villains. One of the most beloved is the spirit of a former bartender who seems to have decided that death was no reason to stop coming to work.

This ghost appears as a middle-aged man in casual attire, usually seen behind the bar or in the back areas where staff work. He seems to go about his business as if still employed, moving bottles, adjusting glasses, and occasionally seeming to serve phantom customers. Staff members who have encountered him report that he seems friendly and content, unlike the troubled spirits that haunt other areas of the building.

The identity of this ghostly bartender is unknown. Some speculate he may be a former owner who put his heart and soul into the establishment. Others believe he could be a longtime employee who simply loved his job too much to leave. Whatever his identity, he appears to have found his perfect afterlife - an eternity of pouring drinks at his favorite bar.

Current staff members have reported subtle assistance from this ghost. Glasses that were definitely not set up have been found arranged and ready for use. Items that were misplaced have turned up exactly where they were needed. Some bartenders claim to feel a presence behind them during busy nights, as if someone is helping them keep up with the rush.

The ghostly bartender is often invoked when something goes right at the Slippery Noodle. Found a bottle you were looking for? The ghost helped. Got through a rush without running out of clean glasses? The ghost was working alongside you. He's become something of a mascot for the bar, a friendly spirit who embodies the hospitality that has kept the Slippery Noodle in business for over 170 years.

The paranormal activity at the Slippery Noodle Inn is not confined to specific ghosts or areas. Strange phenomena occur throughout the building, often without any apparent connection to the known spirits.

Glasses move on their own, sliding across the bar or flying off shelves. This happens frequently enough that staff members have learned to keep a safe distance from glassware during quiet moments. Some theorize that the spirits are trying to get attention; others believe the energy accumulated over 170 years of drinking simply makes things move.

The jukebox has been known to play songs when unplugged, and the music selection is often eerily appropriate - old blues songs, torch songs, and melancholy ballads that speak of lost love and hard times. Staff members have tried to explain this as electrical malfunction, but the phenomenon continues regardless of repairs or replacement.

Cold spots move through the bar independently, sometimes seeming to follow specific patrons. Visitors and investigators describe these areas of intense cold as 20 to 30 degrees colder than the surrounding air, with no draft or ventilation to explain the difference.

Photographs taken in the bar frequently show orbs, mists, and unexplained shapes. Some patrons have captured what appear to be faces in their photos - faces that weren't visible when the picture was taken. The bar has become a popular destination for paranormal enthusiasts, and the photographic evidence collected over the years is substantial.

Perhaps most unsettling are the reports from the restrooms. Both the men's and women's facilities have been the site of encounters with apparitions, disembodied voices, and the sensation of being watched. Several patrons have fled the restrooms in terror, refusing to return even to retrieve belongings.

The Slippery Noodle Inn has been a blues club since 1985, when Hal Yeagy Jr. turned it into a blues venue, and features live music most nights of the week. This music seems to have a special relationship with the building's ghosts.

Musicians who have performed at the Slippery Noodle report feeling an unusual energy during their sets, as if they're playing to a larger audience than they can see. Some have described the sensation as electric, a buzz that intensifies during particularly soulful performances. Others have seen movement in the corners of their eyes - shadowy figures who seem to be dancing or swaying to the music.

The ghosts appear to have preferences in music. Slow, mournful blues songs seem to increase paranormal activity, with more sightings and phenomena reported during such performances. Upbeat numbers, in contrast, seem to quiet the spirits, as if the energy is too jarring for their taste.

Several musicians have reported direct encounters with the ghosts during performances. One guitarist described feeling hands on his shoulders during a particularly emotional solo, as if someone was standing behind him and moving with the music. A singer reported seeing a woman in old-fashioned dress watching from the balcony, applauding silently at the end of each song.

The connection between blues music and the supernatural is well-documented in American folklore. The blues was born from suffering and sorrow, emotions that seem to resonate with restless spirits. At the Slippery Noodle Inn, where so much suffering occurred over so many years, the blues provides a soundtrack for the ghosts to express their eternal pain.

The Slippery Noodle Inn has been investigated by numerous paranormal research groups, and investigators describe the evidence they have collected as extensive and compelling.

EVP recordings from the bar have captured numerous voices. Clear examples include a woman saying "help me," a man's voice asking "who's there?," and what appears to be multiple people having a conversation in the basement - despite no living people being present. Some recordings have captured what sounds like gunshots, possibly residual sounds from the gangster era.

Investigators say thermal imaging has revealed temperature anomalies throughout the building, reporting cold spots 15 to 30 degrees colder than the surrounding air, often in areas associated with specific hauntings. These cold spots sometimes move, as if following investigators through the building.

Investigators report that EMF readings at the Slippery Noodle are often abnormal, with spikes occurring frequently in the basement, upper floors, and areas near the bullet holes. These readings often correspond with reports of paranormal experiences.

Photographic and video evidence is extensive. Multiple investigations have captured apparent apparitions on camera, including figures that match descriptions of the known ghosts. One particularly famous video appears to show a woman in Victorian dress walking through a wall in the upper floors.

Perhaps most compelling are the experiences of the investigators themselves. Hardened paranormal researchers have reported feeling overwhelming emotions in certain areas of the building - fear in the basement, sadness in the upper floors, anger near the bullet holes. These emotional responses, consistent across different investigators visiting years apart, suggest the building itself has absorbed the experiences of those who lived and died within its walls.

The Slippery Noodle Inn is located at 372 South Meridian Street in downtown Indianapolis. The bar features live music, mostly blues, on most nights; it was sold in 2023 by the Yeagy family to new owners who kept it running, so check current hours and age rules before you go.

The establishment operates as a regular bar and music venue, not a tourist attraction. While staff members are generally happy to discuss the building's haunted history with curious patrons, the primary purpose of the Slippery Noodle is serving drinks and presenting music. Please be respectful of this fact when visiting.

The basement, where some of the most intense paranormal activity occurs, is not generally accessible to the public. Special ghost tours and investigation events are occasionally offered, providing access to areas not normally open. Check local listings for current offerings.

Photography is permitted in most areas of the bar, and many visitors have captured unexplained images. Video recording during performances may be restricted depending on the performer's preferences.

The Slippery Noodle is a must-visit for anyone interested in Indianapolis history, blues music, or paranormal activity. With over 170 years of continuous operation and a cast of ghosts spanning every era of its existence, it offers an experience unlike any other bar in Indiana - or perhaps the country.

Just remember: when you raise a glass at the Slippery Noodle Inn, you may not be drinking alone. The spirits of the past are always ready to join you.