Paranormal Articles

Fractured History of the Haunted Monroe House

The haunted Monroe House in Hartford City, Indiana, investigated during a LiveSciFi ghost hunt
Monroe House, Hartford City, Indiana. Image from the LiveSciFi media archive.

What really happened inside the haunted Monroe House in Hartford City, Indiana? The stories surrounding this old house at 218 North Monroe Street are among the most disturbing I have encountered while researching locations for LiveSciFi. Reports of voices, shadow figures, physical encounters and children seen at upstairs windows have made it a destination for paranormal investigators. But the more closely you examine its past, the more important it becomes to separate the documented tragedies from the ghost stories.

I’m Tim Wood, founder of LiveSciFi.tv. In February 2017, our team brought cameras into the Monroe House for a multi-day live-streamed ghost hunt. Viewers could follow the investigation as it unfolded, not just watch an edited TV episode after the fact. Here is the historical background, what drew us to the property, and a later update about the documentary that revisited the case.

Where Is the Haunted Monroe House?

The Monroe House stands in Hartford City, Blackford County, Indiana, near the corner of North Monroe and Franklin streets. It is commonly called the “Demon House,” a nickname based on the accounts of investigators and local lore—not a verified classification. The building has served as a multi-unit residence, complicating efforts to determine who lived in which part at different times.

The date of the current structure is disputed in paranormal histories: some accounts trace a house on the property to the mid-1800s, while later historical research distinguishes an older structure from the house that existed around 1900. Without a conclusive chain of building and property records, it would be misleading to present one construction year as settled fact.

The Fractured History Behind the Monroe House Haunting

The Berger family and the early 1900s

Historical reporting by researcher Celina Summers reconstructed portions of the lives of the Berger family, Belgian immigrants connected to Hartford City’s industrial economy. John B. Berger and his family were prominent local residents. John died of tuberculosis in 1905. Later years brought a series of real misfortunes to relatives, including a shooting, serious injuries, and deaths in the extended family. The newspaper and genealogical trail is more complicated—and more human—than the simplified versions of the haunting legend.

It is tempting to tie every accident or death to the house. We have to resist that temptation. A tragic event involving someone who lived at an address is not the same as a death inside the building, and it does not automatically prove a haunting.

The Miars family and allegations of domestic violence

Summers also found an important March 1907 newspaper report concerning Ulysses G. Miars and Mary Miars, who had occupied an upstairs apartment associated with the property. Mary sought a divorce and made allegations of cruel treatment and being turned out of the family home. The record establishes that these accusations were publicly reported; it does not establish every detail of a paranormal legend about murdered children or a violent death inside the Monroe House.

This distinction matters because one of the house’s most persistent stories involves suffering children. The history contains serious family conflict, but the popular legend goes much further than the surviving evidence.

The 1940 fatal accident

Research into later residents identified Sydney Faulkner, who died in a vehicle accident in 1940 after his car struck a bridge support. The accident is documented in the historical accounts of the household, but it did not take place inside the Monroe House. It is another example of a real tragedy that can be confused with an alleged death at the property itself.

Which Monroe House Legends Are Verified?

For decades, the property has been associated with stories of a deadly fire, child spirits, unexplained lights, voices, dark figures and occult rituals. The fire story in particular is often repeated as established history. Yet Summers reported that her review of local newspapers did not confirm a fatal fire in the current house after 1900, nor the commonly alleged child deaths there. Charred building material, even where present, does not by itself prove the legend’s cause or date.

In other words, the strongest historical story is not a list of proven supernatural deaths. It is a complicated history of families, tragedy, undocumented rumors and witnesses who interpreted unusual experiences as a haunting. That combination is what made this place worth investigating rather than simply repeating a frightening narrative.

Human Remains and the Monroe House Basement

The Monroe House drew wider attention when Paranormal Lockdown investigated the location in 2016. During filming, bone fragments were reportedly discovered in a basement crawlspace. This event became a major part of the property’s reputation, and subsequent investigators have continued to discuss the discovery. Accounts differ about the age, identity and meaning of the material; I would not claim that it proves a ritual, murder or demonic presence without conclusive forensic documentation.

There have also been reports of objects interpreted as ritual artifacts found around the property. Such items can be documented as discoveries or claims without concluding that any particular supernatural event caused the experiences inside the home.

Our 2017 LiveSciFi Live-Streamed Ghost Hunt

In a February 14, 2017 interview with Blogcritics, our team announced a 100-hour Monroe House investigation beginning February 16. We wanted to investigate reports of shadow figures, physical contact, unexplained noises and unusual voices while providing an open, multi-day live broadcast. The audience could watch the conditions in the house unfold in real time.

Going into the investigation, I was concerned by accounts of violent poltergeist-style activity and alleged malevolent entities. Those were my working beliefs and the claims we were testing—not established scientific conclusions. Working with cameras, audio recorders and other investigative equipment can document an experience, but every clip still deserves close examination for equipment faults, environmental causes and context outside the frame.

Unlike a short compilation of highlights, a live-streamed ghost hunt lets viewers see the waiting, setup, technical problems and long periods when nothing unusual happens. That transparency has always been a central part of LiveSciFi’s work.

Watch the Monroe House Live Ghost Hunt Footage

Watch the archived Monroe House videos on the official LiveSciFi YouTube playlist. The recordings are the best place to see the investigation rather than relying on a description or an isolated clip.

Watch the Monroe House playlist on YouTube →

Tim Wood’s Arm Injury and the 2025 Film Evil Unearthed

One of the most unsettling moments associated with my Monroe House investigation was an incident in which I experienced what felt like a sudden, forceful pull. I have described the encounter as a possible demonic attack and reported that my arm was broken during the incident. The footage shows what was recorded; the question of what caused the force is an interpretation, not a fact a camera can independently establish.

The Monroe House returned to the screen in Evil Unearthed (2025), a documentary horror film directed by Matt Benton. The film brings together investigations and footage involving the location. LiveSciFi archive footage of my experience and the arm-injury incident is included in the film, as reported by Tim Wood. The film’s existence, director and release year are independently documented; details of any individual clip’s origin should be verified against the film’s credits or master footage before a more specific rights claim is made.

Footage and film credit: Original LiveSciFi investigation and archival material: Tim Wood / LiveSciFi.tv. Documentary appearance: Evil Unearthed (2025), directed by Matt Benton; documentary released by Indie Rights. The documentary and LiveSciFi investigation are separate productions. This acknowledgment does not grant permission to republish third-party film clips.

For the official film overview and credited filmmaker information, see the Paranormal Research Unit documentary page and the film listing.

What Does the Monroe House Evidence Actually Prove?

A piece of audio may sound like a voice. A video may show an unexplained movement. An investigator may sincerely feel that an unseen presence touched or pulled them. The recording and the experience are important, but they do not by themselves identify a ghost, demon or other supernatural cause. The strongest paranormal archive preserves original footage, timestamps, surrounding conditions and alternative explanations, so everyone can reach an informed conclusion.

That is why I want the Monroe House story to include both the house’s fractured real-world history and what our cameras documented. The legend is frightening; the historical record is complex; and the surviving live broadcasts let viewers judge the experience themselves.

Explore More of Our Haunted House Investigations

See the original Monroe House investigation videos on LiveSciFi’s YouTube channel →

Sources and Historical Research

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