Discover the Dark and Haunting History of the Witches’ Castle: Indiana’s Infamous Abandoned Homestead with a Sinister Past

Located in Clark County, Indiana there is a small town known as Utica and it's here that you will find an old homestead with a haunting history. With a population of just over 6,000 people, the town is home to a piece of property shrouded in crime, mystery, and urban legend.

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Abandoned and Forgotten

I first learned of the Witches' Castle while I was scrolling through social media. A Facebook user named Wayne Hill had shared photos in a group that we both belong to called Abandoned and Forgotten Indiana. It was in the group that I saw the post from Wayne sharing photos of the Witches' Castle. When I reached out to Wayne to ask permission to use his photos he replied, telling me he loves taking photographs and he was very excited to share his photos.

The Witches' Castle

Known to most as The Witch's Castle and sometimes as the Witches' Castle depending on the source, the remaining stone structures on the property sit among the trees on a hilltop in Utica, Indiana overlooking the Ohio River, not far from Louisville, Kentucky which is home to the Witches Tree.

Legend Says a Coven of Witches Once Lived There

There is a lot of mystery surrounding the property with some legends saying the property was home to a coven of witches that were eventually driven out and killed but according to reports, there is no information available to substantiate the tale.

Formerly Known as Mistletoe Falls

The house now known as the Witches' Castle was once known as Mistletoe Falls and was originally built in the 1940s. It was an expansive stone home that included a stone chapel on the back of the property. At some point, the property changed hands. It was during the ownership of Joseph Biagi that the home was destroyed by a fire set by his stepson.

The Witches' Castle Has a Reputation for Murder

The site also has a reputation for murder, although that story is only somewhat true - In 1992 a young girl was brutally murdered by a group of teenagers. The rumors are that she was murdered at the site of the Witches' Castle. However, the truth is that 12-year-old Shanda Sharer was taken to the property by those responsible for her death but she was not killed on the property in Utica. Sharer's death took place in Madison, Indiana.

At the time of Sharer's death, the property was owned by Darlene Roach. She had owned the property for a little less than ten years when she eventually sold it in 1993. Because of its involvement in the murder case, the property was a hotspot for trespassing and vandalism.

Ghosts and Paranormal Activity

There is a lot of paranormal lore associated with the Witches' Castle too with the property the subject of many paranormal and psychic investigations. According to LouisvilleHalloween.com, a ghostly apparition of a young girl has been seen by many who have visited the rubbled remains of Mistletoe Falls.

Regardless of whether or not the property is truly haunted, it is said that the locals in the area do everything they can to keep people from trespassing on the property. Incidentally, the property was listed for sale in October of 2022 for $285,000.

[Source: Yahoo; LouisvilleHalloween]