Spring Break
Vishnu Springs: Is the old place haunted?
Katrina Best
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: News
He also sold lots around the hotel, hoping to develop a small resort community. Eventually, the town included several houses, two stores, a livery stable and a post office.
Hallwas said the resort's remote location ultimately doomed its chances of success, and it was virtually abandoned by the 1920s.
As for developer Darius Hicks, local expert Marla Vizdal explained how he led an interesting life.
He was married three times, each time being a little more unusual than the first. He divorced his first wife, the second died in childbirth and the third was his stepdaughter from the previous marriage, who was quite a bit younger than him.
A woman by the name of Nellie Darrah became the caretaker for the children, and she too became romantically involved with Hicks. When she became pregnant, however, she tried to convince Hicks to marry her. When Hicks refused, she subsequently had an abortion, which did not go well and caused her to become hospitalized. When Hicks learned this, he committed suicide.
In 1935, Ira Post bought the land. Post hoped to open Vishnu back up to the public. However, Post died in 1951, and the property was closed completely in 1954.
In April 1968, two gentlemen came to Vishnu with a dream. They hoped to open a restaurant and offered overnight stays for 50 cents. Even though the men had good intent, the town went under and Vishnu Springs was closed again.
Betty Post, a member of the Post family, decided to open Vishnu in the early 1970s to Western students. During this time, the students held different music festivals to pay rent, had gardens and raised livestock. This only lasted about 10 years. Some say it ended because Betty Post only rented half of the hotel while the upper part was used for storage. One day when Post went to a flea market, she ended up seeing furniture that was supposed to be stored away in the hotel.
More recently, the Post family donated Vishnu Springs to Western. A non-profit group, Friends of Vishnu, is trying to restore the old Vishnu Springs and hopes to open it to the public again as a nature preserve.
Is the old place haunted? Who knows, but in the late afternoon, when the shadows lengthen and the wind picks up, you hear what might be the sound of leaves rustling - or it might just be something else.
-Prairieghosts.com contributed to this article.
Hallwas said the resort's remote location ultimately doomed its chances of success, and it was virtually abandoned by the 1920s.
As for developer Darius Hicks, local expert Marla Vizdal explained how he led an interesting life.
He was married three times, each time being a little more unusual than the first. He divorced his first wife, the second died in childbirth and the third was his stepdaughter from the previous marriage, who was quite a bit younger than him.
A woman by the name of Nellie Darrah became the caretaker for the children, and she too became romantically involved with Hicks. When she became pregnant, however, she tried to convince Hicks to marry her. When Hicks refused, she subsequently had an abortion, which did not go well and caused her to become hospitalized. When Hicks learned this, he committed suicide.
In 1935, Ira Post bought the land. Post hoped to open Vishnu back up to the public. However, Post died in 1951, and the property was closed completely in 1954.
In April 1968, two gentlemen came to Vishnu with a dream. They hoped to open a restaurant and offered overnight stays for 50 cents. Even though the men had good intent, the town went under and Vishnu Springs was closed again.
Betty Post, a member of the Post family, decided to open Vishnu in the early 1970s to Western students. During this time, the students held different music festivals to pay rent, had gardens and raised livestock. This only lasted about 10 years. Some say it ended because Betty Post only rented half of the hotel while the upper part was used for storage. One day when Post went to a flea market, she ended up seeing furniture that was supposed to be stored away in the hotel.
More recently, the Post family donated Vishnu Springs to Western. A non-profit group, Friends of Vishnu, is trying to restore the old Vishnu Springs and hopes to open it to the public again as a nature preserve.
Is the old place haunted? Who knows, but in the late afternoon, when the shadows lengthen and the wind picks up, you hear what might be the sound of leaves rustling - or it might just be something else.
-Prairieghosts.com contributed to this article.
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