The 1959 fire (urban legend) Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
The Daily Eastern News calls the story that a candle set a girl's dress ablaze and burned the building in 1959 an urban legend, along with claims that about 200 patients died there. Source: Daily Eastern News, 2014.
Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Real history
The building was built in 1916 as the second almshouse of the Coles County Poor Farm, which ran until 1959. Ashmore Estates, Inc. then used it as a private care facility until it closed in 1986. It stood vacant until it opened as a commercial haunted house in 2006 (Wikipedia; Ashmore Estates).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
Then and now
Public access
Partly open The owners' site lists tours, investigations and a calendar (Ashmore Estates). Last checked: Nov 1, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Ashmore and Illinois
- More haunted & abandoned asylums
- Nearby: Rotary Jail Museum (Crawfordsville, IN), Stepp Cemetery (Martinsville, IN), Hindostan (Shoals, IN), Whispers Estate (Mitchell, IN)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
Not yet accepting submissions. Reader stories are coming later; this form is switched off and sends nothing. All stories are moderated before they appear. Posts describing trespassing, break-ins or how to get into closed areas are removed.
No reader experiences yet. Be the first to share yours.