House of 1,000 Monsters

As we lean into fall and embrace the spookier side of the season, we thought we’d come back for a second round of spirited conversation — this time about the mythical creatures and local monsters that linger in our collective memory.

What’s your experience with unexplained species? Which cryptids were said to creep among the shadows in your hometown? 

To chat about all this and more, join us at Indiana Humanities for a monstrously good time on Monday, Oct. 26. As part of the festivities, Dr. Robert Dobler, senior lecturer in the folklore and ethnomusicology department at Indiana University Bloomington, will share a short presentation about the monsters that are rumored to tread on Indiana soil.

This event is lovingly named for the bestselling novel, House of a Thousand Candles, written by Meredith Nicholson, who haunted — err, lived — at our current home at 1500 N Delaware St.

The evening will include light refreshments and an intimate house tour with Nicholson himself, who promises to make a ghostly return for the special occasion.

Robert Dobler is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology at Indiana University, where he teaches courses on urban legends, monsters, internet culture, and commemoration. His work explores the relationship between storytelling and belief, focusing on how people use stories and traditions to make sense of their experiences and the world around them.