Diana of the Dunes
Encyclopedia
Diana of the Dunes is a folklore legend about a woman who used to go skinny dipping
at Dunes State Park
in Indiana
. She lived there in an abandoned cottage near the beach. She was nicknamed "Diana" after a Roman goddess
. Her ghost is alleged to haunt the park's shores.
Alice Mabel Gray (1881–1925) was the woman on whom the "Diana of the Dunes
" legend was based. Gray was a graduate of the University of Chicago, who found city life was not conducive to the advancement of an educated woman. In 1915, she moved to the dune country, in order to write and to live a simpler life. The only known photograph of her is held by the Chicago Historical Society.
Skinny dipping
Nude swimming, colloquially called skinny dipping, is a term used to describe swimming naked.-Etymology:The term skinny dip, first recorded in English in the 1950s, includes the somewhat archaic word skinny, known since 1573, meaning "having to do with skin", as it exposed the naked...
at Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana DunesDesignationState Park; National Natural LandmarkLocationPorter County, Indiana, USAAddress1600 N 25 EChesterton, IN 46304Nearest CityPorter, IndianaCoordinatesAreaDate of Establishment1925...
in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. She lived there in an abandoned cottage near the beach. She was nicknamed "Diana" after a Roman goddess
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
. Her ghost is alleged to haunt the park's shores.
Alice Mabel Gray (1881–1925) was the woman on whom the "Diana of the Dunes
Ghost legends of Indiana
Indiana, a US State in the Midwest, is the location of numerous ghost sightings, and there are many locations that are considered to be haunted by locals. Some of the hauntings are celebrated in festivals, and most have some truth behind them.-Angola theatre:...
" legend was based. Gray was a graduate of the University of Chicago, who found city life was not conducive to the advancement of an educated woman. In 1915, she moved to the dune country, in order to write and to live a simpler life. The only known photograph of her is held by the Chicago Historical Society.