Wicked Columbus, Indiana

A fascinating historical tour of this Midwestern city's crimes, scandals, and shady characters.

Dubbed the "Athens of the Prairie" for its array of stunning modern architecture, Columbus, Indiana, nevertheless endured its share of unsavory citizens, crime-ridden neighborhoods, and tales of woe in its past. Many residents avoided the infamous slums of Smoky Row and Death Valley, while others gave in to the allure of Lillian "Todie" Tull's famed house of ill repute on North Jackson Street. Two different father-and-son hoodlum partnerships, the McKinneys and the Bells, terrorized the area in the 1800s. And a brutal fistfight between a newspaper editor and the mayor sparked a scandal in 1877.

In this book, enlivened by photos and illustrations, journalist Paul J. Hoffman guides you on a wild ride through the city's salacious side.