Crown Point Little Known Facts
Most of us have heard of John Dillinger and have probably been fascinated as children by his reputation. Few people know that one of John Dillinger famous escapes was entirely planned and took place while the notorious bandit was imprisoned in Crown Point, Indiana. Indeed, Dillinger had been arrested in January 1934 in Tucson, Arizona. He had robbed a bank in Chicago and shot a police officer on the same occasion as well. As a consequence, he was transferred to Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana, where he manufactured a fake gun as means for his escape. He either made it from wood or soap. In any case nobody is completely sure. What is sure is that he painted it in black using black shoe polish and he threatened his way out of the cell. Then he took one of the guards’ weapons and escaped. Later that same year, Dillinger was shot and compromised to a permanent end by FBI agents while in Chicago.Also, not many people know that in 1923, Rudolph Valentino got married in Lake Point. The city was already known as the “marriage mill” because marriage licenses were issued right away, without the couple having to wait for a certain period of time, as it was in other places. He was 28 years old, while his bride, Winifred DeWolfe was aged 26. Although Valentino and his friends tried to keep the event a secret, rumor soon spread across town about the arrival of the famous movie star. A good crowd gathered outside the place and as the groom and bride exited the building they were applauded and given ovations. As the news of the wedding was published by most newspapers in America and across the world, Crown Point had on this occasion as well, its 15 minutes of fame and became very visible on the map.