Chicagoland’s Most Haunted Places

 Though Chicago is widely known as happy, welcoming city, it has also seen its share of macabre events, from the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre to The Eastland Disaster to the Great Fire. Many believe those events and others still haunt the city…possibly in more ways than one. In fact, Chicago just might be the perfect place to explore if you’re in the mood for a spooky Halloween adventure. From ghostly theaters to haunted cemeteries, the Chicagoland area offers a veritable menu of locales rumored to harbor spirits from bygone eras. Whether you’re a big-time ghost hunter or just looking for some frightful fun, here are a few must-visit haunted spots sure to send chills down your spine.

1. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery – 5900 W. Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, Ill.

 Located in the southwest suburbs, Bachelor’s Grove, which was first used as a burial site in the 1800s, is often cited as one of the most haunted cemeteries in America. The small, abandoned graveyard has been the focus of paranormal myths and legends for 70 years, with tales abounding of phantom cars, ghostly apparitions and eerie orbs of light. Visitors have reported seeing a “White Lady” walking the grounds searching for her lost child. Unfortunately, many of the grave markers have been vandalized by partying ghost-hunters, and few of the original headstones remain.

2. Congress Plaza Hotel – 520 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

 This historic hotel across from Grant Park has been home to numerous ghost sightings over the years. Originally built in 1893 to accommodate visitors to the World’s Columbian Exposition, the Congress Plaza Hotel is rumored to have hosted notorious figures like Al Capone, who is said to still roam the halls, and serial killer H.H. Holmes (subject of the book The Devil in the White City), who reportedly trolled the lobby for victims. Tales are that guests and staff in the famed hotel have encountered strange occurrences including unexplained footsteps, doors opening on their own and the wandering specter of a little boy on the 12th floor.

3. Resurrection Cemetery and Resurrection Mary – 7201 S. Archer Ave., Justice, Ill.

 No list of haunted places in Chicagoland would be complete without mentioning Resurrection Mary. The legend of this famous hitchhiking ghost dates back to the 1930s, when a young woman named Mary was reportedly on her way back from a dance and was killed in a car accident on Archer Avenue. The story goes that she was buried in nearby Resurrection Cemetery in Justice. Since then, drivers have reported picking up a beautiful blond woman somewhere on Archer between a Willow Springs ballroom and the cemetery, only for her to vanish before reaching their destination. Chet’s Melody Lounge, which is near the cemetery, reportedly serves a Bloody Mary at the bar at the end of every night in case she ever wants to stop off for a drink.

4. Excalibur Nightclub – 632 N. Dearborn St., Chicago

 The former Excalibur Nightclub, now known as TAO Chicago, is housed in a Gothic building with a reputation for being haunted. Originally built as a historical society headquarters in 1892, it was said to have brought with it the ghosts of those who died in the original headquarters, which was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The nightclub’s otherworldly atmosphere is heightened by reports of a shadowy woman who pushes patrons down the stairs, unexplained cold spots and the sounds of crying coming from empty bathrooms.

5. Hull House – 800 S. Halsted St., Chicago

 Once a settlement house founded by famous activist Jane Addams, Hull House is now a museum. But the building also has a darker, more mysterious side. In the late 1800s, rumors spread that the house was haunted, with Addams herself reportedly seeing a woman standing over her bed at night. Legends also spawned that a horned and tailed “Devil Baby,” which was said to have been dropped off at the house, was locked in the attic. Many visitors and staff have claimed to have had eerie encounters in the house, felt that they were being watched and heard phantom footsteps.

6. Graceland Cemetery – 4001 N. Clark St., Chicago

 A final resting place for many of Chicago’s famous citizens, including architect Daniel Burnham and retailer Marshall Field, Uptown’s Graceland Cemetery is known for its gothic architecture and paranormal stories. In addition to the final resting places of wealthy and prominent Chicagoans, the cemetery is also home to the tomb of Inez Clarke, a little girl who died in 1880 at the age of 6. Her statue, enclosed in a glass case, is said to vanish during thunderstorms, only to reappear when the storm has passed. Some visitors have reported hearing a child’s laughter near her grave and seeing a spectral child in 19^th century attire.

7. The Drake Hotel – 140 E. Walton Place, Chicago

Opened in 1920, The Drake Hotel is not only known for the elegant and famous guests who’ve stayed there but also for its hauntings. The most famous ghost is the “Woman in Red,” said to be the spirit of a woman who took her own life by jumping from the 10^th floor after discovering her fiancé with another woman at the opening night New Year’s Eve party. People have reported seeing her, clad in a blood-red dress, wandering the 10^th floor and the Magnificent Mile hotel’s ballrooms.

Add some fear to your festivities this Halloween by exploring some of the most haunted sites in the Chicagoland region. Whether you’re in the mood for a ghostly hotel stay or a spooky cemetery stroll, the area’s legendary history offers enough paranormal tales to create the perfect fall fright.