Did you ever play Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board during a childhood slumber party? From 1843 to 1859, the area was home to the Chicago City Cemetery. There are also opportunities for boating and fishing. One of the best ways to hear the ghost stories and learn a bit of history is on a spooky tour with the Galena experts. 12853 Royal Road Farmer City, IL 61842. When you consider some of Illinois residents, though, its no surprise that its long been a favorite location for paranormal enthusiasts. Some of the staff refuse to go into the older wing of the hotel at night. Those who have read Erik Larsons Devil in the White City know the history surrounding the multiple murders that took place during the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago (historians believe that H.H. Ghosts wandering in the park wearing Victorian-era clothing. Robinson Woods-South Address: W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60706, United States Website: Robinson Woods-South Opening hours: 7am - 7pm (daily) 2. Follow Google Maps. Let's have a look at the list of haunted places in Illinois that you may want to visit in order to disprove the beliefs of other people. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no extra cost to you. Although some of those places are known to be haunted, they are still really attractive to a lot of travelers who want to experience the haunted history of those places. "Some claim the haunts date back to the property before the mansion was even built, with Native American ghosts and a residue from a possible Underground Railroad stop," according to the Illinois Office of Tourism. A teacher who had hung herself after witnessing a kid falling down the stairs on a tricycle is extremely haunting. Located at 5520 W 111th Street in Oak Lawn, featuring two terrifying haunted houses with over 60+ rooms and 100+ actors directly from your worst nightmares. But bellhops and housekeepers arent the only souls wandering the winding corridors of the DeSoto House Hotel. There have been reports from visitors saying that theyve heard scary screams and have seen strange lights from inside the area. Ghost of a cross-dresser who wears his girlfriends clothes. Orbs can be seen floating along the grounds. There are no records about this burial site and when it began. The workshop will take place before the ghost hunt and will include topics and information like: Illinois College, founded in 1829, is rumored to have several haunted buildings. You can hear screams and cries in the Public Mausoleum. In fact, Chicagoland and the rest of Illinois are home to some of the most notorious sites for hauntings in the state. Its notoriety as a key stop along the Reverse Underground Railroad is only bolstered by the presence of a spirit of a slave named Big Jim. The following list totals up each type of haunt in Illinois, based on how they are listed on our website: Amusement/Themepark Haunts: 1. For ghost hunters, the road can be really exciting to experience paranormal activity. Thank you! Restaurant Its been a hub for ghostly activity since the '50s. Bar 24-hour front desk It is one of the biggest haunted houses in Illinois, 20,000+ sq. You'll laugh as much as you scream as he guides you through his ever-changing life's work." This plot of land is a burial ground for circus performers who used to work for the Showmens League of America. There were misfortunes in equal measure for every celebrated politician and celebrity guest. But do you know that there are also places with a fair bit of history? He was not found out until after he started kidnapping people from the Underground Railroad operation. Right in the middle of Amish Country lies a tiny hamlet called Chesterville. (View on Map) There are many legends about ghosts in Graceland Cemetery, but the statue of Inez Clarke, who was only six years old when she died in the 1880s, is among the most well-known. We take your privacy seriously and will never sell your data to anyone. Do you know whats most interesting about abandoned factories? Situated in Alton, IL, the stories from this 19th-century haunted cemetery are not for the faint-hearted. This was an obvious add to our most haunted places in Illinois list. How Greenwood Cemetery even started is a complete mystery. Follow Google Maps. Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech from the balcony in 1856, Stephen A. Douglas did the same in 1968, and Ulysses S. Grant headed his presidential campaign from the comfort of rooms 209 and 211. Learn more about, Illinois 1, IL-1, Equality Township, IL, USA, One of the strangest things to have ever happened in Illinois is something not everyone believes. Is it any surprise, then, that the humans who died violent, unnecessary deaths roam these halls, seeking peace in the afterlife that may never come? Shes even been known to move props and scenery around. According to talk around campus, Beecher Hall was once a medical building and the top floor was a space for storing cadavers. The story begins with Julia Johnson marrying Clarence B. Markham, a farmer, in 1896. Address: N. Co Rd 425E, Chesterville, IL 61911. It seems that every corner of the Land of Lincoln has a story to tell, so we made this list of the most haunted places in Illinois. This apparently happened when she was leaving for home after completing a seasonal bulletin. Since Alton is one of the most haunted places in Chicago, Illinois, its best to take a tour of the mansion during pre-Halloween days in October when the city hosts ghost hunting events. At the outskirts of the graveyard, a towering oak surrounded by a black, iron fence seems out of place in the otherwise normal final resting place for long-deceased residents of Chesterville. 12 of the coolest hotels in Illinois you need to stay in, Best places to stay in the Algarve for couples (hotels, resorts, and more), Globetrotters in heart and soul. It was a burial ground since the 1820s, but only became recognized in 1857. Address: Ricketts Ave. and U.S. 24, Bartonville, Illinois 61607. 7th Avenue, Sterling, Illinois 61081, United States. Native Americans of the Illini Confederation first settled this area around Decatur. Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago: Chicago has no shortage of ghost stories. Lawrence Ave, west of N East River Rd, Chicago, IL 60656, United States. Congress Plaza Hotel (from USD 161) Show all photos Congress Plaza Hotel is a 124-year-old historic, grand hotel located in the City of Chicago. Follow Google Maps. But the real highlight is the limestone caves and rock formations, such as Indian Head and Twin Sisters. A female apparition may be seen sobbing and asking visitors if they've seen her baby. In this travel magazine we share our best tips and adventures. The Drake Hotel in Chicago: While the Congress Hotel is known as one of the most haunted hotels in America, the Drake is allegedly haunted by the "Woman in Red," who fell to her death from the hotel roof on New Year's Eve shortly after it opened in 1920. In the name of science, these patients found themselves under the care of doctors who cared little for human decency. It is rumored that residents still roam here, though, but you won't want to see them. Those who dare to spend the night say that they feel as if they are constantly being watched by an unseen presence that follows them as they walk the halls. It stands as one of the most haunted places in Illinois. Incidents of occult activity, rotting structures, and stories of paranormal activities like dark apparitions and strange lights in the area make this an exciting place to visit. Love Illinois? It is also where the famous 16th president of the USA, Abraham Lincoln, spent most of his life. Book a ticket to a play or performance at this haunted Illinois attraction on Groundhog Day, i.e. The Abingdon Middle School is one of the many haunted schools in Illinois that has spooky legends associated with its past. One such spook is Peg Leg Johnny, an associate of Al Capone who found himself on the wrong side of a lead bullet. So this week we're investigating one of them: the alleged haunting of Munger Road, which . Resurrection Cemetery in Justice: Late Chicago ghosthunter Richard Crowe documented dozens of sightings of hitchhiking ghost Resurrection Mary, most often seen by men driving along Archer Avenue near the Willowbrook Ballroom (which, sadly, burned down in 2016), where legend has it Mary danced her last dance before her tragic death. It is believed to be haunted by former residents of the house. 10. The state is full of terrifying spots to avoid and these are just a few of the scariest! Originally built in 1869 by Henry Guest McPike, it is located in Alton, Illinois (a town with a haunted history in itself). The tiny ghosts of two children, whose mother threw them from a window, still delight in mischief, filling the empty labyrinth with bone-chilling laughter. Is Halloween one of your favorite holidays? Meeting/banquet facilities Neighbors found her horrifically burnt after she crawled out of the informal funeral pyre and died later that day. Address: Ashmore, IL 61912, USA Address: Damen Grain Silos, 2860 S Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, USA Address: Old Shawneetown, IL 62984, USA Address: Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville, IL, USA Address: Cairo, IL 62914, USA There have been sightings of the spirits of Alexander Robinson and his family at nighttime and visitors also reported prominent scents of lilacs near the graves during the winter. Delicious breakfasts are also complimentary during the weekdays and if you are looking for a delectable grilled spread, visit their on-site restaurant, the ROX City Grill, for some luscious fare. Poplar Groves Edwards Apple Orchard boasts 30 varieties of apples, such as Ginger Gold, Liberty, and Blondee, within its 100 acres. While it's OK to visit the cemetery during the day, police are always on the lookout for nighttime trespassers unless you're part of an authorized ghost tour. Native Americans were buried here so it might be obvious who may prank you. The grieving parents of Leopold and Loeb victim Bobby Franks both died at the Drake, as well. Paranormal activities had also been reported. The ruins of abandoned and crumbling brick and mortar Victorian-style structures showcase a harrowing racial past. A girl who went missing and was later found walking toward the Ridge Cemetery told her mother that people living in the cemetery had told her to stay with them. He used to be the chief of several American-Indian tribes including the Pottawatomies, Ottawa, and Chippewa nations. Tim/Flickr 3. In 1941, Charles was found dead in his bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head. The 40-year-old legend of this haunted location in Illinois says that if anyone drives under all the bridges on this road during midnight, they go straight to hell through a portal. Looking for more tips on things to do in Illinois, click here. The Lady in Black, a ghost of unknown origin, haunts the hotel, appearing as a dark shadow dressed in traditional 19th-century clothing and floating through a wall where a doorway once stood. Please Let Us know. Location Hinton, Williamsburg Hill, IL 62571, United States. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. You can read our complete privacy policy here. Thats what this Illinois haunted attraction is famous for. The site has been a cemetery since 1840 but is home to just 82 plots many of which were left unused. Civil War section, the cemeterys most notorious haunted spot. St. Charles East High School (St. Charles, Illinois), Best Self-Guided Tours in Japan: 10 Amazing Tours For 2023, Airbnb in Clifton, Cape Town: 11 great places to stay in 2023, What are the best Airbnbs in Tokyo? Follow Google Maps. Vintage cars are known to mysteriously appear. During their absence, she wielded an ax against the youngest five, including a baby of only five months. 1. You're in luck -Illinois has a rich haunted history, and there's lots of houses across the state that are truly haunted by spirits who haven't quite left the living world yet. 2nd February so you can partake in the festivities of the town. Adding to the creepiness factor, its also the location where three young boys were found dead in 1955. Come one, come all to this section of Woodlawn Cemetery that was once the site of a 1918 circus-train wreck. Get to know us better on our about us page. Follow Google Maps. If you are in for a haunted adventure, you might want to consider visiting the cemetery to learn about the history of this place and the people who are buried there. ALTON, ILLINOIS Join American Hauntings for this special night at the Mineral Springs Hotel as we delve into the world of ghost hunting, followed by a hands-on investigation of the most haunted place in Alton -- the Mineral Springs Hotel! at the best online prices at eBay! She has even been known to hitch a ride from unsuspecting cabbies. The Old Milton School was built in 1904 and formally closed in 1986. : 2 Built in 1916, this historic building was used as an almhouse until 1959. Tragic struck this couple not long after when Laura Schweppe died from a heart attack in 1937. Read more 0 1020 Dunham Rd, St. Charles, IL 60174, United States. But dont take our word for it. For an overview of more boutique hotels in Illinois, click here. The Woodstock Opera House Best Haunted Places in Northern Illinois Woodstock Opera House, Woodstock If you visit you may just hear the cries of elephants echoing in the night sky. Here is a list of more southern Illinois tourism attractions. Both the woman and the child roam the corridors together. This was no simple family residence, though. Standing 100-feet tall and overlooking the Mississippi River, the Devils Bake-Oven is a cliff that has played host to its fair share of tragedy. Best haunted houses in Chicago. Clarence Markham While Insane Murders Seven Children With an Ax and Sets House Afire Succeeds in Killing Herself.. In a revengeful attack, they killed the Marshal in cold blood. Greenwood Cemetery is among the most haunted places in Illinois, and possibly the entire country. Illinois College was founded in 1829 and is believed to have several haunted buildings on campus. Originally from the quaint beach town of Fenwick Island, Delaware, Stephanie has called Chicago home for nearly a decade. People have reported seeing the chair fold down during a performance. Home/Yard Haunts: 11. Many have reported ghost sightings and other strange activity throughout the graveyard. Here is an overview of more free fun things to do in Illinois. Looking for some REAL scares? You Might Be Rooming With A Ghost At This Haunted Hotel In Illinois, One Of The Most Haunted Cemeteries In The World Is Right Here In Illinois, The Story Behind Illinois Most Haunted House Will Give You Nightmares, Dont Drive On This Haunted Street In Illinois Or You May Regret It, One Of The Most Haunted Cemeteries In Illinois Is Also The Most Beautiful, The Legends Of Showmens Rest In Illinois May Send Chills Down Your Spine, Heaps Haunted Corn Maze In Illinois Is Truly Terrifying, Take A Tour Of The Historic And Haunted Dowling House In Illinois This Spooky Season, Facebook/Greenwood Cemetery, Decatur, Illinois. 1. Dr. George Zeller wrote in his book Befriending the Bereft that on the day of Old Books funeral, hundreds of spectators witnessed a full-body apparition of the man standing under the Crying Tree.. Cairo, Illinois 62914, United States. Hotel Baker is another historic hotel located in St Charles, about 56 kilometers (35 miles) from the City of Chicago. Once slated as the economic hotbed of the Midwest, Cairo soon succumbed to racial unrest. Address: Timber Ridge Road, Cambridge, Illinois 61238, Timber Ridge Road seems unsuspecting enough, at least until motorists catch the fluttering of a white gown in their periphery as they angle their way through the so-called Death Curve.. Julia birthed seven children over the next nine years four girls and three boys. Holmes Murder Castle, Chicago, Illinois, 6. Read on to find out more about the top haunted places in Illinois, USA. Get more stories delivered right to your email. 606 S Church St, Decatur, IL 62522, United States. Robinson Woods is the burial ground for both Alexander Robinson and his family. Illinois is a midwestern state in the USA with the well-known Mississippi River to its west. Did you love playing with the Ouija board as a kid? It is likely that it was originally a Native American burial ground, and it has definitely been robbed many times over the centuries. Those brave enough to trek down the trails report smelling lavender, watching torches move near the gravesites, and hearing the sound of tom-tom drums reverberating through the groves of trees. Sharing the haunted history of scary sites around the world. The school building is not in use and it is unclear if access is allowed to the floor where she had died. Tell us about any other places you know of in the comments below! Instead, Manteno soon found itself bursting at the seams, just as a wave of typhoid fever gripped the area. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Police have even reported sightings of the Farmer as early as the 1970s. Thank you! Some have even heard weeping nearby. Address: 100 W Main St, St. Charles, IL 60174, United States. He was only one of the many African Americans who found themselves shackled in Crenshaws attic, outfitted as a dungeon of horrors. Slamming of doors and flickering of lights. Auditory and tactile activity during the day like shuffling feet and whimpering cries. Montgomery, Illinois, has its horror attraction, and it is The Massacre Haunted House. Some of the most notable features of the house included gas lines that piped poison into rooms and massive safes with floors covered in acid where he would lock his victims to suffer an excruciatingly long and painful death. Illinois's Halloween Entertainment Guide, Not-So-Scary Haunted Houses (Kid Friendly), George Stickney House - Bull Valley Police Department, Former Chicago Historical Society Building. Haunted Barns: 6. Though the Land of Lincoln was supposed to be a free state, this was the home of a slave owner who took his operations beyond their legal extensions and kept people chained up in his attic. Address: Unnamed Road, Forest Park, IL 60130, United States. Since then, flutes have gone missing from the band room on many occasions. Warfield purchased the supposedly haunted 140-year-old home in 1988 and claims the ghosts who inhabit it scared his first wife so badly that she left him. John Wayne Gacy, who brutally ended the lives of thirty-three men, called Chicago his home. The carcass of a mutilated cow was found without any blood and removed reproductive organs. Robinson Woods, located in Chicago, was once owned by Alexander Robinson. The sight of Elvira roaming in the hallways and looking out the windows of the upper stall. Holmes, the residents have long shared state lines with some of historys greatest murderers. Chesterville Witchs Grave, Arcola, Illinois, 4. The Phantom lady wearing different stages of clothing and sometimes nothing while roaming the cornfields where earlier there was an ancient cemetery. Sound of footsteps and figure Marys ghost may appear if you pay a visit. Built in 1869 by Henry Guest McPike, paranormal investigation reports have found that the house is haunted by the ghost of the former owner Paul Laichnger and his domestic help Sarah Wells. You may not want to live in the good ol Land of Lincoln anymore once youve learned about these nine real haunted places in Illinois. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeths articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals. Holmes murder castle. The fifth floor of the inn is said to be especially haunted and is where most of the eerie things have been reported. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! The Congress Lounge has comfortable leather couches to allow guests to chill and catch a glimpse of the panoramic city landscape of Chicago. Once the dream home of the illegal slave trader and breeder couple John Crenshaw and Sinia Taylor and their five children, the Hickory Hill mansion is definitely on the list of the most haunted places in Illinois. The Robinson Woods which once belonged to Alexander Robinson (Chief of an American Indian Tribe in the 1800s), supposedly have dark spirits lurking in the tree trunks while some spirits are not even of this world. Henry, aka former university President Henry William Shryock, died . 2023 Guide, 12 Best Airbnbs in Sagres You Need To Stay At. Watch the schedule for upcoming dates. Showmen's Rest | Forest Park Showmen's Rest is a section of Woodlawn Cemetery where remains from a 1918 circus-train wreck were buried in a mass grave. Old Joliet Prison, Joliet: The fictional home of Jake and Elwood Blues also housed notorious killers like John Wayne Gacy, who spent time there before being sent to Stateville, mass murderer Richard Speck and infamous "crime of the century" murderers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. People have reported seeing mysterious fires and mists as well as having their car doors lock and windows move automatically when driving by. Follow Google Maps. Alongside these notoriously dangerous men, violent histories of war, massacres, cold cases, lost love, and slave kidnappings form the backdrop for a terrifying tapestry of terror right in the heartland of America. You will experience 26,000+ square feet of realistic detailing, and mind blowing special effects that are sure to get your blood flowing.. [ Read more ] All of them died. While going out for a hike is great year-round, there is something about the crisp air and colorful leaves that make fall destinations in Illinois such great experiences.