Haunted Places In Illinois

The Land of Lincoln, Illinois is home to many paranormal myths and legends with many haunted notorious sites. Here are top 10 spine-chilling and terrifying tales from Illinois’s haunted history.

Hull House, Chicago

Hull house was founded back in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr to assist recently arrived immigrants. The house is said to be haunted by "woman in white" (wife of Charles Hull, the original owner of the building) and the notorious "Devil Baby". According to urban legend; Catholic mother-to-be hung a picture of the Virgin Mary in her home. But her husband, an atheist, angrily ripped the picture from the wall declaring, “I’d rather have the Devil in the house!” The child was allegedly born with cloven hooves, pointed ears, scaly skin and a tail. Addams tried to baptize the baby, but could not, eventually locking him in the attic until his death.

Resurrection Cemetery, Justice

Resurrection Mary, a vanishing hitchhiker, is the ghost of a woman who was killed in a car crash in the 1930s and buried, in her dancing dress and shoes, in Resurrection Cemetery. Many travellers, mostly men, claimed that they met and danced with her in the ballrooms nearby. She later asked them to drive her home along Archer Avenue, exiting the car and disappearing in front of Resurrection Cemetery.

Manteno State Hospital, Manteno

Opened in 1930, this mental facility was once the most advanced in existence. In 1939, typhoid ran roughshod through the hospital, killing 47 of its patients. There was a time when the hospital became overcrowded. With too few staff to look after everyone, malpractice quickly followed. Many patients died, forcing the hospital to shut down by 1985. But the spirits of patients never left the building. Even today, cold spots, strange sounds, and eerie occurrences have been recorded.

Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, Midlothian

Situated in Midlothian, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is known as America’s most haunted graveyard. Established around 1840, these burial grounds are the final resting places of only 82 people. According to visitors, the cemetery is home to the ‘White Lady’. People claim to see a ghostly figure wandering the graves while carrying a child.

McPike Mansion, Alton

It is believed that the mansion is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a former owner, former domestic servant, Native American and a woman who was found dead in the mansion's bathtubs. The entire city of Alton is stated to be the "Most haunted small town in America".

The Drake Hotel, Chicago

The Drake hotel is reportedly 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. Patrons of the hotel have reported seeing her apparition haunting the Gold Coast Room, the Palm Court and the tenth floor ever since. It is also haunted by "Woman in Black”, a wealthy guest who was shot to death in 1944 by a stranger). Visitors had sightings of mourning parents of Bobby Franks (the 15-year old who was kidnapped and killed by the murderous duo Leopold and Loeb in 1924).

Lincoln Theater, Decatur

Opened in 1916, the Lincoln Theater, a once-grand downtown Decatur landmark, was built on the site of a former hotel destroyed in a fire. It is believed that the spirits of the fire victims still linger in the theatre. People have witnessed sightings of friendly ghost Red and a female spirit.

Chicago River, Chicago

At least 844 passengers and crew members died while the SS Eastland ship rolled over onto its side while tied to a dock in the Chicago River in 1915. Various Chicago establishments were used as makeshift morgues to store the recovered bodies. Many of these spots have experienced ghostly sightings. You may encounter apparitions and disappear right before your eyes near the Chicago River where the disaster occurred.

Rose Hotel, Elizabethtown

Built in 1812, Rose Hotel reportedly haunted by the former owner, Sarah Rose. Her apparition has been spotted walking around the second floor halls as well as climbing the stairs. People have witnessed a ghostly female voice and objects that move on their own during the night.

Englewood Post Office, Chicago

The Englewood Post Office is built on the site of Holmes’ infamous Murder Castle. In 1893, country’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes hired multiple contractors to build his bizarre blueprint having stairs and hallways that led to nowhere, oddly angled hallways and windowless rooms, designed to disorient and trap his victims. Today, workers report sightings of ghosts in the new building’s basement, where most of the murders took place.

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