Legend has it that the opera houses ghost, Elvira, was an actress who committed suicide by jumping from the tower of the theatre after she didnt get the lead part. The truth behind their assumptions was more horrifying than they could imagine. Originally from the quaint beach town of Fenwick Island, Delaware, Stephanie has called Chicago home for nearly a decade. Different tours run all-year-around. From 1843 to 1859, the area was home to the Chicago City Cemetery. By 1954, there were more than 8,000 patients. Its no wonder that the post office and grassy knoll where his pet project once stood is alight with paranormal activity. Ghost Hunts in Illinois Ashmore Estates Overnight Ghost Hunt, Ashmore, IL $ 89.00 - $ 109.00 If you're looking to take your thrill-seeking levels higher than a local Chicago haunted house or haunted attraction, then spending the night in one of Chicago's most haunted hotels is a must. Follow Google Maps. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. 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.. And there are 16 miles of trails for you to take in all the fall foliage. The Greenwood Bride, the ghost of a weeping young woman that haunts the short stone Barrackman Steps. In Oglesby, theres Starved Rock State Park. While some original buildings have been demolished, the veterans home still operates on a portion of the grounds, which are also home to a golf course and a residential treatment center for youths. No one really knows what the building used to house so there are a lot of myths spreading around. They got things right by founding the town at a great location, right at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. If you drive past the empty lot flanked by a post office and train tracks on either side at 611 W. 63rd Street in downtown Chicago, you would never know that the location was once the home of Americas first known serial killer, H.H. And there are quite a few places for apple picking in Illinois. 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. But the real highlight is the limestone caves and rock formations, such as Indian Head and Twin Sisters. Graceland Cemetery. 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. feet in size, and has over 60 rooms and 100 actors ready to scare the living soul out of you. As the site of several Native American burial mounds, this sylvan gathering place of spirits seems to haunt all five of the senses with reminders of the tribes who rest there. Beulahs decomposed ghost that has caused people to fall sick on a single sighting. 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. There, tourists claim to have seen blood suddenly appear in rivulets down the walls and hear chains rattling amidst the haunting cacophony of the dying, moaning for salvation from their prison. Follow Google Maps. 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614, United States. Local historians note that pirates hiding in the coves would attack frontiers navigating the area, stealing their cargo and lives. Find out what else this ghost gets up to at the, Woodstock Opera House, 121 W Van Buren St, Woodstock, IL 60098, USA, This southern Illinois town sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, but suffered from much flooding and is now nothing more than a ghost town. In 1941, Charles was found dead in his bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head. During their absence, she wielded an ax against the youngest five, including a baby of only five months. This Creepy Ghost Town In Illinois Is The Stuff Nightmares Are Made Of Once upon a time, Cairo, Illinois was one of the most popular towns in Illinois. Sound of Indian tom-toms and wood being sawed near the burial mounds. Raven's Grin Inn in Mount Carroll: Recently rated among the most haunted places in America by Thrillist, the inn is owned by Jim Warfield, who "turned his house he does actually live there into a maze of his spooky art, prop gags, and a not-so-safe-but-exhilarating three-story slide into the haunted wine cellar. But perhaps the creepiest apparition is the Farmer. Couple the drowning of a local farmer with a dumping ground for the mobs latest hits and you have a hunchbacked spirit that slithers out from this very pond. Follow Google Maps. Cairo, Illinois 62914, United States. The school building is not in use and it is unclear if access is allowed to the floor where she had died. Here are 11 spots across the state that are reputed to be haunted . When the hospital was open to tours, people found themselves suddenly under the grip of a chilling, imperceptible hand or experienced the overwhelming feeling of being watched by the strange entities that suffered there so long ago. There are a lot of ghost sightings that have been reported by visitors, including a lady carrying an infant dressed in white who only appears during the full moon, and a two-headed ghost who is always sighted near the slough. Henry, aka former university President Henry William Shryock, died . A remote town in Illinois with a mystifying ghost story attached to it, the Ridge Cemetery is a must-visit location for those wanting to visit haunted abandoned places in Illinois. Established in 1856, the town of Sterling was an industrial hub that became famous for its hardware manufacturing. 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. It is free to visit. 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. Its believed that the Tinker familys ghosts also haunt this little mansion. Also a burial for Civil War soldiers, you may just catch a glimpse of a Confederate apparition in uniform. Excalibur/The Castle - Chicago, IL Often referred to as Excalibur, the building definitely looks like it's haunted just from the outside alone. Home/Yard Haunts: 11. Auditory and tactile activity during the day like shuffling feet and whimpering cries. Address: 102 Diversatech Dr, Manteno, IL 60950. Poplar Groves Edwards Apple Orchard boasts 30 varieties of apples, such as Ginger Gold, Liberty, and Blondee, within its 100 acres. 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. A bar across the street from the cemetery, Chet's Melody Lounge, has purportedly seen its fair share of shaken-up drivers who claimed to encounter the legendary ghost, and it's a favorite spot for those hoping to catch a glimpse of her. That more than 35,000 people were once buried there, and as many as 12,000 bodies remained sparking rumors of hauntings. Flashlights dying out without no reason, flickering of the lights, and a strong smell of lilac in the attic (a perfume Sarah wore). The stone building and the farm near the Poplar Creek Forest preserve are both believed to be haunted. Holmes Murder Castle, Chicago, Illinois, 6. Native Americans were buried here so it might be obvious who may prank you. 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? But haunted story aside, Robinson Woods is also a famous picnic ground. Once Galenas hub of town social life, the DeSoto House Hotel has played host to illustrious guests in its 170-year history. Its still on the market today and could be yours for about $9.4 million. This feeling is powerful on the 12th floor, where the siblings suffered their terrifying death. 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. Those who have tried to move it find that their hand goes right through the corpse like it's a ghost. The hotel is also a "poltergeist magnet," according to Chicago magazine, and is rumored to be the site of hauntings by the "Woman in Black" (we're sensing a theme here), tied to one of Chicago's most bizarre unsolved mysteries after a wealthy guest was shot to death in 1944 when a stranger stepped out of that bathroom in her room and began firing. A devils chair: if you sit on it, you will get to make a pact with the Devil and get anything you want for seven years. All rights reserved. most haunted cemetery in the United States. It is one of the biggest haunted houses in Illinois, 20,000+ sq. Tell us about any other places you know of in the comments below! Fitness centre 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. A decade later, in 1869, a basement boiler exploded. 2018 Alby St, Alton, IL 62002, United States. Apparently, the road is guarded by Hell Hounds. 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. She committed suicide by jumping off the building and still roams the halls to this day, sitting in seats and sighing and dropping props. Watch the schedule for upcoming dates. Holmes capitalized on the chaos to lure unsuspecting tourists to his hotel, where he played mad scientist with their bodies. And if picking isnt for you, head to the country store to grab honey, apple cider, produce, and a whole lot more. Visitors adamantly claim that the tactics do little to stop the woman from prowling the cemetery at night, waiting for the day when she can finally take revenge on those whose ancestors sentenced her to an early and gruesome death. This specter has a gruesome backstory that was once front-page news. 1320 Milton Rd #3a, Alton, IL 62002, United States. This 801-acre park is chockfull of gorgeous trees, some of them over a century old. The place was even made popular by SciFi Channels Ghost Hunters. Adding to the creepiness factor, its also the location where three young boys were found dead in 1955. Address: 3322 Demenil Place, St. Louis, MO 63118. Some have even heard weeping nearby. John Wayne Gacy, who brutally ended the lives of thirty-three men, called Chicago his home. Famous for the ghost of a wailing woman killed on the railroad tracks, the 7th Avenue Dead End is truly a haunted road in Illinois in every sense. He was only one of the many African Americans who found themselves shackled in Crenshaws attic, outfitted as a dungeon of horrors. People have reported seeing a ghost child running up and down the stairs and a prankster ghost that likes to mess with the projection booth. 10. Follow Google Maps. Morton Arboretum in Lisle has more than 4,000 different types of trees throughout its 1,700 acres. The Lincoln Theatre is considered one of the most haunted sites in Decatur. Address: 520 South Michigan Avenue Mrs. Markham attempted to slice her own throat with a blunt knife following her foul deeds. One of the best-haunted locations in Illinois, the Ridge Cemetery feels the grimmest when visited after sunset. Dont say we didnt warn you. John Crenshaw, who made his living kidnapping freed African Americans and selling them back into slavery, built this family residence in the 1830s.