With Illinois being home to one of the largest cities in the world we're are busting at the seams with exciting history. With popular shows like Paranormal State and Ghost Hunters many have found over themselves interested in the idea of witnessing paranormal activity first hand or enjoy the thrill behind experiencing places that are deemed haunted. Here is a list of 7 Haunted Places To Visit In Illinois that are sure to feed your appetite for fear and all things paranormal.
The most popular haunted place to visit in Illinois is just 20 minutes from down town Chicago in the Midlothian suburb where in lies Rubio Woods Forest Preserve, home to one of the most haunted cemeteries in the world, Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. A small pond just outside the cemetery is known to be a popular dumping ground for notorious gangster Al Capone's victims. Over the years reports have been filed of Satan worshipers using the space for practices, bodies being dug up, tombstones being moved around, disappearing houses, ghost car that drives on the near by road, voices, eerie screams, and full blown apparitions. Though you are unable to visit Bachelor's Grove on a tour many paranormal researchers find themselves here year after year drawn to the eerie aura of the cemetery.
A famous haunted places to visit in Chicago is the Clark Street Bridge. The bridge was home to the Eastland Disaster. Western Electric was hosting their 5th annual company picnic along the Chicago River on July 24th, 1915. Western Electric had steamships assigned for entertaining many of the 7000 guests who attended the picnic. The SS Eastland was docked near the Clark Street Bridge and had over 800 victims mostly families who became victims of the disaster when the steamship rolled and sunk into the river before even departing. Many strange reports have stemmed from the disaster over the years including the laughter of children when no children are present and ghostly screams throughout the night.
Cuba Road is about an hour from Chicago between Lake Zurich and Barrington. All up and down the road traveler's and ghost enthusiasts alike have reported many of encounters. Reports have been filed of strange sightings in the road, a phantom couple, a disappearing house that some like to say was an old insane asylum hidden in the woods, ghost cars, strange noises, and strange bursts of light. I myself have traveled down this road with family as a child hearing the stories and by myself as I grew up and have had many eerie feelings and have even had friends who have reported seeing abnormal sights along the road.
A famous haunted place to visit in southern Illinois is Hickory Hill or as some like to call it The Old Slave House. The house was closed to the public for years and at the risk of being demolished before the state of Illinois decided to purchase the home and turn it into a historic site. The house was used in a reverse underground railroad constructed to hide the illegally used slaves that the original owner had used for working in salt mines. The attic has a type of jail system with cells and caged doors where he would keep the unfortunate who were forced into slavery. It is said that everyone who visits the place is not only struck by a terrible anxiety and sadness but also a very awkward eerie feeling of being uncomfortable.
Visitors often recount inexplicable chills and the sensation of unseen watchers as they explore the grim past of Hickory Hill. Whispered voices, weeping, and somber melodies have been reported emanating from the attic's dark corners, turning skeptics into believers. Ghost tours and paranormal investigations are sought after by those brave enough to confront the house's spectral residents, hoping to connect with the souls who never tasted freedom. The haunting legacy of this sorrowful place leaves a lasting impression, ensuring that the harrowing stories of its past are never forgotten.
McPike Mansion in Alton is a favorite haunted place to visit in Illinois for many tourists. The place was made even more famous when the show Ghost Lab used it for subject on one of it's episodes. The home is said to be haunted by the original owners the McPike family as well as servants to the family. Many traveler's have witnessed faces in the window, orbs of light, apparitions, and voices. The home is currently listed as a historic landmark of Illinois and is being renovated.
One of the most commercialized haunted places to visit in Illinois is the Biograph theater. The story was made famous in Johnny Depp's movie Public Enemies. Famous serial killer John Dillinger was shot to his death here after seeing a movie with two girlfriends. Visitors to the movie theater can even sit in John Dillinger's seat that he sat in for his last movie before being caught by the FBI. His ghost is said to haunt the alleyway behind the theater where he was killed.
Excalibur Nightclub is a nice haunted place to visit in Illinois and enjoy some partying! The Excalibur Nightclub was once home to the Chicago Historical Society. In 1915 victims of the Eastland Disaster were ported to the Historical Society for identification. Most believe that the spirits who haunt this nightclub are those from the disaster. There have been countless reports of voices, objects moving on their own, glasses breaking on their own, screams in the basement, and more. Definitely worth a shot if you're interested in checking out the nightclub scene and the paranormal scene Chicago has to offer at the same time.
With 7 Haunted Places to Visit in Illinois like the ones listed above who needs the Discovery Channel? The stories of these places have been in Illinois lore and history for years and have been reported by multiple witnesses leading many to believe that the reports have to be true. Why don't you try it out for yourselves? Plan on visiting any of these places on your next trip through Illinois?
Top Photo Credit: BlueStarla