Chicago Ghosts 2025: Uncovering the Paranormal

Exploring the Haunted History of Chicago

Every year since 2021, during spooky season, CBS Chicago has delved into the eerie tales of ghosts, hauntings, and the paranormal that are deeply rooted in the city's history. From abandoned buildings to historic landmarks, these stories offer a glimpse into the darker side of Chicago’s past.

Below are some of the most intriguing haunted locations explored in recent years, including four new additions for 2025.

2025: New Haunted Stories

1. West 22nd Place in Chinatown
   This unassuming street, branching off from Wentworth Avenue, is known as the most haunted block in Chicago. The Original Triple Crown Restaurant and the Chinese Community Center on the block have both been reported to be haunted. The area was once home to a pool hall where gang leader Sam Cardinella trained kids in robbery and violence.

2. Bridgeport's Benton House
   The Benton House, a settlement house in Bridgeport since 1907, has a long history of hauntings. Its reputation was so strong that it even attracted the attention of the TV series "Ghost Hunters."

3. Loomis Boulevard Freight Rail Overpass
   In 1894, this location was the site of a violent riot linked to the Pullman Palace Car Company strike. Today, local legends claim the site is haunted by a headless horseman.

4. Hotel Florence
   Completed in 1881 as part of George M. Pullman's company town, the Hotel Florence has fallen into disrepair and has been closed since 2000. It is said to be so haunted that delivery drivers avoid it altogether.

2024: Continuing the Tradition

1. Chicago Hooters
   The building at 660 N. Wells St. has been a Hooters location since 1993. However, its history dates back to the late 19th century when it was used by grave robbers who stole corpses for medical schools.

2. Lyric Opera House
   Samuel Insull, who built the Civic Opera House in 1929, lost his fortune during the Great Depression. Some believe his spirit still haunts the opera house.

3. Tao Chicago/Old Chicago Historical Society
   The granite building at 632 N. Dearborn St. has housed various nightclubs over the years. Many believe the ghosts that haunt it may be victims of the Great Chicago Fire or early city murders.

4. Resurrection Mary
   Since the 1930s, a mysterious woman in a white dress has been seen asking for rides along Archer Road. Known as Resurrection Mary, she is one of Chicago's most famous ghosts.

2023: Echoes of the Past

1. Camp Douglas Site
   During the Civil War, Camp Douglas was the site of numerous Confederate prisoner deaths. Paranormal activity has been reported at the former camp, now located in the Lake Meadows community.

2. Lakefront Totem Pole
   A totem pole has stood along the lakefront since 1929, though it has changed over time. Despite its decline in popularity among ghost tours, some still report hauntings.

2022: Shadows of the Past

1. Luetgert Sausage Factory
   Adolph Luetgert murdered his wife and dissolved her body in a vat at his factory on Diversey Parkway. After his death, an apparition was reportedly seen haunting the old factory.

2. Drake Hotel
   The Drake Hotel, a luxury landmark on the Magnificent Mile, is also known for its ghostly visitors.

3. John Hancock Center
   Chicago ghost experts consider the John Hancock Center to be the city's most haunted skyscraper. Some believe it is cursed due to a dangerous mariner from over a century ago.

4. Holy Name Cathedral
   A 1926 gangland murder near the cathedral left the cornerstone damaged by gunfire. Some say the spirits of the past still linger there.

2021: The Origins of Hauntings

1. The Eastland Disaster
   On July 24, 1915, the SS Eastland capsized in the Chicago River. People have reported seeing and hearing apparitions near the site, which later became Harpo Studios.

2. The Liar's Club
   This bar at 1665 W. Fullerton Ave. has been around since 1995. While it is known for its eclectic décor, some have reported ghost sightings in the building.

3. The Couch Tomb
   Located at the south end of Lincoln Park, the mausoleum with the name "Couch" carved at the top has its own mysterious history.

4. Hull House
   Founded by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr in 1889, Hull House is surrounded by legends of a haunted bedroom, a courtyard portal, and a devil baby.

5. Suicide Bridge
   Built before the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, this bridge became known as the "Suicide Bridge." Spooky sightings have been reported near the site.

6. St. Valentine's Day Massacre
   The infamous massacre at a Lincoln Park garage in 1929 led to many paranormal stories in its aftermath.

7. L&L Tavern
   This bar at Clark and Belmont has been voted "the Creepiest Bar in the USA." It is linked to two serial killers.

8. H.H. Holmes' Murder Castle
   The Englewood branch Post Office now stands where H.H. Holmes’ Murder Castle once was. Reports of paranormal activity have emerged from the basement.

9. Old Cook County Jail
   Before a firehouse occupied the site, the first Cook County Jail was known for executions. Ghost sightings have been reported there.

10. Iroquois Theater Fire
    On Dec. 30, 1903, the Iroquois Theater fire killed 602 people, making it the deadliest single-building fire in U.S. history. Apparitions are still reported at the site.

11. Congress Hotel
    The Congress Hotel, located along Michigan Avenue, is rumored to be haunted by ghosts of those who suffered gruesome deaths, including possibly a past president.