With the rich history of the Prairie State, it’s not surprising that there are some pretty creepy abandoned spots throughout the state that will pique the interest of ghost hunters and history buffs alike. Prepare for your hair to stand on end as you make this heart-thumping pilgrimage across Illinois to these incredible forsaken locations. Check out this interactive map if you would like to change the starting point or alter the stops you make while visiting these abandoned places in Illinois.

Think you're brave enough? Let's go!
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Tap or click on the map to follow along on your smartphone.
1. Devil’s Gate, Libertyville
Libertyville, IL, USA
Flickr/Heather
As legend has it, behind the iron gates once stood a school. While the story surrounding Devil’s Gate may change a bit depending on who tells it, they all still tell the tale of a lunatic who jumped over the fence and kidnapped several girls. He later beheaded the girls and placed their heads on the spikes that are still at Devil’s Gate today. Whenever the moon is full, they say that the heads of the kidnapped girls appear on the spikes. This is one of the scariest places in Illinois if you believe the hype.

Get aa close up look at Devil’s Gate:

2. Damen Silos, McKinley Park
2860 S Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, USA
Josh/Google
It’s hard to believe that these creepy silos are actually located right in the city of Chicago, but they give you a quick glimpse into the kind of industrial landscape of Chicago’s rich past. These grain elevators have been sitting abandoned since the late '70s after a large explosion left the silos with severe damage. Despite being a tad disturbing it’s become a popular place for photographers, artists, and even filmmakers to go. This is definitely one of the most interesting places in Illinois.

Follow along on an exploration of these old silos:

3. Axeman’s Bridge, Crete
22867 S Old Post Rd, Crete, IL 60417, USA
Flickr/Jim Bauer
Editor's Note: Axeman's Bridge is no longer there. Continue on your road trip and see what other abandoned spots you come across.

You could easily pass by this bridge that spans Plum Creek and not think much of it, but this place is involved in some rather interesting and disturbing local lore. Some residents say that a man nicknamed "Axeman" would kill kids that he found trespassing on his land, while others will tell you that the man actually lived in a nearby now-abandoned house. Legend has it that the man chopped up his family and then killed police officers when they came to the home. He was later shot and killed on the old bridge by a team of police officers. There are still remnants of the home near these woods. If you're a fan of creepy bridges, you might want to learn the dark history of another haunted bridge in Illinois while you're here.

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4. Manteno State Hospital, Manteno
102 Diversatech Dr, Manteno, IL 60950, USA
Flickr/Matthew Scott
Once a psychiatric hospital in this rural town in Kankakee County, this place is believed to be one of the most haunted places in Illinois. What made Manteno State Hospital a bit different from other mental hospitals during the 1930s is that patients were given the medical attention they needed in a cozy, peaceful setting while also learning how to grow crops to help them gain unique skill sets. Then in 1939 typhoid fever got ahold of the patients. As if this wasn’t bad enough, this hospital became a testing facility for government psychiatrists who wanted to test malaria and untreated STDS in the 1950s. The hospital’s psychiatrists also performed electric shock therapy and lobotomies, and the ice tubs can still be found where they submerged schizophrenics to treat their hysteric episodes.

Take a trek through history and see this old hospital’s creepy past:

5. Peoria State Hospital, Bartonville
4204 W Pfeiffer Rd, Bartonville, IL 61607, USA
Flickr/Kimberly Koppen
Also referred to as the Bartonville Insane Asylum, this place was run by Dr. George A. Zeller who focused on more humane ways to treat mental illness. Whenever a patient would die at the hospital one of the patients, A. Bookbinder, was responsible for helping with the burial. He mourned everyone who passed away and when Bookbinder himself died, Dr. Zeller and staff had reported seeing the ghost of Bookbinder mourning his very own funeral. They even had to open up his casket to make sure he was still inside (which, of course, he was!).
6. Vishnu Springs, Colchester
Vishnu Springs, Tennessee Township, IL 62326, USA
Flickr/Macomb Paynes
If you are fortunate enough to make a right turn along the La Moine River then you may just end up in Vishnu Springs, a town that was once a popular place for those looking to enjoy the tranquility of rural life while also partaking in the healing waters from the springs. If you go to Vishnu Springs today you won’t be greeted with homes or storefronts. Only an old hotel remains as proof that this area was once a home for some. People who’ve come here have spotted a woman all in black 19th-century clothing and the echoing sounds of a blacksmith’s hammer in the stables near the hotel.
7. Ashmore Estate, Ashmore
22645 E Co Rd 1050 N, Ashmore, IL 61912, USA
Facebook/Ashmore Estate
This estate was first an almshouse before it was sold in 1959 and became a psychiatric facility. The psychiatric home didn’t last more than five years before it was shut down. A few years later it gained new ownership and underwent some structural changes and additions. Unfortunately, financial hardship caused the hospital to close its doors again in 1989. As of 2006, the Ashmore Estate was purchased and turned into a haunted house. You can now stay overnight in this place that offers tales of pagan rituals and dismembered bodies. If you dare, stay overnight to experience some ghostly activity of your own.
8. Hickory Hill Plantation, Equality
Equality, IL 62934, USA
Flickr/J. Stephen Conn
Also known as the Old Slave House, this Southern Illinois plantation was once owned by John Crenshaw during the early 1800s. Crenshaw was believed to have taken free blacks and runaway slaves and locked them up on the 3rd floor of this plantation home. The chains that were attached to the floor remained until around World War I when the metal rings and bondage might have been sold for scrap. Those who’ve stayed in the home have heard ear-piercing screams echoing throughout the house, as well as deep moans that were loud enough to shake the attic walls. Around the 1920s, an exorcist was believed to have gone into the house to rid the place of spirits but quickly fled and died of fright a few hours later.

It’s amazing how many buildings with such a rich history have been left behind to wither and decay here in Illinois, so naturally, it’s impossible to pinpoint them all. Is there one place that wasn’t on the list that is a must-see for anyone willing to make this spine-tingling trek? What abandoned places in Illinois are your favorites? Have you ever gone on a road trip to see any of them? We want to hear about it in the comments.

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More to Explore

Abandoned Places In Illinois

Tori Jane | September 11, 2022

What are some interesting abandoned places to explore in Illinois?  

Some interesting abandoned places to explore in Illinois include:

  • Cahokia Mounds
  • Peoria State Hospital

Our little state is one of those states with a long, interesting history – and as a result, there are lots of amazing abandoned places to explore in Illinois! Among our favorite abandoned places in Illinois are the old, historic Cahokia Mounds, which have been abandoned and left to the elements since the 1300s. It counts as “abandoned”, but it’s also a well-preserved prehistoric Native civilization and well worth a visit. Then, there’s the old Peoria State Hospital, which has been abandoned since 1973 and still offers creepy tours to this day through the cemetery and the remaining 12 buildings.  

What are some of the most interesting abandoned buildings in Illinois?  

Some of the most interesting abandoned buildings in Illinois include:

  • Prairie Observatory
  • Ashmore Estates

The list goes on, of course, as there is no shortage of abandoned buildings in Illinois – many of which have intriguing backstories. Head to Oakland and check out the Prairie Observatory, which has been abandoned since the 80s and is almost impossible to access (though you can hike around it if you like). Ashmore Estates was abandoned in the late 80s as well and was once a psychiatric hospital. Today, it’s one of the best haunted attractions in Illinois – and it’s creepy as all get out.  

Where are the creepiest places in Illinois? 

The creepiest places in Illinois include:

  • Greenwood Cemetery
  • Aux Sable Cemetery
  • Ridge Cemetery

Speaking of creepy places in Illinois, there are plenty of those to go around – many of which are so scary that we personally would not. For example, there’s the old Greenwood Cemetery in Decatur, which is known to locals for its haunting. It was originally a Native American burial ground, and legend has it that you can’t enter at night without incurring the wrath of the spirits there thanks to its having been robbed multiple times. If you find that place to be chilling, be sure to also check out the terrifying Aux Sable Cemetery, in southern Illinois, and the Ridge Cemetery, just off County Road 1100E between Shelbyville and Tower Hill, which is said to be haunted by the spirits of a little girl and many more.  

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