Just outside of Chicago within the city suburbs lies a spooky cemetery with numerous reports of paranormal activity. The notorious Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is known worldwide as being the most haunted cemetery in IL, and it has become a big draw for seekers of the paranormal and supernatural over the years.

Bachelor's Grove Woods is located just 25 miles outside of Chicago and is home to one of the most haunted cemeteries in the world.
Bachelors Grove Cemetery/Facebook
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery has had reports of well over 100 paranormal experiences, some of which were documented.
In the early 1820s, the area known as "Batchelor's Grove" (now Bachelor's Grove) was settled by English, Irish, and Scottish immigrants at first, followed by German immigrants at a later date. Around 1840, a cemetery was created on a one-acre plot of land, and by the 1950s, there were no more burials, capping out at 82 graves.
Bachelors Grove Cemetery/Facebook
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is considered the oldest cemetery in Cook County and can be accessed via a trail through the woods.
Although there is a pond and woods here, most people come for the cemetery and not the nature.
Bachelors Grove Cemetery/Facebook
After the cemetery was abandoned, it has been broken into and vandalized numerous times, and many headstones have been damaged or removed. But along with that, countless hauntings and paranormal activity have been reported.

Related Stories

The Story Behind Illinois' Most Haunted House Will Give You Nightmares

The Story Behind Illinois' Most Haunted House Will Give You Nightmares

 Don't Drive On This Haunted Street In Illinois Or You May Regret It

Don't Drive On This Haunted Street In Illinois Or You May Regret It

 Take A Ghost Walk Through Historic Galena Illinois, Then Dine At The Haunted DeSoto House Hotel

Take A Ghost Walk Through Historic Galena Illinois, Then Dine At The Haunted DeSoto House Hotel
Visitors have seen a phantom dog, a phantom horse, a lady in white, balls of light floating, and human-like apparitions that appear and disappear out of nowhere.
Refugio Sanchez/Google
People have also experienced cold spots, electronic interference, camera malfunctions, and audio anomalies. Paranormal seekers come here to experience these apparitions and supernatural activity themselves.
Due to all the paranormal activity that has been reported over the decades, Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is known worldwide and considered a historical landmark.
Bachelors Grove Cemetery/Facebook
Pretty cool if you ask us!
The most famous grave at the cemetery is marked "Infant Daughter" and is usually surrounded by flowers and toys left by visitors.
Bachelors Grove Cemetery/Facebook
It is believed that one apparition seen many times at the cemetery, the woman in white, is that of the mother of the baby buried under the tombstone.

Check out this intriguing news segment on the cemetery courtesy of FOX 32 Chicago:

Have you been to Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery before? If so, did you experience anything paranormal? Please tell us about your experience at Illinois’ most haunted cemetery in the comments. To learn more about this haunted graveyard in IL, and to view the map of paranormal locations, visit the website. You can also like the Facebook page where you can find photos and videos of the cemetery.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Bachelor's Grove Cemetery

Katie Lawrence | September 01, 2022

Where can I visit a haunted graveyard in Illinois?

Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is not the only haunted graveyard in Illinois.

  • You can visit another at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, and it is one of the spookiest places you will ever go. Located in the Lakeview neighborhood, this cemetery houses some of the most famous graves in the state, from athletes to authors to noteworthy political figures. The grounds are undeniably beautiful - but hauntingly so.
  • As with many graveyards, Graceland Cemetery has its fair share of ghost stories. Perhaps the most well-known paranormal encounters are with spectral dogs said to have belonged to the interred. Whether or not you experience any unexplained phenomena, this spooky spot belongs on your bucket list.

 

Are there any haunted hotels in Illinois?

Have you ever wanted to stay in a haunted hotel? If so, look no further than The DeSoto House Hotel in Galena.

  • One of the most haunted hotels in Illinois, this famous — and notorious — landmark is home to several unseen residents who have yet to check out. The DeSoto House is the oldest operating hotel in the state and places with such rich histories have often seen plenty of tragedy, as well. Indeed, the building caught fire in 1859, and a decade later, a steam boiler in the basement spontaneously combusted.
  • There is also the famous "Lady in Black," an apparition whose identity is unknown, but her presence has been confirmed by employees and guests alike.

 

Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in Illinois?

Did you know you can dine with ghosts in Illinois?

  • A haunted restaurant in IL, The Road House in Oregon dates to 1919, and the building that houses it was built a century earlier! Both a museum and restaurant, this small town eatery was the site of a gruesome murder.
  • A young woman named Mary Jane Reed, believed to have been a teenager at the time of her death, was killed in the restaurant where she enjoyed eating on a regular basis. Her murder remains unsolved, with no clear motive ever established, and her restless spirit is said to haunt the building in search of closure.

Related Articles

Explore Illinois

Featured Addresses
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, West Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, IL, USA