The Story Behind This Evil Place In Chicago Will Make Your Blood Turn Cold
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published October 31, 2017
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. 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. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
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Chicago’s most evil place is one you’re definitely familiar with. A historic hotel on Michigan Avenue you’ve passed a million times houses more haunts than a bad horror film. Ghost hunters have scoured this place, and the consensus is that it’s the most paranormal place in the city. Keep scrolling to learn how it became that way.
The Congress Hotel, widely considered the most haunted place in Chicago, was built for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
Dr. Holmes met women in the lobby of The Congress and then lured them to his own hotel nearby, which he also built for the World's Fair. He would eventually confess to murdering 27 people across the country, though many believed he was responsible for the deaths of many, many more.
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Al Capone plays a part in this tale too, as he kept a suite on the 8th floor of the north tower. Capone was a gangster during the prohibition era known for murdering many, maybe even at this hotel. It is believed that his spirit haunts the place to this day.
Another spirit that reportedly roams the halls is that of a hobo named Peg Leg Johnny. He is a goofy ghost trapped in this evil place who is known for flickering the lights and turning on appliances.
He lived in the hotel with her and his siblings as they waited for his father to arrive from Poland. When he did not show, the mother threw her children and herself from the window. Strangely, one body never made it to the morgue... that of a boy... and it is believed that its spirit plays tricks on visitors in the hallway.
Another strange occurrence takes place in the Gold Room, and it is known as the "Hand of Mystery."
The story goes that a worker got trapped behind a wall during construction and suffocated to death. Many have since reported seeing a spectral hand reaching out from the wall in the coat closet.
There is also a haunted banquet room called the Florentine Room. People have reported hearing female whispers when no one is around, and security have reported seeing chairs move on their own, as well as the sounds of knocking.
Most haunted of all is room 411. More people call security or demand to leave this room than any other.
Many do not have the stamina to stay the night, though it is available to rent if you dare. No one knows how this ghost came to be, but it manifests as a dark shadow at end of the bed that kicks the frame to disturb sleepers.
This evil place undoubtedly reminds you of the hotel in The Shining. It's a little creepy even without the haunts, and those who stay always have an intriguing time. Don't forget your ghost hunting gear for this one!
