The Best Haunted Graveyard Tours In Chicago
By Meredith Lyons
The Halloween Spirit is upon us and what is more ghostly than a visit to a cemetery? In the spirit of the season, take a step closer to the end and tour one of Chicagoland's famously haunted cemeteries.
Graceland Cemetery
4001 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 525-1105
Graceland Cemetery Tours
Graceland Cemetery is one of Chicago's oldest cemeteries, founded in 1860. The beautiful cemetery houses many famous grave sites, including George Pullman and Marshall Field among others. The cemetery itself is well maintained and is a very picturesque place for a peaceful walk. The walls all but shut out city noises and the grounds are vast, allowing for hours of walking time should you be so inclined. The cemetery staff itself does not host tours, although the staff does hand out free maps and are generally friendly and full of helpful suggestions. People may walk about on their own or create their own tour groups. Tour groups must register in advance and sign in upon arrival and buses and large vehicles are not allowed. There are rumors of ghosts that haunt certain areas of the grounds. A spectral dog has been seen guarding the grave of Ludwig Wolff, a young girl in outdated clothes has been reported near the statue of Inez Clark and it has even been reported that the statue itself disappears during thunderstorms, reappearing afterwards. Other visitors have reported seeing a girl reading a diary under a tree in broad daylight.
Related: Best Historical Sites In Chicago
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery
143rd St. and Midlothian Turnpike
Midlothian, IL 60445
www.bachelorsgrove.com
Although Bachelor's Grove is not a cemetery typically run with a grounds staff and tours, it is perfectly legal to visit and is reportedly one of the most haunted cemeteries in the United States. Any are welcome to visit, but be respectful as the cemetery has often been the target of vandals, which became reportedly worse when it closed in the 1960s. Visitors claim various consistent apparitions from a ghost dog at the entrance to a farm house on the trail that appears and then vanishes. Ghosts even haunt the Midlothian Turnpike and drivers have reported seeing an old man with a horse and plow cross the road and then vanish. Ghost vehicles have appeared and vanished also, even ghostly red orbs moving too quickly to identify have been reported.
Resurrection Cemetery
7200 Archer Road
Justice, IL 60458
(708) 458-4770
Perhaps the most famous ghost in Chicago, Resurrection Mary has reportedly been seen quite often in various locations on Archer Road. She will accept a ride and then at some point, demand that the car to be stopped and disappear. There have been other reports of her even running out into the road and being struck by a vehicle before vanishing or being seen lying by the side of the road and vanishing before authorities can arrive. The grounds to the cemetery are well kept and you may even be surprised by the number of deer that make a home there.
Rosehill Cemetery
5800 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 561-5940
www.rosehillcemetery.com
The largest of Chicago's cemeteries, Rosehill also holds its share of famous burials including 18 former Chicago mayors. Two such famous personages, Aaron Montgomery Ward and Richard Sears, were reportedly rivals while alive and the ghost of Sears has been seen walking toward Ward's tomb. Literal moaning and chain rattling have been heard from the mausoleum of Charles Hopkins on the anniversary of his death. Many more such hauntings are said to take place within Rosehill, click here for a more detailed description. Guided tours of the cemetery are offered on Saturdays. If you choose to explore on your own, be sure to visit the Dignity Memorial building to obtain a map and helpful suggestions. It is easy to get lost as the cemetery is very large.
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Meredith Lyons is an actor, competitive fighter and fitness instructor in Chicago who also owns an amazing cat named Jake. Meredith has been writing on Examiner as the Chicago Martial Arts Examiner since 2008. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
