Illinois, a state rich in history and mystery, is home to some of the most haunted places in the United States. From abandoned asylums and eerie cemeteries to historic hotels and theatres with tragic pasts, these locations are steeped in ghostly legends and spine-chilling encounters. Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer, tales of disembodied voices, cold spots, and ghostly apparitions have drawn paranormal enthusiasts from around the world.
In this article, we explore the 10 most haunted places in Illinois—each with its own terrifying story that continues to haunt those brave enough to visit.
1. Manteno State Mental Hospital (Manteno)
Opened in 1930, this institution witnessed a brutal typhoid outbreak in 1939, claiming 47 lives. Overcrowding, neglect, and malpractice followed. Although now repurposed as a veteran facility, reports persist of icy cold spots, disembodied footsteps, and whispers echoing through empty wings
2. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery (Midlothian)
A small graveyard of only 82 plotted burials offers outsized hauntings. The infamous “White Lady”—a pale apparition cradling a child—has been spotted drifting across moonlit headstones.
3. Rialto Square Theatre (Joliet)
Built in 1926, this opulent “movie palace” harbors tragic tales: rumors of lovers and a young boy plunging from the balcony. Paranormal teams like Ghost Hunters have documented unexplained footsteps, shadow figures, and an unsettling atmosphere .
4. McPike Mansion (Alton)
This 1871 Italianate-Victorian mansion is the centerpiece of Alton—America’s most haunted small town. Visitors report fleeting faces at windows, laughing children, and the sight of a man in period attire staring down at the grounds. Numerous investigations have named it one of Illinois’s most haunted estates.
5. Englewood Post Office (Chicago)
Built on the grounds of H.H. Holmes’s notorious “Murder Castle,” workers say the basement still sends chills down their spines. Terrifying sensations, anxiety, and the feeling of being watched echo Holmes’s sinister past .
6. Lincoln Park Zoo & Couch Mausoleum (Chicago)
Sitting atop the old City Cemetery, the zoo and surrounding park retain the names of early ghosts. The Couch Mausoleum is infamous—once a temporary morgue during the Great Fire and the site of numerous paranormal sightings. Over 12,000 unexhumed bodies lie beneath the grounds, adding to the eerie lore.
7. Congress Plaza Hotel (Chicago)
Dubbed Illinois’s most haunted hotel by Travel & Leisure and Choose Chicago, this majestic downtown landmark boasts chilling stories:
- “Peg Leg Johnny”—a phantom man murdered in the alley behind.
- A mischievous boy’s shadow on the 12th floor, tied to a grim maternal tragedy.
- Room 441, with flickering lights, floating objects, and odd energy—rumored to have inspired Stephen King’s “1408”.
8. Iroquois Theatre / Nederlander Theatre (“Death Alley”) (Chicago)
The site of the horrific 1903 Iroquois Theatre fire, killing ~600. Today, whispers claim to echo from “Death Alley,” with unexplained touches and crying voices heard near the Nederlander Theatre.
9. Ashmore Estates (Ashmore)
Once a paupers’ farm turned psychiatric hospital, Ashmore Estates is often cited as Illinois’s creepiest haunted house. Visitors report hearing disembodied whispers, doors slamming behind them, and intense paranormal activity during tours
10. Cave-in-Rock State Park (Cave-In-Rock)
This sandstone cave along the Ohio River is steeped in folklore—stories tell of 18th–19th century bandits and pirates using it as a hideout. Visitors to the present day speak of ghostly footsteps, rusty chains in the darkness, and sudden chills.
Illinois brims with haunted history—from Gothic mansions and eerie theaters to ghost-laden hotels and natural caverns. Whether you’re exploring Chicago’s storied streets or the small-town spookiness of Alton and Ashmore, each destination offers a unique and chilling glimpse into the paranormal.