Despite being known for its vibrant cities and extensive history, Illinois has a darker side that has captured people’s attention for generations. Beneath the picturesque cities and tranquil countryside is a realm of paranormal activity and hauntings.
Come along with us as we explore the most notorious places where the ghosts of the past stalk the haunting heartland of Illinois. As we reveal the terrifying tales hidden in these ghost villages in Illinois, get ready to feel chilled.
Acid Bridge, Collinsville, Illinois
A car load of drug-addled adolescents met a tragic end when they lost control of their vehicle and perished instantly in the narrow creek bed below Acid Bridge, the most haunted bridge on the route.
The next location on the list of the most haunted locations in Illinois is Lebanon Road, which has seven bridges together known as “The Seven Gates of Hell.” These bridges are said to be gates to the underworld, guarded by ferocious hellhounds with jowls full of savage rage.
As they drive over the paranormal location late at night, visitors describe feeling uneasy, hearing unusual noises, and experiencing a rapid dip in temperature.
Peoria State Hospital, Bartonville, Illinois
There is not much left of the enormous Peoria State Hospital, which was formerly known as the Illinois Asylum for the Incurably Insane. Out of the 63 original buildings on campus, only twelve still intact today, including Pollack Hospital, which was formerly a tuberculosis unit.
Together with the four on-site graveyards where thousands of patients were interred, this edifice is the site of the most paranormal activity. Old Book, a gravedigger who is renowned for sobbing behind an elm tree whenever someone passes away, is one of them.
In his book Befriending the Bereft, Dr. George Zeller claimed that hundreds of witnesses saw a full-body apparition of the guy standing beneath the “Crying Tree” on the day of Old Book’s funeral.
McPike Mansion, Alton, Illinois
An abandoned 16-acre mansion on a sizable 15-acre plot of ground that nature has reclaimed over the last 60 years is the McPike Mansion, a renowned spooky site.
The home appears to be glowing with mysterious energy while being empty. Both the previous and present owners have reported seeing orbs, footsteps, weird mists, moving objects, and eerie voices that pierced the stagnant air of the run-down structure.
A dozen different spirits, including Native Americans, the original owners, servants, and runaway slaves, have been seen by tourists, though opinions on who is exactly walking these grounds range.
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Devil’s Bake-Oven, Grand Tower, Illinois
The Devil’s Bake-Oven, a 100-foot-tall bluff that overlooks the Mississippi River, has seen its fair share of tragedy. Historians from the area mention that pirates would assault boats passing through the bays, taking their goods and people with them.
Travelers would be sacrificed by the Algonquian tribes to placate the ravenous monster because they thought the river was home to the Manitou deity.
However, Esmerelda’s narrative is the most depressing. She was the daughter of a supervisor of an iron factory who had a romantic relationship with a riverboat pilot.
Esmerelda was kept sequestered in her chamber by her father, who opposed her getting married. She took off running and threw herself into the jagged rocks below the edge.
It is said by the locals that explorers going out late at night may see a misty figure appear in the dark night and hear the girl wailing echoing through the trees.
Read Also: Haunted Delaware: The Chilling Secrets of Woodburn Mansion
Crenshaw Mansion, Equality, Illinois
This family home dates back to the 1830s, when it was constructed by John Crenshaw, a man who made his career by capturing emancipated African Americans and reselling them into slavery.
The fact that Big Jim, a former slave, is said to still be alive adds to its fame as a significant stop on the Reverse Underground Railroad. He wasn’t the only African American to find himself chained in what was effectively a terror dungeon—Crenshaw’s attic.
Visitors report hearing chains rattle and seeing blood suddenly appear in rivulets down the walls, all while the eerie sound of the dying groaning for release from their cell fills them with fear.
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To Conclude
The ghost towns of Illinois provide a spooky look into the sinister side of the state. These places have captivated people’s attention for years, from the terrible stories of Acid Bridge to the eerie apparitions of Peoria State Hospital.
Illinois’ eerie heartland guarantees a spine-tingling journey, whether of your belief in the paranormal or just love a good scare.
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