Illinois is a state with a rich history and culture, but also a state with many mysteries and secrets. From haunted houses and cemeteries to cryptids and UFOs, Illinois has its share of paranormal legends that will keep you awake at night. Here are some of the most fascinating and terrifying stories from the Prairie State.

Here are 20 paranormal legends and stories from Illinois:

1. The Murder Castle: The dark history of H.H. Holmes and his murder hotel in Chicago.
2. Resurrection Mary: A famous ghostly hitchhiker often seen along Archer Avenue in Chicago.
3. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery: Known for its haunting apparitions and mysterious phenomena.
4. The Enfield Horror: Reports of a strange creature attacking residents in Enfield in 1973.
5. Rockford Phantom: A legendary winged creature said to roam around Rockford.
6. The Peoria Screaming Ghost: An eerie legend of a woman who haunts Grandview Drive in Peoria.
7. The Phantom Regiment: Alleged ghostly appearances by Civil War soldiers in Rockford.
8. Chanute Air Force Base: Stories of paranormal activity at this former military base in Rantoul.
9. The Ashmore Estates: An abandoned asylum in Ashmore known for ghostly encounters.
10. The Alton Hauntings: Reports of ghosts and unexplained events in Alton, including the infamous McPike Mansion.
11. The Ghost of Resurrection Mary: A tragic story of a girl killed in a car accident in the 1930s who is said to haunt the area.
12. Big Muddy Monster: A creature resembling Bigfoot, reported near the Big Muddy River.
13. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: The site of a notorious gangland murder in Chicago is rumored to be haunted.
14. The Melon Heads: Legends of deformed, cannibalistic beings in the forests of Kirtland.
15. The Leoria Ape Woman: A mysterious creature resembling a Bigfoot or ape reportedly spotted in Leoria.
16. The Phantom Clown of Chicago: Reports of a creepy clown who lured children into the woods.
17. The McHenry Theater Ghost: Alleged hauntings at the McHenry Downtown Theater.
18. The Kincaid Mounds: Ancient burial mounds with tales of supernatural occurrences.
19. The Tammen Hall Ghost: Rumors of a ghostly presence at the Tammen Hall building in Chicago.
20. Chicago O’Hare UFO Incident: In 2006, multiple airport personnel reported a UFO sighting at O’Hare International Airport.

Let’s dig a little deeper into a few legends…

The Murder Castle of H.H. Holmes

One of the most notorious serial killers in American history, H.H. Holmes, operated his own house of horrors in Chicago in the late 1800s. Holmes owned a pharmacy and a hotel across the street, which he secretly turned into a labyrinth of death traps, torture chambers, and disposal methods. He lured unsuspecting guests, employees, and lovers into his hotel, where he killed them in various gruesome ways. He also sold their body parts to medical schools and used their skeletons for his own experiments. Holmes confessed to killing 27 people, but some estimate that he may have killed as many as 200.

The hotel was dubbed the “Murder Castle” by the press, and it was demolished in 1938. However, the site is still haunted by the ghosts of Holmes and his victims. The post office that now stands on the site has reported strange noises, screams, orbs, and cold spots. Some people have even seen Holmes’s ghost walking around the building, wearing his signature hat and coat.

The Ghost Elephants of Woodlawn Cemetery

In 1918, a tragic train accident killed almost 100 circus workers near Hammond, Indiana. The train was carrying the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, which was on its way to Chicago for a performance. The train collided with another train that was parked on the same track, causing a massive fire and explosion. Many of the circus workers were burned alive or crushed by the debris. Among the victims were several elephants, who were also part of the circus.

The bodies of the circus workers were buried in a mass grave in Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois. The grave is marked by a statue of five elephants with their trunks lowered in mourning. The section of the cemetery is known as Showmen’s Rest, and it is said to be haunted by the spirits of the circus performers and animals. People have reported hearing circus music, laughter, applause, and elephant trumpets coming from the cemetery at night. Some have even seen ghostly elephants walking among the tombstones.

The Devil Baby of Hull House

Hull House was a settlement house founded by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr in 1889. It was a place where immigrants, workers, women, and children could receive education, health care, and social services. It was also a place where rumors of a devil baby circulated for decades.

According to legend, a devil baby was born in Hull House in the early 1900s. The baby was said to have horns, hooves, red eyes, and a tail. Some versions of the story say that the baby was the result of a curse placed on an abusive husband by his wife. Others say that the baby was the offspring of a woman who had married an atheist or a Jew. Whatever the origin, the baby was supposedly taken in by Jane Addams and hidden in the attic of Hull House.

Many people came to Hull House to see the devil baby, but Jane Addams denied its existence. She wrote an article debunking the legend and explaining its social and psychological causes. However, some people still believe that the devil baby was real and that it haunts Hull House to this day. They claim to hear its cries and laughter from the attic or see its face in the windows.

The Big Muddy Monster of Murphysboro

Illinois is not only home to ghosts, but also to cryptids – mysterious creatures that defy scientific explanation. One such creature is the Big Muddy Monster, which is said to inhabit the swamps and woods near Murphysboro. The monster is described as a hairy bipedal creature with glowing red eyes and a foul odor. It is similar to Bigfoot or Sasquatch, but with some aquatic features.

The first sighting of the Big Muddy Monster occurred in 1973, when a young couple parked their car near a boat ramp on Riverside Park Road. They heard a loud splash in the water and saw a large creature emerge from the river. The creature walked towards their car, leaving behind wet footprints on the ground. The couple drove away in fear and reported their encounter to the police.

The police investigated the scene and found evidence of something large and heavy having been there. They also heard strange noises coming from the woods nearby. The next night, another couple had a similar experience at the same location. They also saw a large creature with red eyes approaching their car.

Since then, there have been several more sightings of the Big Muddy Monster in Murphysboro and surrounding areas. Some people have even claimed to have taken photos or videos of the creature, but none of them have been verified. The Big Muddy Monster remains a mystery and a legend in Illinois.

The UFO Crash of Rockford

Illinois has also been a hotspot for UFO sightings and encounters. One of the most famous incidents happened in Rockford in 2003. On January 5, 2003, several witnesses reported seeing a triangular-shaped object with bright lights flying over the city. The object was followed by several military jets, which seemed to be chasing it. The object then crashed into a wooded area near the Rock River, causing a loud explosion and a fire.

The witnesses called 911 and reported the crash, but when the police and firefighters arrived, they found nothing. The area was cordoned off by the military, who claimed that it was a routine training exercise and that nothing unusual had happened. However, some people believe that the military was covering up the truth and that they had retrieved a crashed alien spacecraft from the site.

Some evidence for this theory includes the fact that the witnesses described the object as being unlike any aircraft they had ever seen, and that it made no sound as it flew. Also, some people claim to have seen strange lights and activity in the area after the crash, suggesting that the military was still conducting operations there. Some even say that they have seen alien beings or bodies being transported from the site.

Whether it was a secret military project or an extraterrestrial visitor, the UFO crash of Rockford remains one of the most intriguing and controversial events in Illinois history.

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Here is a list of more paranormal legends from Illinois, including ghosts, cryptozoological creatures, UFOs, EBE, etc.

6. The Resurrection Mary of Archer Avenue: A young woman who died in a car accident while returning from a dance in the 1930s. 

7. The Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery: A small abandoned cemetery in Midlothian that is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in the country.

8. The Seven Gates to Hell of Collinsville: A series of railroad bridges that cross over Lebanon Road in Collinsville. According to legend, if you drive through all seven bridges at night, you will enter hell. 

9. The Enfield Horror: A three-legged creature with red eyes and claws that terrorized the town of Enfield in 1973. It attacked a young boy and his family, leaving behind scratch marks on their door.

10. The McPike Mansion of Alton: A historic mansion in Alton that was built in 1869 by Henry McPike, a prominent businessman and horticulturist. The mansion is said to be haunted by several ghosts, including McPike himself, his wife, his servants, and a former caretaker named Paul Laichinger.