The Party - Haunted Hotel #1. With the outbreak of World War II, the Government bought up the hotel to use as a training site for the US Army Air Forces. And no wonder. The Legacy of Congress Plaza Hotel's Haunted Room 441. Guests can expect to have . Visitors claim to be kicked awake by a shadow woman, with objects moving and hearing eerie noises. The Congress Plaza Hotel stands on Michigan Avenue in the middle of Chicago's Loop neighborhood. The hotel at 520 S. Michigan Ave. opened in 1893, in anticipation of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In bed in the dark, I couldn't stop thinking about the ghost stories I read when I first arrived at the hotel. For years Al Capone played cards every Friday night in a meeting room overlooking Grant Park, and rumors abound (though most certainly false) that he even owned the Congress for awhile. Chicago's Most Haunted Hotel: The Congress Plaza - CityPASS It has also been reported that the hotels previous owner, the notorious gangster Al Capone, has made the hotel his permanent residence after death. The hand is supposedly that of a worker who mistakenly got behind drywall during the hotels construction phase. The Congress Hotel has graced the Chicago skyline since 1893. Szabelski said people thought it was a ghost flipping their channels, but it was just that rapscallion of a retired judge. The Dark History Of The Congress Plaza Hotel. Sealed Rooms of The Hotel Congress. Indeed, the ghosts of the Congress are everywhere. No sightings of the mother have been reported, but feelings of panic, being watched, and even being chased have been described by guests. Congress Plaza Gallery | Hotels Near Millennium Park | Chicago As noted in a Chicago Tribune report reproduced online by Dr. Neil Gale, two wedding rings were found in the room with Ostheim's body. Wanting to stay put at the hotel, he mustered the strength to try to keep his son (and security guards) from opening the door. November 1, 2021 / 8:30 PM To my confusion, the place was lined with yellow caution tape. The 12th floor is considered the most haunted floor, causing some employees to refuse to work on it. As noted earlier, former President Theodore Roosevelt made the announcement at the hotel that he was leaving the Republican Party and forming a new party but the context was that he had just lost the presidential nomination for the GOP that year. In the lavish Gold Rooma hotspot for Chicago wedding receptionsbride and groom are often chilled by photographers' photos. But the ghosts of the Congress are not generally those of headline-grabbers. Old Joliet Prison Ghost Hunt, Joliet, Illinois. In May of 1966, Rockford attorney Frederick Haye was found naked and strangled with his shirt, his wrists and feet bound with his own socks. 1408 Raymond then shot himself as well. The boys had recently been attending a camp to learn English, but they didn't like it and they returned home, the Tribune account says. I spent 3 nights in Chicago's most haunted hotel, and it was - Yahoo There was no one in the lobby, there was no one in the restaurant, and there was no one in the halls. The hotel was renamed the Congress Hotel in 1911. Located on South Michigan Avenue, the hotel has been around for more than a century. America's first serial killer, Dr. H.H. It is said that America's first serial killer, Dr HH Holmes, meet his young female victims in the lobby of the hotel. As for things hotel guests can actually see, the Congress Plaza Hotel has plenty to offer just by stepping outside its front doors. Our investigation leads us to believe that Capone may have made an appearance or two but he did not live at the hotel like many have reported. I think that if we are not the best version of ourselves alone, how could we be the best version of ourselves in a relationship. Even ghost experts have declared that the most haunted spot in the hotel is Room 441, where a female ghost has said to kick visitors from their slumber from the foot of the bed. Privacy Policy - Terms of Use - Copyright Policy. A hobo is said to have been killed in the hotel many years ago. The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center has played host to U.S. presidents and world-famous celebrities, but mortal souls arent theonly visitorsthese days. These are only a few of the reasons theCongress Plaza Hotel isknown as one of the most haunted hotels in America. T. H. E PARTY. The Congress Plaza, where we begin our 1893 World's Fair Tour, is reputedly Chicago's most haunted historic building. A few years later, Benny Goodman broadcast his wildly popular radio show from the hotels Urban Room, a posh nightclub that drew the citys most coveted clientele, and in 1971, President Richard Nixon addressed the Midwest Chapters of the AARP and National Retired Teachers Association, speaking before no less than three thousand members and guests in the hotels Great Hall. The 14-story property (or maybe 15-story, as another mysterious rumor suggests a hidden, closed off 15th floor) is located in the heart of the city and is just a few feet from nearby classic Chicago attractions and things to do such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum, which are all included in Chicago CityPASS tickets, and, by the way, are not anywhere near as haunted as the Congress Plaza Hotel. It wasn't always that way. Director Tyler King Writer Tyler King Stars Corey Bailey Tyler King See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 5 User reviews 1 Critic review Photos 24 Top cast Edit Corey Bailey Corey Tyler King Tyler Director But it's not on the 12th floor. The gorgeous hotel still offers impeccable service and care to its guests. It was originally called the Auditorium Annex and it opened just in time for the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago and thousands of people thronged to visit the hotel. Teddy Roosevelt reportedly made that announcement in the Florentine Room at the hotel. The hotel didn't actually become The Congress Plaza until 1908. The hotel is also an ideal venue for weddings, exhibits and business meetings. The Great Fire of Chicago, which took place in 1871, devastated the city destroying almost everything in its path including killing more . Why it is okay to not be in a relationship when you are 19. However, Shakeel Siddiqui, the general manager of the hotel, told me these incidents are only rumors. Since I checked in the day before, I only saw one or two guests in the entire hotel. Step inside the hotels gilded lobby or swanky bar, and youll feel as though little has changed since the turn of the century (the hotel was built in 1893 during The Worlds Fair, but was completely swagged out by the 1940s). Another ballroom, the Florentine Room, was added in the North Tower. There was the night my worst fear as a ghost hunter came true: the sheets and blankets were peeled off me by unseen hands as I slept. Security guards say that, on their wee-hour rounds, cheerful organ music can still be heard from outside the locked doors, as well as the sound of old wooden skate wheels against the wooden floors. In the ones still available, guests and staff report seeing ghostly figures, hearing faint ghostly voices, feeling cold spots, and seeing objects move across the room, sometimes forcefully as if thrown from an unseen hand. Some have reportedly even photographed her. 4 Famous Ghost Stories From The Most Haunted Hotel In Illinois - Patch Keep reading: Check out 11 of Chicagos most haunted places, from Al Capone hangouts to H.H. Al Capones ghost has been reported in the hotel bar and lobby for decades now, and he was known to frequent the hotel in his life. Oops, there was an error sending your message. The Dark History Of The Congress Plaza Hotel - The Odyssey Online I was reminded of Stephen King's "The Shining" where the family spends the entire winter alone in a hotel. Two of Chicagos most historic hotels are also its most haunted. Rumors have long flown that it was a room here at the Congress Plaza that partly inspired writer Stephen King to create his short story, The presidents used the hotel as campaign headquarters, as a meeting place for caucuses, and for historic interviews. She then leapt out the window herself. These two famous public rooms combined with the Elizabethan Room and the Pompeian Room to host Chicagos elite social events of the day. It was originally called the Auditorium Annex as an adjunct to the Auditorium Building across what is now Ida B. Dont believe the ghostlyhype around the Congress Plaza? The 6-year-old Little Boy is waiting for you to visit the 12th floor. In August of 1950 a guest shot a Congress employee and then himself when the staff member came into the guestroom to collect on a $104 hotel bill for the jobless and distraught boarder. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sightings of Ostheim's ghost have been reported throughout the building. Holmes is known to have loitered aroundthe hotel lobby in search of new victims. About twenty years later, a long-time resident of the hotel who had a wooden right leg was having breakfast when he also suffered a heart-attack. The purple rug with the blue suede comforter made it feel like I was stepping back in time to the colorful '80s. Whatever the beliefs of others, my own experiences have firmly rooted this enigmatic spot at the pinnacle of my "Most Haunted." All right reserved. The 12th floor and 12th-floor roof access. The feeling I was completely alone in this hotel crept up again. In the South Tower, there is the phantom who lingers at the fifth floor passenger elevator, where moaning is frequently heard by guests awaiting its arrival. The nearby OHare Hilton, directly across from the airport entrance, was long rumored to have an uninhabitable roomone that just made guests so inexplicably uncomfortable that they literally couldnt sleep. Chicago Ghost Tours | Haunted Tours in the Windy City - Free Tours by Foot Head to the Congress Plaza Hotel for a glimpse of notorious crime boss Al Capone, a frequent guest at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge. I truly hope every girl can feel that way because, if they can not, I can not imagine how much they may suffer, or how much stress or anxiety they feel due to the need of being in a relationship. The Most Haunted Places in Chicago, IL | Haunted Rooms America Hong Kong CNN . Franks was kidnapped and murdered by his cousin Richard Loeb and his accomplice Nathan Leopold in 1924. The place has seen a lot over the years, and ghosts or no ghosts, the history of The Congress and its connection to the history of Chicago is frightening enough. The hotel opened in 1893 for the World's Fair. By the time the breathless guard caught up, hed simply vanished. Given the nickname Peg-Leg Johnny, his real identity remains a mystery, though he is reported to be the ghost of a hobo murdered behind the hotel. Then came the Night of Incessant Knocking, as we came to christen it: More than a dozen times through the night, someone rapped three times on our door, but no one stood by. There are many haunted places in Florida. This room does, in fact, remain. The Congress Plaza Hotel | Hotel on Michigan Ave Chicago Last updated on April 12, 2022 by Timothy Inklebarger. Among the multitude of haunted hotels in Chicago, however, none--or even all of them together--can touch the granddaddy of them all: the Congress Plaza. Yes, being in a relationship is fun, but yes every relationship has it's own personal struggles. Designed by architect Clinton J. Warren and built by developer R.H. Southgate, the original building went up in 1893 as an annex to Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adlers multipurpose Auditorium Building, called the Auditorium Annex. Many people report calling security because they see a woman standing or hovering over the bed, pushing or tugging on the bed, or pushing or tugging on the covers. During both WWI and WWII, The Congress Plaza housed immigrants and refugees from war-torn countries. Its thought that this is why he remains at the hotel, endlessly wandering the twelfth floor. Several rooms have since been closed off to the public and one was even thoroughly sealed due to high levels of paranormal activity. Please leave your valid email address below. But residents still see him from time to time, walking these hallowed halls with the rat-ta-tat of his two-tone wingtips. Columbia College students, native Chicagoans, and downtown tourists are all familiar with The Congress Plaza Hotel, an iconic building, historical landmark, and South Loop staple that dominates the view of Michigan Avenue from Buckingham Fountain. His wife was also at death's door but alive. Around 3 a.m., I made two decisions: First, I was going to sleep with the lights on, and second, if anything strange did happen to me, I would check out the next morning and get a new hotel. Chicago is heir to a bevy of spine-tingling ghost stories, from the Congress Hotel, reportedly one of the most haunted hotels in the country, to the site of the Valentine's Day Massacre. Though no staff member claims to remember why this room was sealed off forever, window washers tell us it was closed up with the furniture still inside, almost as if even the objects in the room were believed to be cursed. This "Landmark of Chicago Hospitality" was originally built over a hundred years ago to accommodate visitors coming for The Chicago World's Fair. Tony Szabelski of Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tours has, and he says he always tells people on tours that if there's any place in Chicago that's haunted, it's the Congress Hotel. The hotel notes it was also once known as the "Home of Presidents," with visits from presidents Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as they discussed campaign strategies. Other less notorious but just as notable names haunting these halls include the homeless hobo, "Peg Leg Johnny," who was said to have been murdered in the hotel many years ago. So what did the boy do? While the Congress Plaza is clearly teeming with apparitions, the hotels most enduring creepy legacy, perhaps, is connected to one of its real-life patrons, Americas first serial killer, Dr. H.H. Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Franklin Roosevelt all made the Congress their base of operations while in Chicago, leading to the hotels longtime moniker, The Home of Presidents.. A ghost of a male vagrant with a peg leg has also been throughout the building. So much is experienced by travelers. Located near Grant Park on Michigan Ave., with views of Lake Michigan, the Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center has been a Windy City icon since 1893, playing host to U.S. presidents, international celebrities and performers, foreign dignitaries and elite travelers from around the world. There was no noise coming from any of the hotel rooms. 1. Perhaps the most poignant ghosts, however, are those of the parents of Bobby Franks. On the other hand, Rafaels Steakhouse has a Midwestern menu served during dinner. But it's not on the 12th floor. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Built for the Worlds Fair in1893, the Congress Hotels famous, and spooky, history lays claim to many ghastly stories. The Congress Plaza Hotel in 2012. The Auditorium Annex as it looked in 1900. He died in 1969 at St. Anthony's Hospital. Also in the South Tower, a young boy of about ten has been a prolific presence, running up and down the halls in knee breeches and high button boots. Families can take advantage of the Art Institute, Symphony Center, Shedd Aquarium, Harold Washington Library, Auditorium Theatre, Adler Planetarium and Field Museum. She claimed they had taken the cyanide by accident, having confused it with epsom salts. Things like school, family, friends, dogs, or even ourselves. Hotels. While no one is known to have killed themselves or anyone else in Room 441, this one room is responsible for more calls to the front desk and security than any of The Congresss 871 guest rooms. It included a marble underground tunnel to the Auditorium Building called "Peacock Alley," the hotel website notes. In August of that year, Adele Langer, 43, came to the hotel with her two sons Karel Tommy, 6, and Jan Misha, 4 1/2. By visiting ChooseChicago.com, you are consenting to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center - Yelp The hotel prides itself on being a landmark of the city. But it's not all about ghosts at The Congress Plaza. Some say it's now haunted by his ghost. A great time to visit The Drake is during the Masquerade Ball: A Nightmare on Walton Street. Haunted Places in Florida : The Belleview Biltmore Hotel Resort It really felt like I was the only guest at the hotel. Last month, Travel & Leisure named the Congress Plaza Hotel the most haunted place in Illinois, which came as a shock to precisely zero Chicagoans. The metropolitan cities in Chicago have their history of ghosts, like Aurora's actively paranormal places. Check out our State Frights to find the scariest places in your state. See also: The Haunted Places Along Route 66. One of the oldest hotels in Chicago's South Loop, the Congress Plaza Hotel has an unmatched vintage charm that attracts many locals and tourists alike. The haunted Congress Plaza Hotel was built in 1893, 22 years after the Chicago fire killed 300 people and destroyed more than 3 square miles of the city. One of the most infamous suicides was that of Spanish-American War veteran Capt. 1 56 It's Haunted in there for sure! But Szabelski says people have experienced something disturbingly close to that scene from Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, "The Shining.". Some of the states most popular festivals are the Chicago Jazz Fest, Taste of Chicago, Chicago Criterium and Chicago Blues Fest. Chicago Hauntings: The Congress Hotel, The Home Of Presidents And In 1933, the Tampa Electric Company's dam was intentionally destroyed. I even imagined a ghost ripping the blankets off me. The Florentine Room, an ornately painted ballroom, was originally also used as a roller rink when the hotel opened to World's Fair visitors in the 1890s. Another ballroom, called the Florentine Room, was added to the North Tower in 1909. One of the oldest hotels in Chicagos South Loop, the Congress Plaza Hotel has an unmatched vintage charm that attracts many locals and tourists alike. It is said that news reports did not cover his death in a great deal of depth at the time focusing more on his younger brother Jan Misha. Now you wont even notice there was a door where 209s entrance once stood. Wells Drive. Szabelski says he most definitely considers it to be the most haunted in Chicago. When the Chicago Water Tower was built in 1869 using Lemont limestone, no one knew the devastation it would live through. As you can imagine, its a frequently requested reservation. You may find that history is more frightening than our urban legends. Spend The Night In A Historic Haunted Hotel, Congress Plaza In Illinois For the past 5 chilling years, Aloft Orlando Downtown and Hotel ReNault have converged into the frightful and wickedly delightful, Haunted Hotel. They remain there in the afterlife, it seems, and have been witnessed wandering the hotel, mourning their murdered son. I think that as a 19 year old girl that is in college, we often get caught up in the idea of being in a relationship. Columbia College students, native Chicagoans, and downtown tourists are all familiar with The Congress Plaza Hotel, an iconic building, historical landmark, and South Loop staple that dominates the view of Michigan Avenue from Buckingham Fountain. One of the most haunted hotels in Chicago, The Congress Plaza Hotel has a long history with the paranormal. Guests have reported the elevators mysteriously stopping at the most haunted floors, blankets being pulled off them in the middle of the night, and sounds of whispering at the bottom of their beds. Holmes. Its more accepted that Capones thugs were at the Congress dealing with business. If youre hunting for Capones ghost, try the haunted Arlington Hotel in Arkansaswhere he stayed on the 4th floor. China and Japan are the largest foreign . But have you ever actually been inside? Enjoy your stay. At that point, I couldn't put my finger on what felt odd about the hotel, but I remember feeling strange while walking through the lobby and during check-in. In 1911, the Annex had come into its own in terms of housing guests and was officially renamed the Congress Plaza Hotel after the nearby Congress Plaza section of the adjacent Grant Park. Truly, there seems to be no end to the historic tragedy or of its supernatural manifestations. A few days later, however,--broke and staying at St. Mary's Mission house on Peoria street--she tried to throw herself out a third story window and was promptly sent to a psychiatric hospital. Chicago's Most Haunted Hotels - FrightFind Lore contends that his mother, distraught over her immigrant status, became increasingly troubled and threw both her children from a hotel window in despair, jumpingout herself straight afterwards. Its said that this was the most haunted room in the hotel and was sealed shut. Most leave agreeing that they would rather be alone almost anywhere but in the hallways of this storied monument to Chicago's troubled past, full of sorrow and secrets, with always room for one more. Even now he remains, determined to live at the Congress forever. It happened on April 8, 1900, when the hotel had only been in business about seven years. , a gripping tale of a professionaland skepticalghost hunter who meets his match in a mysterious hotel room (1408) said to be too haunted to lease. Reportedly, this room has had the most ghost sightings, including the silhouette of a woman. In July of 1926 a Galesburg woman, Mrs. Harriet Harrison, staying at the Congress with her husband before a planned European excursion, took a wrong step and plunged six stories down an elevator shaft to the hotel basement. Map The Haunted Congress Plaza Hotel Built for the World's Fair in 1893, the Congress Hotel's famous, and spooky, history lays claim to many ghastly stories. At this age, we have SO many other things that we could focus on. Szabelski reports there is a security guard named John who has worked at the Congress Hotel for 30 years and still does. Little is known about this spooky hobo ghost, but the Internet tells us that the incorrigible spirit has an urge to turn room lights and electronics on and off, and generally cause havoc for guests. Many people have witnessed a heavy set man, roaming the halls at night, wearing an old suit. In June, I stayed at Chicago's Congress Plaza Hotel, which is considered Illinois' most haunted building. The Worlds Columbian Exposition or Chicago Worlds Fair was held that same year, and both buildings saw a flood of people. The Annexs original North Tower was designed by Clinton Warren, but Adler and Sullivan oversaw its development, including the addition of Peacock Alley (now shuttered), an ornate marble tunnel which runs under the street, joining the theater and the hotel. It was easily the largest hotel room I have ever stayed in, but the design choices felt dated to me. It's still the retired judge, except he's dead now. There were renovations to change lighting and bathroom fixtures. If you want to catch a thrill or experience a real haunted place, then we can get you there. (This isn't proven, but makes a great story) The young ladies were seeking employment in his pharmacy. As the clock ticks down toward an unprecedented US debt default, the world's second- and third-biggest economies are watching in fear. Its also considered the most haunted hotel in the city. As soon as I got to the end of one hallway, there was a heavy door that opened and led to another. There is the room fled by two Marines in 1989, running through the lobby in their boxer shorts at 3 a.m., with the later explanation that a towering black figure had entered the room from the closet and approached their beds, and the room where a woman slit her wrists in the bathtub after a night on Rush street in the 1970s, who is said to still be glimpsed during the night by weary boarders.
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