What do H.H. Holmes, Al Capone, the 1893 World's fair, and Theodore Roosevelt have in common?
The Congress Plaza Hotel.
.jpg)
Taken from the hotel's website, "located across from Grant Park, with views of Lake Michigan, the Congress Plaza Hotel 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. The Congress Plaza Hotel has long been a symbol of privilege among executives, families and leisure guests seeking to explore the best the city has to offer. One of Chicago's most legendary hotels, this building doesn't just play host to the living, it is also recognized as one of Chicago's most haunted locations.
With 871 guest rooms and suites, the Congress Plaza hotel was built by famous hotel developer R.H. Southgate for the World’s Columbian Exposition, now called the World's Fair. With its unique façade as the centerpiece, the elaborately designed hotel soon became a favorite among Chicago’s captains of industry, society, politics and culture. Many famous people have stayed at the hotel, including several U.S. Presidents. In fact, the Congress Plaza Hotel was once known as the “Home of Presidents” among Chicago hotels.
Presidents Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Franklin Roosevelt all rallied their partisans to discuss campaign strategies and in 1932, the hotel was back in the limelight serving as the command post for President-elect Franklin Roosevelt and the Democratic Party".
With all of this history, how could you avoid the paranormal?
Sealed rooms, roaming spirits, residual energy, the hotel is home to a few major hauntings, ghostly happenings, and even more Lore surrounding the halls. Some of the most notorious and most documented include:
Most known for his "Horror Castle" and reign of terror in Chicago, Dr. Henry H. Holmes used the Congress Plaza Hotel to draw in young woman and visitors from the fair. Missing woman were reported and some have said that Holmes had killed 27 women and other reports include even more. He was never convicted in Chicago, and there was no evidence linking him to his house of horrors in Englewood, but visitors, employees, and paranormal enthusiasts believe the ghost of H.H. Holmes wanders the hallways looking for woman to to enrapture in his arms and murder at his Murder Castle.
For years, Al Capone's ghost has been rumored to hang out in the hotel's bar and lobby. A noted hangout for the mobster, Capone would hold "business meetings" in the hotel and many of his business associates (some of the most dangerous people in Chicago) lived in the hotel in the 20's and 30's. It's reported that the corridors beneath the hotel were used for smuggling, among other dark deeds.
Peg-Leg Johnny/South Tower
Named after his peg leg, the ghost's true identity remains a mystery. Sightings of him have been reported in many rooms throughout the Congress Hotel, including the lobby, dining room and on many floors. It's believed that Peg-Leg Johnny was a homeless man who lived, and was murdered, in the alley behind the hotel before it was built. His ghost is the most reported apparition in the hotel, and he's known for turning on and off lights and appliances.
Mother and Sons/12th Floor/North Tower
The ghost of a six-year-old boy has been reportedly running around in the hotel. It's believed that during WWI, a young mother came to stay in the hotel with her two sons. She was supposed to wait for her husband to arrive so they could all start a new life in Chicago. But, as the story goes, her husband never arrived, and the distraught mother threw herself and her sons out of a hotel window to their deaths.
Guests staying in this room make more calls to security and the front desk than those staying in any other room in the hotel. People staying in room 441 report seeing the dark figure of a woman who kicks them awake. Guests also report seeing objects moving and hearing terrifying noises. The room inspired Stephen King to write his famous story 1408, about a hotel room that is notorious for causing suicides. No suicides in the real room 441 however have been reported.
A popular spot for weddings and parties that go late in the night. Some guests have seen tables and chairs move by themselves. Others have heard a young lady’s voice whisper in their ear.
These rooms were sealed, locked, and permanently removed from the hotel. Rumors are that it is so haunted and terrifying that it had to be sealed off. Guests report that they can find the sealed off area and that it sounds like a room is behind the hollow area.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, you can't deny that the Congress Plaza Hotel is full of rich Chicago and American history. Even the hotel embraces it's haunted history each October by hosting the Haunted Halloween Ball.
If you're ever in Chicago, even if you don't stay or visit, make sure to check out the Congress Plaza Hotel's location, beautiful structure, and surrounding area. The hotel has been featured on the podcasts "And That's Why We Drink" episode #55 and "History Goes Bump in the Night" episode #187.
Stay spooky, friends.
Ciao, Courtney
Note: For full articles on each haunting, click the hyperlink. All stories are attributed to their original owner.
Comments