The Congress Plaza Hotel stands on Michigan Avenue in the middle of Chicago's Loop neighborhood. The Historic Hotel Congress is an eclectic urban resort destination providing an immersive entertainment experience through art, music, and food forever connected to the vibrant history of Tucson, Arizona. The hotel at 520 S. Michigan Ave. opened in 1893, in anticipation of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The sheer variety of phenomena reported and experienced at this massive structure is mind-boggling. They both ingested two cyanide capsules, though Mrs. Davis ultimately survived and wound up committed to a psychiatric hospital. "We never experience any paranormal activity in any of our rooms. Oct 29 | Haunted Hotel Halloween Ball 2022 at Congress Plaza Hotel on 520 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, USA. Reporters Notebook: My Stay in "Chicago's Most Haunted Hotel" Though the causes behind this haunting are anyones guess, it is creepy enough that all the reports and complaints are so similar in nature. Still others claim you can't even place it anymore: it's been papered over to remove any sign that it was every there. 2023 FrightFind, All Rights Reserved. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. , 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. When he questioned the kid, Karel Jr. simply grinned at him and faded away right before his eyes. Haunted Hotel Baker, St. Charles, Illinois, Haunted Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Haunted Ambassador Hotel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Haunted Hotel Retlaw, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. But residents still see him from time to time, walking these hallowed halls with the rat-ta-tat of his two-tone wingtips. CHECK AVAILABILITY "The Landmark of Hospitality in Chicago", the Congress Plaza Hotel, has been giving travellers and businessmen alike the time of their lives with splendid service for more than a century. Get exclusive access to haunted news, spooky contests, and more! Written story by Adam Harrington. China and Japan are the largest foreign . FrightFind's guide to the top haunted hotels in the US. 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. 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. Wells Drive. The Congress Plaza Hotel | Hotel on Michigan Ave Chicago Not sure where to start? That night, he awoke from a particularly brutal episode and in his daze reached for his gun. In Room 474 a once-resident judge eternally changes the channels on his cherished television set. 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. When he looked up for just a split second, the little boy was standing in front of him. The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center - Tripadvisor The hand is supposedly that of a worker who mistakenly got behind drywall during the hotels construction phase. What could possibly have gone on inside those walls? "The original conception was an annex with a faade designed to complement Louis Sullivan's Auditorium Building across the street, at the time housing a remarkable hotel, theater and office complex," the hotel says on its website. The hotel has not been up to its full capacity because of limited global travel. Its speculated that Captain Lou may still be searching for the woman who he had planned to marry. Langer's widower described the family's despair at being forced to flee Nazi influence in their homeland, leaving behind home and family. The Congress is said to be home to dozens of ghosts. Peg Leg Johnny, as some people call him, has been seen by employeeshopping around the hotel. Once he was spotted by a security guard who ended up chasing him all the way to the roof. Over the decades, it has undergone many transformations and seen many guests. Security reports getting many calls from people saying their TV channels changing on their own. With a 125-year history, the hotel has seen plenty of ups and downs. Later that same year, an insurance salesman--Andrew Mack--called on a friend at his Congress Plaza hotel room before also walking to the Lake and apparently drowning himself at the foot of Van Buren street. Unbelieving, the young man convinces the hotels manager to let him have the room for a night, though the previous tenants all took their own lives during their stays in it. In bed in the dark, I couldn't stop thinking about the ghost stories I read when I first arrived at the hotel. Seating will be available in the Palm Court and Club International rooms on a first-come, first-served basis. Capone isnt the only ghost taking up residence at the hotel, however. Haunted Places in Florida : The Belleview Biltmore Hotel Resort that the hotel's nickname is "Home of Presidents", pulled off them in the middle of the night. Whatever the beliefs of others, my own experiences have firmly rooted this enigmatic spot at the pinnacle of my "Most Haunted." The Auditorium Annex as it looked in 1900. Indeed, the ghosts of the Congress are everywhere. Another ballroom, the Florentine Room, was added in the North Tower. Congress Plaza Gallery | Hotels Near Millennium Park | Chicago John did not believe in ghosts until he started working at the Congress Hotel, Szabelski says. It seemed the hallways went on forever. Families can take advantage of the Art Institute, Symphony Center, Shedd Aquarium, Harold Washington Library, Auditorium Theatre, Adler Planetarium and Field Museum. Siddiqui later told me the tape was used to direct people at a veterans event at the hotel, but the information did little to ease my panic and confusion in the moment. Although the hallway leading up to room 441 was no different than the others, it definitely felt different. Six years after that, a woman named Harriet Harrison also fell to her death down an empty elevator shaft from six stories up. Haunted Hotels and Attractions In and Around Chicago - Trip101 In 1910, a man named James Kennedy checked in, went to his room, cut all the identification tags out of his clothes, burned all his papers, and shot himself. Last month, Travel & Leisure named the Congress Plaza Hotel the most haunted place in Illinois, which came as a shock to precisely zero Chicagoans. Ostheim had served in the First United States Artillery during the Spanish-American War. The hotel prides itself on being a landmark of the city. In fact, King spent a few nights at the Congress Plaza Hotel and, according to Patch, his story "1408" was inspired by one of the rooms, 441, at this Chicago hotel. The Haunted Congress Plaza Hotel | Haunted Chicago - Ghost City Tours The Congress changed hands one last time in 1987, winding up under the ownership of investor and philanthropist Albert Nasser. Its eleven story edifice was originally designed by architect Clinton J. Warren as an annex to the Auditorium Theater across the street. Many guests say theyve seen the ghosts of these poor souls, mainly in the spots they died. Two of Chicagos most historic hotels are also its most haunted. And no wonder. He has acquired the nickname "Peg Leg Johnny.". Guests will be delighted with the plethora of Chicago dining options that are available. Find some of the places that make the bravest scare seakers tremble in their boots. But the North Tower? The hotel is also an ideal venue for weddings, exhibits and business meetings. As for sleeping rooms, only one guest room in the South Tower is reported to be haunted: Room 905, where constant phone static has bedeviled guests for years. 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. I spent 3 nights in Chicago's most haunted hotel, and it was - Yahoo The two buildings were linked by a marble-lined underground passage called Peacock Alley.After opening for business in 1893, for the . 520 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago Loop, Chicago, IL 60605 , USA. In 1920, a man died of alcohol poisoning from poorly made moonshine. The two said they did it for the thrill of it. It was the court case of the century, and reports at the time noted that the Franks family left their home to avoid gawkers, moving to The Drake, where they spent the rest of their days. See also: The Haunted Places Along Route 66. She then leapt out the window herself. The 871 guest rooms and suites of The Congress Plaza Hotel are notable for providing posh accommodationsand incredible viewsfor visitors to Chicago. But the Congress Hotel also has a longstanding reputation as the home of ghosts. The presidents used the hotel as campaign headquarters, as a meeting place for caucuses, and for historic interviews. Still others claim you can't even place it anymore: it's been papered over to remove any sign that it was every there. Holmes, would meet young women in the lobby of the hotel, only to murder them a . However, ghost experts report that the hotels most haunted spot isRoom 441, where a female ghost reportedly kicks guests awake from the foot of the bed. But if you can not be the best version of you alone, what is going to happen when (if) that "perfect relationship" does not work out? Plus, there's the story of two children who were pushed from a 12th-story window by their mother. As for others, legend has it that a lone man roams the eighth floor, where the elevator is said to stop frequently, even though no one has pushed a button. Endless, it seems are the stories that echo the tale of James Kennedy, a New York man who checked in, alone, in May of 1910. Teddy Roosevelt reportedly made that announcement in the Florentine Room at the hotel. Two years later, three more opulent spaces were added to the now-North Tower: a ballroom and two other event rooms called the Florentine Room, Elizabethan Room, and the Pompeian Room. Guests report seeing the same thing: the shadowy outline of a woman. The hotel was used as a broadcast location for a Benny Goodman NBC radio show, Eight US Presidents and other heads of state have stayed at the hotel, Several suicides and many other deaths have occured here, The fourth and twelfth floors are said to be the most haunted. The 12th floor and 12th-floor roof access. But it's not on the 12th floor. It is worth mentioning that the Congress Plaza Hotel located on Michigan Avenue in Chicago is considered one of the most haunted hotels in the country. Some have ventured that this room was simply put out of use because of its stigmatized number, but there is definitely more to this story. When in reality, I do not think that is actually something that exists at this age. 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. It really felt like I was the only guest at the hotel. 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. The South Tower construction included a magnificent banquet hall, now known as the Gold Room, which would become the first hotel ballroom in America to use air-conditioning. Is this the ghost of Al Capone? 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 Congress Plaza Hotel in 2012. Richardson saw his heavily-mortgage investment destroyed and found himself bankrupt. But for true Halloween-loving, ghost-story devotees, there are other corners of the city with chillingly fascinating stories. The real-life 1408 was always believed to exist on the Congresss most haunted floor: the 12th floor of the older North Tower. All I know is it was definitely haunted. Zombies, werewolves and vampires might be filling the movie lots and soundstages of Hollywood. Noxious odors and disembodied voices are reportedly rife in the building, now an apartment development. Frank Olito/ Insider In June, I stayed at Chicago's Congress Plaza Hotel, which is considered Illinois' most haunted building.. Oops, there was an error sending your message. The hotel boasts of larger bathrooms, high ceilings, and expansive views, things which youre not likely to find with most hotel rooms of today. As the clock ticks down toward an unprecedented US debt default, the world's second- and third-biggest economies are watching in fear. 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. Here are some of the most notoriously haunted hotels and attractions in and around Chicago. This room does, in fact, remain. Guessing at his identity, some tie him to one of the many families who made their homes at the hotel in years gone by, and the all-too-common deaths from then-incurable illnesses like tuberculosis and pneumonia. He describes it as being "very creepy" inside. The Sulphur Springs Water Tower - Haunted Tampa - Nightly Spirits The Florentine Room is supposedly the most haunted spot in Chicag's most haunted historic building. Hotel Congress Haunted Tales. He appears as a shadowy figure that glides through the halls, often following guests and staff. We found dozens of ghost stories that gave me chills. Six years later, a mining investor named Morse Davis and his wife formed a suicide pact in Room 312. If you would like to unwind with a cocktail, you can go to the Tavern Tap Pub. In the 1930s, his mother was worried about being sent back to Nazi Germany, so in a complete panic, she threw her son out the window. Meanwhile, Szabelski reports Room 441 on the fourth floor of the South Tower is considered by many to be the most haunted room in the hotel. 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. It happened on April 8, 1900, when the hotel had only been in business about seven years. But have you ever actually been inside? The hotel has also played host to presidents, celebrities, performers and foreign dignitaries. The Haunted Drake Hotel, Chicago | Haunted Rooms America At some point in time, the spot where this room's door should be was drywalled over, a piece of baseboard patched in to connect the wood where the doorway once stood. haunted Arlington Hotel in Arkansaswhere he stayed on the 4th floor. Meanwhile, on the 12th floor of the North Tower, Szabelski notes that some of the doors don't match. The third floor hallways are home to a one-legged man, often reported to the front desk by guests who think a vagrant has found his way inside. If you get a chance to visit The Congress Plaza Hotel yourself, keep an eye out for any apparitions and uneasy feelings. The Haunted Halloween Ball will sellout the Congress Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Chicago ! Your first stop is the Congress Hotel, known as the most haunted hotel in Chicago. 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. They remain there in the afterlife, it seems, and have been witnessed wandering the hotel, mourning their murdered son. 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 even inspired Stephen King, the worlds most prolific horror writer, to pen 1408, a short story about a cursed hotel room notorious for suicides. That was about twenty years before one of its most notable (and notorious) residents, gangster Al Capone, was said to have lived here; some reports are that he owned the hotel for a while and used it for his headquarters. One former hotel operator who worked the property in the 1940s remembers a resident with a wooden leg who always had a big smile and a big tip, who suffered a heart attack at breakfast during his residency and died. The lintel above the old doorway is, indeed, still quite visible. Szabelski says celebrities who have stayed at the Congress have also reported experiencing weird things. In Room 759 another erstwhile resident pulls the door shut from inside when guests try to enter. All of that plus the stress of having to leave her home and homeland so suddenly eventually just overwhelmed her and drove her insane. Theres the Baymont Inn and Suites, where employees have witnessed balls of white light in the lobby area, and where guests are repeatedly driven from room 208 by a spirit who seeks to strangle them in their sleep. Some people believe him to be Conway, a one-leggedkiller clown who in 1912 was arrested for murder just feet away from the hotel. Some say they even see her coming in and out of the bathroom. And speaking of the Gold Room, it's rumored that some of the bridesmaids in wedding parties who gather around the piano for photographs do not actually show up in the pictures. It's said that some of those guests never checked out. The three bodies landed below on Michigan Avenue. During my stay, it felt like I was the only guest because public spaces were empty. However, Shakeel Siddiqui, the general manager of the hotel, told me these incidents are only rumors. One story was about a. There was no noise coming from any of the hotel rooms. The 12th floor is considered the most haunted floor, causing some employees to refuse to work on it. In fact, Travel + Leisure once named the Congress Plaza Hotel the most haunted place in Illinois and, as I would learn, for good reason. Parts of the hallway are wider, and then they become narrow. A hobo is said to have been killed in the hotel many years ago. Review of The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center Reviewed July 14, 2009 I stayed there on a company trip so didn't actually pick this hotel. One of the doors was propped open to the room, and I peeked my head inside. Szabelski said people thought it was a ghost flipping their channels, but it was just that rapscallion of a retired judge. There are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in these places. John said he didn't initially see anything, but then, while standing at the far end of the hallway, he saw a little boy who didn't look much different from a typical little boy except that his clothes were older and worn. I even imagined a ghost ripping the blankets off me. Walk along the streets that H. H. Holmes, Chicago's first serial killer wandered as he stalked his prey. It was at the Congress Hotel in 1912 where former President Teddy Roosevelt announced he was leaving the Republican Party and founding his own new political party, and made a comment to the news media that coined the "Bull Moose" nickname for the party. The Lincoln Statue and Buckingham Fountain are just a few steps away from the hotel. She also hadnt been able to find any work. Its illustrious history and many uses over the years have laden the site with the dark reputation as Chicagos most haunted hotel, as well as one of the most haunted hotels in the country. It has been called the hand of mystery. For starters, the building is rumored to have been mobster Al Capone's headquarters. Sealed Rooms of The Hotel Congress. Congress Hotel Chicago Haunted History - ChicagoReporter.net It is said that America's first serial killer, Dr HH Holmes, meet his young female victims in the lobby of the hotel. Some say the Gold Room is haunted by the ghost of a woman in old Victorian clothing. The South Tower was designed by the famed architectural firm of Holabird & Roche, which also designed Chicago's City Hall, the southern half of the Monadnock Building, and numerous other historic buildings downtown. 4 Famous Ghost Stories From The Most Haunted Hotel In Illinois - Patch Old Joliet Prison Ghost Hunt, Joliet, Illinois. Luckily, I fell asleep with the lights on and the rumored ghosts weren't active. Haunted Halloween Ball Chicago takes place on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Congress Plaza Hotel . 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. Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler served as consultants during the building phase. John reported that he pointed at the little boy and said, "Hey, you're not supposed to be up here running around!" It included a marble underground tunnel to the Auditorium Building called "Peacock Alley," the hotel website notes. Some of his earliest, er, business meetings took place at the Congress, and the formerly marble-lined corridors beneath the hotel were used for all kinds of transporting (cough smuggling cough) of goods. A young mother from Prague (or in some reports, Poland) was staying at the hotel with her two young sons, waiting for her husband to join them. Holmes is known to have loitered aroundthe hotel lobby in search of new victims. On June 15, 2003, members of the local staff at the Congress began a strike after the hotel froze employee wages and revoked key benefits, including health insurance and retirement plans. And, it would seem, a resident of the Congress Plaza Hotel (520 S. Michigan Ave.) to this very day. Some say it's now haunted by his ghost. 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. She threw her two young sons from their 12th floor window, and then jumped herself. Without further ado, here are the spooky and true occurrences that inspire todays ghost stories. I was reminded of Stephen King's "The Shining" where the family spends the entire winter alone in a hotel. It has also been reported that the hotels previous owner, the notorious gangster Al Capone, has made the hotel his permanent residence after death. Room 441 is largely considered the most haunted room in the Congress Plaza Hotel. 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. Haunted & Terrible Stay - Review of The Congress Plaza Hotel The costume party promises to combine elements of a lavish VIP nightclub and lounge experience, with the exclusiveness of a luxury hotel gala, and the terror and chills of a haunted house. Itruns from 9pmto 3am, with tickets priced at $20 per person. The hotels hallways are a constant source of reported activity. 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. It is the host to some of the biggest events and festivals in the city of Chicago. Several of Capones friends and business associates lived at the hotel during the 1920s and '30s, establishing the Congress as the home to some of the century's most violent and corrupt criminals. before and after the St. Valentines Day Massacre. It was easier said than done. Chicago's Most Haunted Hotel: The Congress Plaza - CityPASS The Drake Hotel is just one of many haunted places in downtown Chicago. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1. Congress Plaza Hotel - Wikipedia Williams was a guest at the hotel, as the story goes, and entered her room to discover the Woman in Black, who pulled a gun from her purse and shot Williams dead. It was originally called the Auditorium Annex as an adjunct to the Auditorium Building across what is now Ida B. Sure enough: some websites and blogs dubbed the Congress Plaza Hotel "The Most Haunted Hotel in Chicago". Live entertainment by the Flat Cats, masques and black tie attire add to the ambiance of extravagance. The hotels stunning architecture and impeccable customer service make it the best choice to stay, whenever you are in the Windy City. Sometimes we need to focus on ourselves, in order to better ourselves. 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. Some of the states most popular festivals are the Chicago Jazz Fest, Taste of Chicago, Chicago Criterium and Chicago Blues Fest. In my life, I have been blessed with a good family and a good group of friends, that have made me realize that I do not need a boyfriend in my life to be genuinely happy. In 1900, Captain Louis Ostheim was staying at the hotel the night before his wedding. So what did the boy do? R.H. Southgate was the hotels developer but the first section of the hotel was designed by Clinton Warren. Check out our State Frights to find the scariest places in your state. 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. Enjoy your stay. 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. The Party - Haunted Hotel He apparently likes to turn lights and appliances on and off at random. All right reserved. CityPASS and CITY PASS are registered trademarks of City Pass, Inc. Attractions and admission types differ for each option. The King of Haunted Chicago: Ghosts of the Congress Plaza Hotel. There is the Gazebo restaurant which offers contemporary American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, as well as dinner. Two friends mysteriously disappear while filming a ghost hunt at the notoriously haunted Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago. Szabelski says he most definitely considers it to be the most haunted in Chicago. It wasn't always that way. Reportedly, this room has had the most ghost sightings, including the silhouette of a woman. Sometime in the 1970s, a woman slit her wrists in one of the hotel bathtubs. The Auditorium Annex was built by hotel developer R.H. Southgate, and the first section or the north tower was designed by architect Clinton Warren, with the renowned Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan serving as consultants, the hotel website reports. 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. Since 1989, I have participated in more than 3 dozen investigations of the Congress Plaza, documenting no fewer than 47 distinctively haunted rooms and at least two ballrooms, as well as common areas such as employee workrooms and public guest areas. The legend goes that the crimson-adorned woman discovered her lover (or, in some reports, her husband) with another woman during a gala attended by the citys elite, prompting her to jump from a window on the 10th floor (some accounts say it was from the roof). / CBS Chicago. The wooden-legged man in particular is likely the figure now well-known as Peg-Leg Johnny who shows up in several places to make odd noises, push chairs around, slam doors, and mess with lights.
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