Real Haunts: Most Terrifying Ghostly Sites in the Midwestern U.S.

Many are familiar with the grisly axe murders of Lizzie Borden’s family (we even featured the location on our East Coast article), but this lesser known crime is considered by many to be more sinister and brutal. In June of 1912, in the quaint town of Villisca, Iowa, Josiah Moore, his wife, four children, and two overnight guests were bludgeoned to death with an axe by an unknown assailant. The family had returned home around 9:00pm from church, where evidence shows the killer(s) had been waiting in the basement for them to settle in for the night. Sometime between Midnight and 5:00am, the entire household were viciously murdered in their sleep with an axe. Though several suspects were tried, all were eventually let go due a lack of evidence. To this day, the crime remains unsolved.

The home where the murders took place now offers tours and a haunted attraction at Halloween. Reports of strange experiences, from both paranormal experts and tourists who have visited, surround the home. Ghost hunters have reportedly recorded orbs of light and the sound of crying children on video. Others have spoken about feeling an unseen entity grab their arm, ladders falling over, and doors opening and closing on their own, leaving many to presume the tortured spirits of the slain family still remain. 

Our road trip has been chock-full of haunted hotels, and when you take into consideration the history of those featured, it’s easy to see why. The Congress Plaza Hotel, located on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, is no exception. Built in 1893, the Windy City icon has played host to numerous Presidents and dignitaries, but not all of its history is so illustrious.

To start, it’s widely known to have been one of Al Capone’s headquarters, which in and of itself suggests nefarious activity. There’s also the legend of “Peg Leg Johnny,” a man who was savagely murdered in the alleyway behind the hotel. The most disturbing story, however, is that of a distraught mother who threw both her children off the balcony. With all that lore, it’s only natural there would be a myriad of stories regarding supernatural experiences inside the hotel. Guests have described a ghostly woman who shakes their bed, the sight of a spectral child playing with a ball in the hallways, and an overall sense of dread upon entering the hotel. The spirit of Peg Leg Johnny is often said to be mischievous in nature, pulling sheets off beds while visitors sleep, or moving items in their room to different locations. 

While it may seem fairly obvious to include a graveyard on a list of most haunted places, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, in Bremen Township, Illinois, seems to have a higher than ordinary collection of ghostly inhabitants. The land itself was originally settled by English homesteaders, and has seen burials as far back as 1834. It’s also rumored to have been a veritable dumping ground for bodies slain by the nearby Chicago organized crime families. While tales of paranormal experiences among the graves run rampant, there are a few more notable, and consistent, accounts.

The “White Lady” is a spirit reportedly seen by many who wanders the grounds dressed all in white and carrying an infant, always during a full moon. Other sightings include a black dog who stands at the front entrance, but then disappears once approached, a two-headed girl who is seen at a nearby slough, and the appearance of a floating, shimmering farmhouse that hovers above the property. Whether any of these claims are accurate, it goes without saying that a cemetery with a history like Bachelor’s Grove would make for a spooky visit for anyone brave enough to walk along the grounds.

It’s not too often you’ll see an actual castle anywhere in the U.S., which is only part of what makes Loveland Castle, located in Ohio, special. The building, which is actually a folly set to resemble that of a historical European castle, was built by Boy Scout troop leader and World War I veteran Harry D. Andrews. He worked on the castle for over fifty years, and after his passing, willed it to his Boy Scout troop to continue his dream of completing the project.

Tragically, his death occurred on the grounds of the castle during construction, when a trash fire got out of control and he succumbed to his injuries while attempting to extinguish it. It is said his spirit remains to wander the floors of his beloved project, never to abandon his post, even in death. Visitors speak of his spirit being a “friendly, playful” one, who would rather cause mischief than frights. Regardless of the validity of these stories, Loveland Castle remains a foreboding and creepy site to explore. Those curious to see for themselves can embark on a self-guided tour of the castle, which is open daily.

Check out our entire Real Haunts series here!