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Haunted Chicago Buildings

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Haunted Illinois famous hauntings

Read about Chicago's haunted buildings

Harpo Inc. (Oprah's Studio)                                                                                                                                   

1058 W. Washington Blvd.
Chicago, IL.

On July 24, 1915, more than 800 passengers of the Eastland steamer died when the ship capsized on the Chicago River. The 2nd Regiment Armory at 1054 W. Washington was quickly established as a temporary morgue and nearly 200 bodies were transported to the building. When Oprah Winfrey established her Harpo Studios in the Armory building in 1989, it came as no surprise when employees discovered the building was haunted. Security guards working the night shift reported crashing noises, the sounds of dozens of invisible footsteps marching across the lobby, phantom laughter, and the sounds of a woman sobbing. Others have encountered a ghost known as the "Gray Lady" seen floating down hallways in vintage dress. Harpo employees have no doubt the Eastland tragedy left an indelible impression upon the building.

 

S-M-C Cartage Company                                                                                                                                      

On Valentine's Day in 1929, Al Capone sent some of his men to leave a tragic message to Bugs Moran, at one of his buildings. The building was called the S-M-C Cartage Company and was a red, brick structure over on Clark Street. Seven men were lined up against the wall and mowed down with machine gun fire, leaving the wall splattered with blood and full of bullet holes. After hearing the news, Bugs was heard to exclaim, "Only Capone kills guys like that!" In 1972, a man bought the factory and transformed it into a 20's themed club. The brick wall the massacre took place on was dismantled and the factory was torn down. People still hear gunfire and screams coming from the area. Supposedly, before it was torn down, seven shadowy figures were seen lined up on the wall and the viewer would be filled with fear.

 

Options Exchange Building                                                                                                                                    

In 1979 two traders had a disagreement over a trade. Well, they decided to settle the matter outside by the horse statue fountain. One of the men was so badly injured that he died, before the paramedics could save him. And still, janitors say they can hear what sounds like two men arguing after everyone has left.

 

 

Clarence Darrow Memorial Bridge                                                                                                                  

Clarence Seward Darrow was born in Kinsman, Ohio on April 18, 1857 and died in Chicago on March 13, 1938. He was a magnificent orator, lifelong dissenter, often defended the most unpopular cases and handled some of the most sensational trials of the day. His father was an agonistic and abolitionist during the Civil War. His trades included cabinetmaker, furniture dealer and undertaker.

Darrow studied at Allegheny College and the University of Michigan Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and practiced in northeastern Ohio. In 1888 he moved to Chicago and he met John Peter Altgeld. Darrow greatly admired Altgeld's critique, "Our Penal Machinery and Its Victims". They eventually became business associates. Later, Darrow formed a partnership with Edgar Lee Master who was also a poet.

In 1890 Darrow was appointed assistant corporation counsel for the city. He later resigned to become general counsel for the Chicago and Northwest Railway and then left to defend Eugene Debs in the Pullman strike trial in 1895. It became a turning point in his career.

In 1902 Darrow was elected to the Illinois House on the Public Ownership ticket. He served one term. He also represented miners in the anthracite strike in 1902 in Pennsylvania and successfully defended William D. Haywood in 1907. Haywood was accused of murdering former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg. In 1911 he defended the McNamara brothers who were accused of bombing the Los Angeles Times building in a terrorist act. They killed some twenty people. Darrow won but was accused of jury tampering. He was later acquitted.

His biggest case came in 1924 when he represented Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb who were teenage sons of some prominent Chicagoans who were accused of kidnaping and murdering fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks for "kicks". The public demanded the death penalty but in the end, Darrow won. On September 10, 1924, the court sentenced the defendants to life in prison.

Darrow died of heart disease in March of 1938 at his home at 1537 E. 60th Street, overlooking the bridge near the Jackson Park Lagoon. Funeral services were held at the Bond Chapel on the University of Chicago and his ashes were scattered in the lagoon. On May 1, 1957, the bridge bearing his name was dedicated. Every year on the date of his demise, a wreath-laying ceremony is held to commemorate his life and death.

In October of 1990 rumors began to circulate about visual apparitions allegedly seen by the back stairs of the Museum of Science and Industry at 57th and South Lake Shore Drive. A group of people saw a nicely dressed elderly man standing there in a camel-haired coat. As they called out to him, he did not answer or respond in anyway. It was like he really wasn't there at all. About a week later another group were at the same area and only some saw the apparition while others in the group did not.

In 1991 a strange silhouetted form was seen from time to time near the top of the stairs on the right-hand side. It wasn't a natural shadow because of subsequent visits, nothing was seen.

Beginning in 1993, I began to tour the location on my Excursions Into The Unknown haunted bus tours. A man from Middlebury, Indiana, Gary Phipps, had never heard about the story before had taken some pictures from the left-hand side of the bridge facing the south-side of the museum. The temperature was mild and no visible steam or smoke was being emitted from the lagoon. However, after he got his film back, he was amazed to see a smokey image resembling a face just over the guardrails of the bridge.

In 1998, we repeated this site on our south and southwest tours and, strangely enough, Mr. Phipps was on this tour as well. During our last general public tour on November 14, 1998, he took three strange photographs that appear to have some strange fog or mist.

Could these images be the ghost of Clarence Darrow? Does he still haunt the site where his ashes were scattered? This year was the 60th Anniversary of his death. Coincidence??

The Clarence Darrow Memorial Bridge is located just to the south of the Museum of Science and Industry on 57th and S. Lake Shore Drive

 

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