Although fall is a great time to explore haunted places, just about any time of year is perfect for diving into Illinois urban legends. No matter the weather or what holiday might be coming up, let your imagination go wild with some of these urban legends in Illinois:

1. The Ghost at the English Building, University of Illinois
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
Kevin Chang/Flickr
Before it was the English building, it was actually the women's building, and it had a gymnasium with a pool. The Illinois urban legend here is that a young girl ended up dying in the pool--either accidentally, or taking her own life to hide a pregnancy. The ghost apparently haunts the English building. Not everything in Champaign-Urbana is haunted. Check out the Mimosa Mile in Illinois.
2. Ghost Lady at Kennedy Hill Road
Kennedy Hill Road, Kennedy Hill Rd, Illinois, USA
tommy japan/Flickr
Another urban legend in Illinois, this story got a LOT of buzz in late 1980 and early 1981. On this rural road, people reported seeing a woman in various stages of dress walking and then vanishing. There were numerous sightings of this person/ghost, but no one could explain it. Some people thought it was the ghost of a woman buried nearby. Others thought it was a mentally disabled person who had run away from home. The strangest explanation was that it was really a man wearing his dead girlfriend's clothing. When it became spring, no one saw this spirit/person ever again, but the story carries on. Looking for something not so scary in Byron? Check out Sam's Drive-In.
3. The Cherry Hill Road Accident, near Oswego
Oswego, IL, USA
Helga Weber/Flickr
The legend goes that there was a tragic car accident when a young couple on their way to prom lost control of the vehicle. The girl died right away, but the young man was able to crawl out of the car a few feet and wrote "help me" in his own blood. Teens love this legend, and have spraypainted "help" in red spray paint near where the alleged accident occurred. Looking for more road hauntings? Check out this Illinois haunted road trip.
4. Dug Hill Road
Union County, IL, USA
Wikimedia/Alves Gaspar
One of the strangest of Illinois urban legends, a few men have reported seeing the "boger man" walking the streets. The boger man is about 9-10 feet tall and wears black pants, a white shirt, and a long scarf. It’s unclear if he made the clothes himself, but if anyone finds him, I think he could be seamlessly integrated into Fred Hoiberg’s offense. Get more details on Dug Hill Road and other terrifying places in Illinois.
5. Homey the Clown
Chicago, IL, USA
Pierre/Flickr
It was 1991 in Chicago, and multiple kids reported this clown going by "Homey" cruising the streets in a creepy van, ready to lure children into it. The Chicago Police were involved, and they dismissed it as an Illinois urban legend. But many people hold that it was very real. Learn more about this and other Illinois conspiracy theories.
6. The Devil Baby at Hull House
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Jim Reynolds/Flickr
Among the most famous of Illinois urban legends, according to this one, a woman gave birth to a child who was fathered by the devil. The child (half-devil?) was disgusting to the mother, so she abandoned it. Jane Addams apparently raised the child in the attic, where it died at an early age. But people reported being able to see a devil's face in the second story of the Hull House. And this isn't the only spooky historical landmark in Illinois.
7. McPike Mansion, Alton
McPike Mansion, 2018 Alby St, Alton, IL 62002, USA
Black.Doll/Flickr
Built in 1869, the house was sold in 1908 to Paul Laichinger. Lainchinger's ghost is said to still haunt the property. A couple bought the home in the 1990s and concluded it is indeed haunted. The woman reported seeing the spirit of a man through the window as she was outside doing some yard work. She was able to identify him as Laichinger because he was wearing the same outfit as seen in a photo. A paranormal investigation was conducted, and they reported hearing footsteps when no one could have made them. This one is a very spooky Illinois urban legend. Get more details on the haunted McPike Mansion.
8. Vanishing Man, Egypt
Lake of Egypt, Illinois, USA
shrinkin'-violet/Flickr
According to this legend, a man boards a bus in Egypt, Illinois. When the bus crosses the bridge; however, the man disappears. According to the story, the man is the same one who died at this bus stop many years ago. While this might be a true urban legend in Illinois, the Lake of Egypt is far less scary.
9. The Levee Walker, Quincy
Quincy, IL, USA
Joanna Poe/Flickr
According to this Illinois urban legend, when the levee in Quincy was being constructed, one of the construction workers took an interest in another one's wife. The latter construction worker was furious and killed the other guy, burying him in the construction site. So now he walks the levee. Kids who are "brave enough" call out his name and attempt to summon him. Check out what else you can see in Quincy.
10. Murphysboro Mud Monster
Murphysboro, IL 62966, USA
hammer/Flickr
The year was 1973, it was summer in Murphysboro, Illinois, and the town would never be the same. A couple parked near a boat ramp saw a large, non-human figure approaching them making a terrifying noise. They told the police about the incident. Police didn't believe them, but went to the scene and saw large footprints. They came back again and heard a terrifying noise. A few other people reported seeing this matted creature. Since then, no sightings of the Murphysboro Mud Monster have been reported, but the story lives on. Get more information on this Illinois urban legend and other strange occurrences in Illinois.

Did your favorite Illinois urban legend not make the cut? Tell us the tale in the comments below!

Looking for more chills? Check out these haunted places in Illinois.

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More to Explore

Haunted Illinois

Rachel Raimondi | December 23, 2022

What are the creepiest cemeteries in Illinois?

Now that you’ve learned about several Illinois urban legends, let’s move on to creepy cemeteries in Illinois:

Robinson Woods: Located in Chicago, this former cemetery is rumored to be very haunted near the Robinson Family Monument. Reported sightings include shadows, orbs, mist, and unexplained smells.

Mount Carmel Cemetery: This cemetery is located in Hillside. Aside from being the final resting spot for Al Capone, it’s also rumored to be haunted by Julia Buccola Petta, the Italian Bride.

Blood’s Point Cemetery: Over in Flora, you’ll find this cemetery. While its name may seem macabre on purpose, it was actually named after a settler, Arthur Blood. Among its spooky occurrences include children’s laughter and a red-eyed ghost dog.

Are there any haunted hotels in Illinois?

Settled in 1818, there is a lot of history to the Prairie State, including some haunted hotels in Illinois.

Congress Plaza Hotel: Located in Chicago, this hotel was built back in 1893. In its over 100 years of history, it’s been known to host an assortment of shady characters whose specters may still be roaming about. Aside from Al Capone, there’s also Dr. HH Holmes, the first-ever serial killer.

Ruebel Hotel: You’ll find this 1884 hotel over in Grafton. It is said to be haunted by Abigail, a woman who lived at the hotel back when it was first in business.

DeSoto House: One of the oldest hotels in Illinois, this hotel has seen its fair share of famous American figures, such as Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. And its age makes it very popular for ghostly encounters. It is located in Galena.

Hotel Baker: This hotel in St. Charles opened back in 1928. While it sports some killer views of Fox River, it is also said to be haunted by a chambermaid.

What is Illinois known for? 

Want to get to know Illinois better? Here are just a few things that Illinois is known for:

Horseshoe sandwich: Although this dish is well known throughout the Midwest, it actually came out of Springfield, Illinois. It’s a hamburger with fries, grilled onions, and cheese sauce on bread.

Railroads: With 40 within its boundaries, the state of Illinois has the most railroads in the country. Amtrak alone has eight lines.

Superman: While Superman isn’t real, his birthplace in the comic books is the city of Metropolis, located in Massac County. If you visit, you’ll find several connections to Clark Kent, including a Superman statue downtown.

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