By Teodora Marinescu and Elizabeth Stalter

Chicago is famously known for its sports teams, deep dish pizza, great hot dogs and fascinating architecture. However, the city is also home to an array of paranormal myths and legends that envelop it in a veil of mystery and darkness.

In 2012 USA Today ranked Chicago among the most haunted cities in the United States. While every city has its own paranormal folklore, the Windy City’s dark past, filled with catastrophic events such as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the Eastland Disaster, murderous mob wars and the horrendous crimes of serial killer H.H. Holmes, sets it apart.

“Chicago is one of those cities that has experienced an extraordinary amount of tragedy, which leads people to believe that the city itself is cursed,” said Rick Hale, a paranormal author and psychical researcher based in Chicago. Continue reading →