Gangsters and Ghosts - Haunted tour in Chicago, Illinois (Part 4 of Ghosts, Gangsters & Ghouls)

Me and Fatina Ghost Hunting

While we were in Chicago, we had to visit one of the most famous gangster's in history, Al Capone.
Maybe you've seen the movie Scarface, which just happened to be Al's nickname. So, we took a road trip to Mount Carmel Cemetery to pay our respects. And, of course, Mount Carmel is said to be haunted. But, not by Al. Instead the story Julia Petta, the disappearing lady in the white gown.

But, still we  had to stop by Al's grave.

Al Capone's Grave

Even though Al Capone went to prison at 33, and died January 25, 1947, it  looks like a lot of people  still visit his grave. 

Stormy Skies over Mount Carmel Cemetery

The clouds rolled  in and it turned into a stormy sort of experience. And, as we searched for the specific  gravesite, we came upon some beautiful crypts.

A beautiful place to sit and remember. . . loved ones

We  didn't have any paranormal experiences  while we were there although as soon as we climbed out of the car, it started  to rain, and as soon as we climbed back in the car, it cleared up. We started to leave and, we got a little turned around  for a second, so we drove back by the cemetery, and it started to rain again. Just  a little creep factor.

We also went on a Gangsters and Ghosts tour in downtown Chicago and had to stop at Death Alley, which is said to be haunted by the victims of the fire of December  30, 1903. Over 2000 people were inside the theater in front of the alley, when an electrical fire broke out and claimed hundreds of lives.  

Death Alley in Chicago

There were lots  of other spooky sites but I'll save those for Part 5 of Ghosts, Gangsters & Ghouls.

After our Gangsters and Ghosts tour,  we were tired so we went back to our hotel and enjoyed another type of spirits ;D

Me,  Kara and Fatina Toasting After Our Tour

Haunted Houses in Gary, Indiana (Part 3 of Ghosts, Gangsters & Ghouls)

My daughter and daughter-in-law, and  I went on a road trip in search of forgotten spirits (and I'm not talking about Lemon Drops ;)

We've taken a few of these ghostly road trips before, like the time we went to Kenosha, Wisconsin and Lake Michigan and caught a few strange (some might say Paranormal) occurrences on camera.

But this time we were searching in Gary, Indiana--yes, it  seems like Indiana has more than its fair share of ghosts and ghouls. Maybe that's why it's ranked as one of the most  dangerous cities in the United  States.

I'm working on a ghost story. So, lately, I've been doing a lot of paranormal research by visiting Castles, Crypts and Creepy Places. And even though I've gone to a lot of cities and different states, I've realized my favorite creepy place is right here in Portland, Oregon.

If you're interested in seeing my #1 location for creepability, check it out here.



And, if  you've had any paranormal experiences of your own, please share a bit about it in the comments below.

The Most Haunted Cemetery in the World - Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, Midlothian (Part 2 of Ghosts, Gangsters and Ghouls)

Bachelor's Grove Cemetery just happens to be the most haunted cemetery in the world. And, I was  skeptical about this spooky story but, as my daughter-in-law, Fatina, and I jumped in the car and drove off on our road trip, I soon began to see how this location had earned its reputation.

First, we had trouble finding the cemetery. It's actually hidden inside the woods and although google maps  has the location marked  correctly, it's not so easy to find. There are no signs directing you to the historical location. And there isn't even a parking lot or a simple sign to mark its location.

We had to park across the  street at the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve. Then we ran across the busy highway to find the entrance, which was marked by two wooden posts with a rope strung between the two, blocking the path.

But we didn't let that stop us, as we walked around the rope and started our search for haunted spirits. The path was nothing more than dirt, littered with stones, that might have once been a walkway. Now, it was muddy and slippery but we walked on.

After walking about a quarter mile, we suddenly came upon an opening and didn't even notice the graveyard until we were right next to it. It was literally in the middle of the woods.

A chain link fence surrounded the small cemetery but there was no gate, no sign, nothing except for tombstones in the center to confirm we'd found the spot.

We went in and wandered around reading the fallen gravestones.

Many were too deteriorated to even read and some were nothing more than stones poking out of the  earth.

People have seen spirits and strange colored lights here. Some claim to hear ghostly sounds as they hike through the woods and some have even said they've seen a two-headed monster.

While we were there, we did see a frozen pond at the edge of the cemetery. We walked over and saw a misty vapor rising from the chilled ground. 

It was freezing cold in the shaded woods. And, as we walked away from the cemetery we heard strange sounds and creaking branches from the trees as they swayed in the wind.

It was definitely one of the creepiest places I've ever visited and this was during the daylight. I can tell you I wouldn't have the guts to walk down that deserted path in the dark to search for the Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. And I can understand why people say this is the most haunted cemetery in the world.