Chicago Haunts: Ghostly Lore of the Windy City

by Ursula Bielski

With the first edition of Chicago Haunts, author Ursula Bielski captured 160 years of Chicago's haunted history in the first volume ever devoted to this intriguing subject. Combining lively storytelling with in-depth historical research, exclusive interviews, and insights from parapsychology, Bielski penned a unique and fascinating exploration of the region's supernatural folklore.

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Ghosts, History, Travel, Supernatural, Folklore

277 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

Reviews

[Addie]

This book really got my curious mind and mysterious thoughts out of me! I recommend it for people who want a thrill! And for those who follow me i did not read and finish the same day :( This book I forgot to put in when I did read it so therfore that is why.!!! Keep On reading Bookworms!!!

[Dwayne Wojtowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ursula Bielski really knows her ghosts and haunts. In her revised edition of "Chicago Haunts, Ghost lore of the Windy City," her vast knowledge and research comes through with details about everything from mob hits to the Fort Dearborn Massacre and the ghostly remains of the passionate people and volatile events that makes up the history of Chicago. But it goes further than that. She delves into the suburbs as well, bringing the mysteries of the suburban communities surrounding Chicago to light.

Growing up watching "Creature Features" (I know, I'm showing my age), I have been a big fan of the horror, murder mystery genre. Believing in ghosts and spirits myself (especially the drinkable kind), I find Bielski's book fascinating. She gives a new meaning of "things that go bump in the night."

My favorite haunt is Resurrection Mary. I don't live far from Resurrection Cemetery and have passed there many of times. I'm still waiting for her to appear to me.

"Chicago Haunts" is a beautifully written book with a sense of macabre tied into it. Beilski, from reading her book, has me now actually going to a cemetery that I never knew existed.

If you get scared easily, then this book isn't for you. Highly recommended for those that like to be scared... if you dare...

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end-all, be-all guide to haunted Chicago, and we have plenty of ghosts. Ursula, who hosts a haunted bus-ride throughout many of the locations explored in the book, covers such legends as Resurrection Mary ("vanishing hitchhiker), Bachelor's Grove Cemetery (floating orbs, ghost-house, horse and carriage, and another "white lady" called "the Madonna"), The Biograph Theater where famed bank-robber John Dillinger was gunned down, and the "Devil Baby" of the Jane Addams Hull House.

For further information, here is an article I wrote about some new ghosts in the area. Or check out this fascinating transcription of an expedition deep into the bowls of Bachelor's Grove braved by some friends and myself. Why not read this review of the supernatural bus tour too?

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this is not a well written non, and poorly edited and organized.. but someone told me it was a kind of authority on Chicago ghosts/hauntings, and then I find out Bielski runs a tour of haunted Chicago. The books is pretty boringly written, but it does name some of the legendary ghost stories in buildings and cemeteries in the Chicago area. I read it this year for my spring lit course on the literary and psych/psychological/spiritual/supernaturel phenomena (from Macbeth's 3 witches to Ocean at the End of the Lane's witches and such). I am having my students also read for today Corinne Mucha's fun graphic story, "Growing up Haunted," and having students write of ghosts in their own lives/neighborhood/family. Getting some fascinating stuff (they can make stories up, too…)

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting stuff in here, but it was amateurishly written and repetative. Ultimately, I became bored with it. The approach veers between ghost hunting and folklore. Either approach could be entertaining, but the author never bothers to develop either one. The ghost hunting approach is a lot like those crappy shows you see on cable, where the ghost hunters talk a lot and then get excited over a brief light in the room that could be a spirit or reflected headlights from a car out on the street. The folklore is just a little too much like a high school termpaper.

[Ashley M · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a "pick it up and read a story here or there" book.
Story about Ressurection Mary and other hitch-hiking ghosts. Not as well written as I'd like.
I was hoping there would be more ghost stories. It was a lot of theory about why legends have come to exist. Eh.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm disappointed, and I really didn't want to be. This book contained a whole bunch of stories of ghosts, hauntings, and even religious phenomena--now, I can't verify the authenticity of these beliefs, as I don't live in Chicago and in fact have never so much as visited, but I thought this would be a lovely tour of the ghosts of the city. And it was, but it was written so densely--Ursula Bielski seems to fancy herself a scientist, when in fact she's a collector of stories. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT--I picked up this book looking for stories, not examples of the oversealous use of a thesaurus. She also relies heavily on alliteration, which is a great tool in fiction, but just reads as clunky in this sort of book, especially when paired with her aggressively technical writing ("...nestled in a curious and cramped communion" [pg 43], "...most motorists would opt for a glimpse of the glamorous Mary over a near collision with this confrontational corpse" [pg 36], "disgusted by the enduring appeal of a foul and fantastic fairy tale" [pg 158]).
This is all well and good for a thousand-plus-page installment in a thrilling fantasy series, but as I picked up this book hoping for a brief, exciting glimpse into Chicago ghostlore, I just kind of hated hiking through this whole thing. I enjoyed the stories, and I loved the effort Bielski put into finding them and putting them out there, and I respect the amount of research she undoubtedly did for this, but at the end of the day, it just really was not what I was looking for.
I'm a skeptic who likes reading ghost stories (and reincarnation stories, and other fantastical and paranormal things) from the view of a believer--this was kind of that, but also tried way too hard to be credible and just ends up too flowery, too tryhard, and not enough focus on the actual phenomena, more on the backstories (which I also love, but when more of a section is dedicated to the biography of a spirit than the spirit itself, I find myself slipping away).
Oh, and when a cover specifically announces "...even more photos!" I expect the photos to be of allegedly supernatural occurrences--not just of the gates of cemeteries and a dance hall sign and an intersection. Overall, a lovely collection, but I think it was written from the wrong perspective--that of someone trying to sound overly scientific to convince a skeptic of the truth of the happenings, rather than just saying what happened, as it happened, and letting the reader enjoy the phenomena as described.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because the best way to learn about an area is not by its scenery or food, but instead by its stories. I fell in love with cities' cultures and stories. Before my family visited Chicago, I found out that I would be going on a ghost tour. I immediately ran to our local bookstore to find anything I could about Chicago's haunted history. The stories met my expectations; I could help myself, but I needed to turn to the next page. I needed to know how each story would end. However, the book presented itself as a casual series of ghost tales; instead, as I read on, it turned into more of a history textbook. This book exceeded my expectations for learning about ghost stories, but it failed to meet my expectations as a non-textbook-like story.
The book begins with the oldest stories to the newest; the stories involve sensitive topics such as murder, self-harm, and suicide from the Victorian ages to modern-day scenarios. I appreciate the author's respect for the culture and original storytellers by not censoring or changing the story to meet society's "expectations" of what literature can contain. The book does not shy away from sensitive topics from the past, including important lessons that lawmakers are attempting to remove from school learning. Such as slave history, the treatment of Native Americans, and the treatment of women.
I would recommend this book to anyone who plans on going on a ghost tour in Chicago at any time in the future or to those who enjoy learning ghost stories in a history class style. I would not recommend this book to readers under the age of 12, as some of these topics might be harmful to their brains and social ideas. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

[Juan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from Chicago, this book seems like a must read to get to know some basics about our city's supernatural history. About the only bad thing about reading this book in 2017 is the fact that several locations no longer exist since this book was originally released during the 1990s. Its dated.

On a side note, I read part of this back around the time it came out but never finished since I would have a tendency of stopping whenever a familiar location of mine was mentioned in the book. I grew up on the South Side so I was most familiar with Archer Avenue, Resurrection Mary, Bachelors Grove, and some of the more remote locations. When I went to college I once again found myself in familiar territory as my school and neighbors of Benedictine University were also mentioned in the book. At least two more books were written in this series so I will have to get to those eventually. Needless to day, Chicago and the suburbs certainly have more than enough paranormal activity going on regardless in whatever part of the city you may live.

Another side note. I finally compelled to reread and finish this after having attended a paranormal panel at C2E2 with some former members of Ghost Hunters. They recommended reading Ursula Bielski's research from over the years. An interesting story they shared with us involved the Willowbrook Ballroom. So the nations convention on paranormal studies was held at the Willowbrook in 2016. Shortly there after, the Ballroom burned and was destroyed. Its possible to think it may have been related or not but it certainly adds an element to an already historical location. Plans are set to resurrect the Ballroom from the ashes as of Aug 2017.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ursula Bielski’s ghost tours are such a favorite of mine that I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve taken them. It seems like every time I’m in Chicago I drag some unsuspecting victim with me: coworkers, friends from overseas, my boyfriend…pretty much anyone who fails to say absolutely not within seconds of me suggesting it. I know some of the stories so well by now that I could probably tell them myself.

Which is why I expected nothing more than a recorded collection of these old favorites when I finally got around to reading this book. I made the same assumptions that most people make when casually picking up a volume of local ghostlore. You probably know the rules: take the research with a grain of salt, forgive typos, and don’t expect a carefully cultivated voice from the writing.

I really should have known that Bielski would produce something more enduring than this.

To read the rest of this review, visit The Macabre Librarian at:

https://macabrelibrarian.wordpress.co...

[Erin Thier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a believer in the paranormal, but it’s a fascinating and detailed exposé on the supernatural history of famous (and infamous) locations throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. Having grown up near several of the places mentioned, it was cool to read about the origins of some of the ghost stories I heard about as a child.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a Wild Chicago.

🖊 I liked this book for the Chicago history, and the folkloric hauntings theme was interesting for me. It repeats a lot later in other books, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. The black and white photographs are interesting, including the background history.

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[Mary Lou Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written like a newspaper article…synopsis of stories without facts. The many words did not weave the story together. I found myself re-reading paragraphs to try to understand the content.

Only read certain chapters that were of interest to me.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good and spooky.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched and carefully written by Chicago’s leading paranormal
Expert. This is the definitive book on haunted Chicagoland.

[Robert Kiehn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book by Ursula Bielski on the History
and Haunts of many places and locations in Chicago
and it's suburbs such as the haunting of Bachelor's
Grove cemetery in Midlohthian and many other places
in many Chicagoland area's.

The book is well written and richly detailed
and contains a lot of info on the History of
The Windy City and it's surrounding suburbs.

I highly recommended it!

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

All religions, including Christianity believe in some supernatural beings and experiences. Hence, beliefs in God, a Trinity, the lasting effects of Adam and Eve: damnation, redemption, and eternal life.

There is still another level of the supernatural when it comes into contact with our earthly lives—prophecies, visions being touched by an angel, miracles, healings. . Fr. Jerry Kroeger, O.P., Ph.D.

Chicago Haunts Ghostlore of the Windy City was a fun read!

[Sherrie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, love, love books like this! Great reading to kick off the Halloween season!

Ms. Bielski has done her research and spins compelling tales about the ghosts of Chicago. I've taken her Haunted Chicago tours and this book just builds on that. (One of the reasons I got the book!)

If you like ghost stories, build the bonfire, pull up a lawnchair, and enjoy the stories that have just become spookier with each telling.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in Chicago, you have to know what is haunted and what's not. What's great about reading this book and living in Chicago is that there is a Chicago Ghost tour that will take you to many places mentioned in the book. My favorite is the RoseHill Cemetary haunts because I used to live right by there. It is a very scary cemetary even when it's light out!

[Katie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to meet Ursula on one of her ressurection mary tours. She's a super cool lady, great historian, and an awesome story teller. I'm a sucker for ghost stories but I also appreciate this book for it's rich chicago history. She's the best resource out there for Chicago paranormal history.

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-researched, and a useful resource for ghost-related folklore connected to Chicago's history. Unfortunately, it's weighed more heavily towards "history" than "ghosts", so if you were hoping for more of the latter, you'll be disappointed. Still, there are a few particularly memorable ghostly accounts, and it's an interesting read overall. (B)

[Taya Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a really good book. I like how it brought up the science behind paranormal activity and how certain things can have an effect on spiritual energy. I also loved the histories behind many of the featured hauntings. Ursula Bielski is a terrific author and I will be sure to read more of her books.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friend, Ursula is a talented ghostlorist. She can certainly spin a ghostly tale to the point that can go through a multi-sensory experience in the hearing or reading of these gathered tales. I have visited 95% of these sites and heard 90% of the tales gathered here. this is an excellent collection of tales of the beyond with a Chicagoland connection. Bravo!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Some really interesting stories here, and since a handful take place in my 'hood, it's that much more exciting. If you have any interest in the supernatural and live in city proper, I think you'd find something fascinating here.

[Chanele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish this book. It was poorly written, and it was surprising how the author could take an interesting subject and make it so boring. There were a few typos throughout which just confirms my belief that the author needs a good editor.

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a long time to read, but I liked it interesting. It was very factual. However, it was sometimes boring and tedious. It was very factual and historical. I enjoyed the ghost stories. I was surprised that I knew some of them. I expected it to be more fast pace and mysterious.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a nice "map" to the great haunted Chicago sites. It was mostly folklore, but I expected a bit more historic reference..

[bup · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love me some pseudo-science - ghosts, Bigfoot, alien abductions, Loch Ness monster (drool).

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the Chicago Haunts books. A few stories I hadn't heard growing up in the Chicago area.

[Leanne Curtis-Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm scared. Hold me. Chicago has quite an interesting ghostly history.