Dresden Cemetery, on Hansel Road in Channahon, dates back to 1847. The cemetery is full of stories, surrounding the move of graves to the new St. Mary's Cemetery in Minooka. In some versions, the ground was spoiled, in others, a giant flood blew out the side of the mountain and bodies and coffins were everywhere. In each version, though, a child's grave or a child's body was unable to be located and it is he or she who haunts the area. Historically speaking, there is some truth to the flood story. Thomas Comerford, one of the early settlers of the area, was trying to bury his wife, but could …
The Country House in Clarendon Hills is known in the Chicago area for its burgers, but it’s also known for something else. “I took a ghost tour once, many years ago, and one of the stops was this restaurant,” said Diana LaPointe, who has been a longtime patron of the restaurant. Lynn Banks, the restaurant's manager, has worked there for 29 years. She said in that time she's frequently felt the sensation of being watched. "I've seen shadows go by, and you go look and nobody’s there besides you," said Banks. "We’ve had customers that have made comments, especially about the women’s bathroom. …
Have you ever driven down Cuba Road in Barrington and thought you saw something out of the ordinary? Even ghostlike? You aren’t alone. Dozens of people have claimed to see ghosts and other paranormal activity along Cuba Road, specifically around White Cemetery. The so-called haunted cemetery dates back to the 1800s, and its past is teeming with spooky legends. Chicagoland ghost researcher Dale Kaczmarek explains the paranormal activity associated with this spot. “There are a lot of old local legends associated with the cemetery, first of all, including one that was actually started in the …
A friend emailed me the link to the YouTube video attached to this story after Patch published a story on the flashlight activity at the Country House in Clarendon Hills. I have to admit, I've never watched the show Ghost Hunters or any other reality show like it. Like the readers who have criticized us in the comments since we started this series, I am much too suspicious to believe anything unless I am there to witness it myself—and even then, I'm skeptical. I knew that night there would be no way I could know with absolute certainty that the All City Paranormal team's flashlights weren't …
There are plenty of ghost stories surrounding White Cemetery and Cuba Road in Barrington that date all the way back to the 1960s. Many have claimed to see strange orbs of light bouncing from the cemetery’s fence, while others say they’ve been chased by a phantom car that appears out of nowhere at the cemetery’s gate. Patch has been working on a series about haunted venues in the Chicago area. As part of the series, I met up with ghost researcher Dale Kaczmarek to talk about some of the legends behind the ghosts of Barrington. Some of the tales of White Cemetery and Cuba Road are just urban …
Patch has been working on a series about haunted venues in the Chicago area. As part of the series, I followed a paranormal investigative team that was studying the Country House Restaurant in Clarendon Hills. Team members from All City Paranormal have been sending me audio recordings that they have identified as electronic voice phenomena (EVP), after concluding that the voices on the recordings did not belong to anyone on their team. In the recording attached to this story, you can hear Jim O'Connor, co-founder of ACP saying, "Let's get this thing going." Lisa Jahnke, the other co-founder, …
One of the methods the team from All City Paranormal uses to establish the presence of a ghost at a location involves the use of small flashlights. Lisa Jahnke, one of the lead investigators of the group, told me they set up the flashlights, ask questions of any spirit that might be in the room and wait for the spirit to respond by turning on the flashlight. I thought this probably would not happen and decided to record the session just for the audio. I had never heard of a ghost turning on a flashlight after being asked to do so. Patch has been working on a series about haunted venues in the…
I've never thought much about reports of ghosts and hauntings. I tend to treat reports of haunted places the way I would a report of a hornets' nest nearby that I can't see. If ghosts are there, keep moving; if I don't bother them, they probably won't bother me. Patch has been working on a series about haunted venues in the Chicago area. As part of the series, I followed a paranormal investigative team that was studying the Country House Restaurant in Clarendon Hills. From 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. last Saturday morning, I followed the investigative team as they recorded parts of the building with …
