Illinois’ Creepiest Haunted Site Isn’t Where You’d Expect
When you think of something haunted, you probably picture an old building, a wide-open field, or maybe even a dark, eerie road, but a zoo? That’s not usually on the list. Yet in Illinois, the most haunted place in the state just so happens to be a zoo.
The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is a free zoo where guests can spend the day learning about animals, enjoying time with family and friends, and, if you believe the stories, possibly encountering something otherworldly. That’s because before it became a zoo, the land was once a cemetery where more than 35,000 bodies were buried.
From Cemetery to Zoo: The Dark Past of Lincoln Park
According to CN Traveler, the site served as a graveyard in the 1840s and 1850s, but it had to be relocated due to concerns about the city’s water supply. The problem? Not all of the bodies were moved. While officials ordered the remains to be transferred to another location, the task was never fully completed.
That means when visitors stroll past the lions and tigers today, they’re walking on top of what is still, in part, a burial ground.
Why Weren't all the Bodies moved?
The Lincoln Park Zoo is often considered the most active haunted site in both Chicago and Illinois. Reports of ghostly sightings have been documented, and no one really knows how many bodies were left behind, or whether some lie in unmarked graves. One thing is for sure: the next time you walk through Lincoln Park Zoo, you might think twice about what’s really beneath your feet.
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