Haunted Places in Nelson, Illinois



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    Amboy Pharmacy

    Amboy, Illinois

    15.1 miles from Nelson, IL

    This old-fashioned pharmacy is haunted by at least seven spirits, according to a visiting psychic. Dating back to the early 1860's, the main haunting here is by a former pharmacy owner who was displeased by recent renovations. Known as 'Steve', he has been known to knock objects off shelves, ...


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    Conover Square

    Oregon, Illinois

    20.6 miles from Nelson, IL

    Conover Square is a former piano factory, now a shopping mall. Built in the 1890's, it is now the home of many haunted happenings. A little girl's spirit giggles in the hallways & museum, loud crashes boom from the unoccupied third floor, and more than one female ...


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    Willow Creek Farm

    Shannon, Illinois

    28.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    Willow Creek Farm was once the property of William Boardman and his wife Mary, who arrived in New York from England in 1835. Homes for his daughters and their families also were built on the property. It is said to be haunted by former residents and Native Americans; witnesses have ...


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    Cotton House

    Clinton, Iowa

    30.4 miles from Nelson, IL

    This historic gothic mansion belonged to a family of barristers, who moved out after seeing the apparition of a woman in white roaming the hallways and ground after dark. Visitors to the house will not go down to the basement alone, which is believed to be haunted by an ...


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    Abandoned Train Bridge

    Spring Valley, Illinois

    36.4 miles from Nelson, IL

    Shadow figures have been seen on and around the abandoned bridge that goes over the train tracks in DePue, Il. The sounds of screams, train whistles, and a train stopping have been heard in the location when the train that runs the track is nowhere near the village. Many ...


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    Massock Mausoleum

    Spring Valley, Illinois

    38.1 miles from Nelson, IL

    The Massock Mausoleum stands in a small graveyard called the Lithuanian Liberty Cemetery, and it's the stuff of legends. Locals tell of a Hatchet Man, a scary ghost who guards the cemetery, and the mausoleum door is said to remain warm and has been sealed closed since the 1960s when ...


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    Ninth Street Pub

    LaSalle, Illinois

    40.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    According to local tales, the Ninth Street Pub's ghost is Mrs. Sonnenburg, an elderly woman who lived adjacent to the pub and often complained about its noise. After her death, the owner of the pub purchased her home and made it into a pub addition. A staff member who was ...


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    Tinker Swiss Cottage

    Rockford, Illinois

    41.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    Tinker Swiss Cottage is said to be haunted. Witnesses and paranormalists have heard humming and other children's voices, believed to be because the site used to be a home for terminally ill children. The spirits of the Tinker family are believed to linger in the place as well. Tinker Swiss ...


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    Kaskaskia Hotel

    LaSalle, Illinois

    41.5 miles from Nelson, IL

    This historic hotel opened in 1916. Locals tell a story of a young woman who committed suicide by jumping from the top floor in the 1920s, but some will tell you she was pushed by her boyfriend. It is said that employees there would hear the click of her heels ...


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    Faust Hotel - Faust Landmark

    Rockford, Illinois

    42 miles from Nelson, IL

    This old hotel was reportedly remodeled into housing for seniors. The basement used to hold a bar and bowling alley, but it hasn't been used since the 1980s. An eerie presence can be felt here, as well as sudden temperature changes and an overwhelming urge to leave the area. The ...


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  • Haunted Aurora
    Diane A. Ladley

    Dubuque's Haunted History
    Richard Barker
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    Coronado Theatre

    Rockford, Illinois

    42.1 miles from Nelson, IL

    One night, police were called about a ghostly woman in white who appeared in an elevator at a parking garage. Earlier, witnesses had been confused as to why the elevator kept going up and down with no one inside it. But when the white figure showed up in the glass ...


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    Lucerne's Fondue and Spirits

    Rockford, Illinois

    42.5 miles from Nelson, IL

    Although the spirits in the name of this old-fashioned fondue restaurant refers to alcohol, it could also refer to a number of ghosts reported by staff and diners throughout its history. The residence that houses the establishment dates back to 1895, and was formerly occupied by the Utter family, ...


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    Hickory Hill Cemetery

    Charlotte, Iowa

    44.3 miles from Nelson, IL

    Legend has it that the ghost of a little girl doesn't want visitors here at all, and she may point at the gates as if telling you to leave. The sound of crying babies also has been heard here.


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    Rockford College

    Rockford, Illinois

    44.3 miles from Nelson, IL

    Several campus structures seem to be inhabited by haunts. Adams' Arch, the only part left of the original campus, rings with the laughter of young women late at night. The Burpee Building and Talcott Hall are each said to be haunted by men who committed suicide. The Clark Arts Center ...


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    Starved Rock Lodge

    Oglesby, Illinois

    45.5 miles from Nelson, IL

    At this circa 1900 historic lodge, folks say, reside the ghosts of Native Americans who once fought a battle nearby. Guests have reported seeing a black apparition and strange orbs of light, and they have felt cold spots and experienced doors that open and close by themselves. It should be ...


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    Blood’s Point Cemetery

    Belvidere, Illinois

    47.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    Blood’s Point Cemetery, named after the area's first white settle, Arthur Blood, is said to be a hot spot for the eerie, such as orbs, a vanishing barn, phantom vehicles and a ghost dog that sports glowing red eyes. To add to the spookiness, the nearby railroad bridge was said ...


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    Julia Markham - Death Curve

    Cambridge, Illinois

    47.8 miles from Nelson, IL

    Locals say that a woman wearing a white flowing gown glides across the field on quiet nights. It is said she is the spirit of Julia Markham, who in 1905 killed her 7 children with an ax and then set her house on fire, killing herself.


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    Central Avenue Ghost

    Bettendorf, Iowa

    49.8 miles from Nelson, IL

    The spirit of a middle-aged washerwoman haunts the area with her wooden washtub. She has been reported since the late 1800s, but some say she upgraded her equipment and sometimes appears with a double-wringer washing machine.


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    Alice French House

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.3 miles from Nelson, IL

    This historic mansion was the residence of the notable writer, who spent her years throughout here during the warmer months. Her father, the town mayor, originally owned the house, and it may be his spirit that is often reported here by visitors. Witnesses claim to have seen a distinguished ...


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    Palmer College of Chiropractic

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.5 miles from Nelson, IL

    There is a lecture hall, built in the 1800s, that is said to be haunted by ghosts who fly around the ceiling, making the hanging lamps sway. It is said that there are no air vents, fans, or windows of any sort placed in such a way that would cause ...


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  • Peoria's Haunted Memories
    Stephanie E. McCarthy
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    Masonic Temple

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.5 miles from Nelson, IL

    A wide assortment of haunted activity is claimed to occur at this former masonic temple. These phenomena include disembodied voices carrying on a conversation, noises without a recognizable source such as footsteps when there is no one seen, names being called when there is no one present, etc. Objects ...


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    Hotel Blackhawk

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.6 miles from Nelson, IL

    This place has undergone extensive renovation since almost burning down in a fire started by a meth lab operating out of the eighth floor in 2006. Could meth fumes, seeping through the walls account for the reports of ghosts? Cary Grant suffered his fatal stroke on the eighth floor ...


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    Phi Kappa Chi

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.6 miles from Nelson, IL

    This fraternity house has a haunt of its own, the apparition of a large man who enters at the front door and walks up the stairs to the front bedroom. He wears an overcoat with the collar turned up. Student lore says that the apparition belongs to a homeless man ...


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    Ambrose Hall

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.6 miles from Nelson, IL

    At this hall in St. Ambrose University, witnesses have reported hearing strange noises and footsteps late at night. They have also seen flickering lights. Some attribute the occurrences to the spirit of an old priest who died many years ago.


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    Scott City Hall

    Davenport, Iowa

    53.7 miles from Nelson, IL

    An imposing building with a bell tower just begs to have a good ghost story associated with it, and this city hall building is no exception. People claim to see the ghost of a hanged man in the tower at night, allegedly from prisoners who were illegally hanged there. ...


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    Ludlow Mansion - Idle Hour Farm

    Monroe, Wisconsin

    56.4 miles from Nelson, IL

    Once part of the Underground Railroad, the historic house is believed to be haunted by former owner Lady Ludlow. Witnesses have seen her apparition in the back hallway and experienced mysteriously floating objects, cold spots and flickering lights.


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    1875 Decker Hotel

    Maquoketa, Iowa

    57.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    This hotel was built in (you guessed it) 1875, and is rumoured to be haunted by a prankster ghost who plays with the lights. (Submitted by Callum Swift)


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    Flynn Steakhouse

    Brodhead, Wisconsin

    58 miles from Nelson, IL

    Flynn Steakhouse, reported to no longer be in operation, was housed in a building from 1868, and had a haunted, unused hotel upstairs. Misty white formations were known to appear, long believed to be the ghost of Mary, a child who passed away here in the 1860s. Among the strange ...


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    Otto's Place

    Galena, Illinois

    60.1 miles from Nelson, IL

    This quaint restaurant is haunted by Otto Sallman, the namesake of the establishment. A former tenant and café owner, his apparition has been seen walking the railroad tracks adjacent to the building. The current owners believe he is a welcoming spirit, who simply intends to greet customers to his ...


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    Desoto House Hotel

    Galena, Illinois

    60.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    The 1855 DeSoto House Hotel boasts such esteemed former guests as Abraham Lincoln and William Jennings Bryan. It was also the presidential campaign headquarters for Ulysses S. Grant, among others. Although the identity of the ghosts here is unknown, many folks have reported phantom cigar smoke, voices in the halls, ...


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    The Ably House

    Scales Mound, Illinois

    60.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    There were allegedly some murders that took place in this old home, and it is said that the spirits of the dead still remain within its walls.


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    Moon Point Cemetery - Moon Creek Cemetery

    Streator, Illinois

    62.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    Moon Point Cemetery, aka Moon's Point Cemetery or Moon Creek Cemetery, is older than the Civil War and legendary with those who like to tell ghost stories. It was thought to have begun as a family cemetery for early settlers Jacob Moon and his family. The cemetery's most-talked-about ghost is ...


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    Kirk Denmark Theatre - Rock County Theater

    Janesville, Wisconsin

    65.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    Empty and dark theaters can be spooky because of their large, echoing spaces, but this one may be more so because it's said to have a ghost. A deceased employee, some say a theater instructor or a director, causes lights to go on and off and doors to open and ...


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    Baymont Inn and Suites

    North Aurora, Illinois

    65.7 miles from Nelson, IL

    Claims of a white moving "light" have been seen in the lobby as well as some visitors reporting feeling like they are being choked.


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    Mount Olivet Cemetery

    Aurora, Illinois

    66 miles from Nelson, IL

    This cemetery dates back to the 1850s, and has a very specific type of haunting. It is said on numerous Internet sites that spectral ghosts wearing 1950s attire are seen throughout the cemetery, only to disappear on second glance.


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    Old Rush Copley Memorial

    Aurora, Illinois

    66.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    The Old Rush Copley Hospital was build in 1888 and shutdown in 1996. Paranormal researchers and people that have broken in this hospital have heard footsteps,unexplained voices and even apparitions. In one encounter, a group of teens have seen a doll that might have belong to a young child ...


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    The Leland Tower

    Aurora, Illinois

    66.3 miles from Nelson, IL

    This 21-story building, the tallest in Aurora, has been the means for several jumping suicides. Evidence that the building is haunted includes reports of bad odors and moaning sounds that come from the elevators.


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    Hotel Baker

    St. Charles, Illinois

    66.7 miles from Nelson, IL

    At this splendid historic hotel, originally built in 1928, an apparent suicide is often given as the reason for some strange phenomena. Moaning sounds come from the sixth floor storage area, which used to be used as housing for employees. Folks say in the 1970s, a hotel chambermaid who was ...


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    Arcada Theater

    St. Charles, Illinois

    66.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    Arcada Theatre, built in 1926 by millionaire and Chicago Tribune cartoonist Lester J. Norris, is haunted by disembodied voices that waft from the balcony throughout the rest of the building, a phantom odd odor, and unexplained cold pockets.


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    Patten House Restaurant

    Geneva, Illinois

    66.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    This historic restaurant dishes up fine southern cuisine, an exquisite range of liquor and a litany of ghost stories. The main spook reported here time and time again is that of a poltergeist that makes itself known on stormy nights. (Submitted by Callum Swift)


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  • Haunted Macomb
    Garret Moffett
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    Oak Hill Cemetery

    Janesville, Wisconsin

    68.8 miles from Nelson, IL

    Some folks say a ghostly white woman and flickering white lights haunt Oak Hill Cemetery. Others say not so--the white lady is actually a lifelike, spookily illuminated statue, and the white lights are markers to brighten the walkways. So, is Oak Hill Cemetery haunted, or not? You be the judge!


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    Weary Road

    Evansville, Wisconsin

    69 miles from Nelson, IL

    The most realistic story about Weary Road of Evansville Wisconsin involves teenagers "car surfing", not slowing down for a curve in time and being killed when they were ejected off the vehicle into a steep ditch or the creepy treeline. Another involves more teens playing chicken on one of the ...


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    Woodstock Opera House

    Woodstock, Illinois

    69.2 miles from Nelson, IL

    Interestingly enough, reports say that during any performence here, a certain seat in the balcony (DD113) is always left empty for a resident ghost named Elvira. Her spring-loaded chair has been seen folded down when she is attending a performance. She is said to be very beautiful with long blonde ...


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    Aux Sable Cemetery

    Morris, Illinois

    69.5 miles from Nelson, IL

    Aux Sable Cemetery is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a mischievous young girl who has been known to play pranks, such as lowering electrical car windows when the key is not even in the ignition. The site is also said to be a portal from a ghostly ...


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    Captain Merry Historic Inn

    East Dubuque, Illinois

    71.7 miles from Nelson, IL

    This historic inn is believed to have closed, and may now be a private residence. The building the inn was housed in has a colourful past, and is rumoured to be one of the most haunted houses in town. Reports range from sightings of a woman in a black ...


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    Munger Road

    Bartlett, Illinois

    71.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    Munger Road is reportedly haunted by flashing lights, screams that come from the railroad tracks, and phantom trains. Legend has it that a train once hit a school bus, killing the children on board, and their ghosts linger all over the area. But that's not the only legend told about ...


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    Mercer County Courthouse

    Aledo, Illinois

    72.3 miles from Nelson, IL

    The courthouse building dates back to the 1890's, and in the 1930's a skeleton was removed from the basement when the interior was remodelled. Ever since, staff have reported hearing footsteps after the courthouse has been locked up for the night, and a woman leaving the building in the ...


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    Hotel Julien

    Dubuque, Iowa

    72.8 miles from Nelson, IL

    According to staff and guests at this historic boutique hotel, sightings of the apparition of a man in period clothing on the upper floors of the hotel aren't uncommon; and neither are the legends surrounding his appearance. Some believe this spectre is Al Capone, who frequently stayed in the ...


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    George Stickney House

    Woodstock, Illinois

    72.9 miles from Nelson, IL

    Because of George Stickney's belief in spiritualism, he designed his house with no 90-degree angles inside so that no spirits would be caught in the corners. The Stickneys had 10 children, but only 3 lived to adulthood, and they are said to have regularly conducted seances on the 2nd floor ...


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    Peoria Players Theatre

    Peoria, Illinois

    73 miles from Nelson, IL

    Peoria Players Theatre is said to be haunted by a playful ghost named Norman, a former theater director who died in 1960 at age 34, and a more sinister entity whose identity is unknown.


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