by Kimberly Foster

Created on: October 31, 2007

Here in Chicago there are many ghostly places and tales of the undead. Perhaps because of our somewhat bloody history or perhaps we have developed some wicked imaginations over a few too many cold winters, there are a great many strange happenings in the Second City.

If you happen to be in the `hood this hallow's eve, you may want to take a drive down Archer avenue on the south side of the city, but I urge you not to pick up any hitchhikers. This is Resurrection Mary's neighborhood. She's said to be seen walking down Archer toward the old O'Henry Ballroom, now the Willowbrook. Victims of Mary have reported seeing her walking in a white gown carrying her shoes in her hand. Unsuspecting Samaritans offer her a ride which she thankfully accepts, yet once they pass Resurrection Cemetery, Mary disappears from the car. We think poor Mary's trying to get to the dance. I wonder if she's into trance music.

One of my favorite stories is that of the Devil Baby of Hull House. Sounds like the name of one of those cheesy Roger Corman movies right? Well the plot's a bit better, not much though, it seems a Catholic woman and her atheist husband were expecting a little bundle of joy. The mother-to-be hung up a picture of the Virgin Mary beside the baby's crib. The husband was enraged and tore the picture down stating, "He would sooner have the devil himself in the room before he'd have a picture like that." Strange talk for an atheist I'd say, but I digress, it seems God or Mary got a bit peeved at the statement, because the poor mother gave birth to...THE DEVIL BABY! It was said that the baby had pointed ears, scales and a tail. The mother, terrified, took the baby to Hull House. Hull House, for those of you who don't know, was a settlement house for the poor on the West side of town established in the late 1800s run by Jane Addams. Supposedly the devil baby was taken in by Jane. It is said she tried to have the child baptized but it leaped out her arms as the priest was performing the ceremony and danced around the church. Jane, not knowing what to do, locked the child in the attic where it eventually died. When the story got out people came to Hull House to see the curiosity and even offered to pay Miss Addams an admission fee. Jane Addams tried to dispel the rumors and swore there was no such child. Apparently, she wasn't successful as people today have reported seeing the ghost of the devil child in the uppermost windows of Hull House.

Now if you feel you need a drink after

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