October is my favorite month of the year. Not only do I love the feeling of fall, but I love the idea of having a whole month dedicated to creepy things like hauntings and horror movies. I have put together a list of some of the most notorious hauntings in the Chicago suburbs. All are easily accessible, so whether an amateur ghost hunter or skeptic, you can try your luck at these locations if you choose. Be sure to check with property owners before conducting an investigation at any location, as you can be fined with trespassing.

Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery-

6385 W 143rd St., Midlothian, IL

The 82-plot cemetery may be small, but is infamous nation-wide for its hauntings. The true hauntings of the cemetery are said to come from the lagoon that borders it, used in the 1920’s and 30’s as a prime mob meet-up spot and body dumping location. Many visiting the location have reported seeing a lady in white sitting on a gravestone. This common sighting has even been photographed. An old farmhouse has been said to appear at the end of the road along with a farmer himself calling out from a distance. Visitors report hearing strange sounds and witnessing colored balls of light hovering over the lagoon at all times of day. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is open to the public during the day. Police patrol the grounds at night, but you can find a tour to take you into the heart of the hauntings past dark. The cemetery is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Benedictine University-

5700 College Rd., Lisle, IL

The university is said to be haunted by multiple spirits. Former residence hall, Benedictine Hall, was closed due to the amount of unwanted paranormal experiences faced by its residents. It is said that a clergyman haunts the 4th floor and the 5th once housed a student exorcism. Many students and faculty also report seeing a little boy in a blue t-shirt and shorts running around campus. His outfit does not change no matter what the weather. Students have reported that there is always an “off” feeling on campus, the feeling heaviest Oct.-Nov.

Sunrise Park-

881 W Struckman Blvd., Bartlett, IL

Sunrise Park is reported to be a historical place of many rather morbid activities. The most famous of these is the story of a man who lived near the park in the 1800s who murdered children. He then scattered their bones around the park. Both the man and his victims are said to roam the park. Many, especially children, report feeling a tingling sensation and the feeling of a hand on the back of their neck. The park was also said to have been a location for Ku Klux Klan members to hold rituals and burnings. Now, some have reported seeing a “demon dog” running through the park. This dog is said to have the face of a human and is interpreted as a manifestation of a demon.

Resurrection Mary-

Archer and Terrace Dr., Justice, IL

We’ve all heard the urban legend of Resurrection Mary. In case you haven’t, the story goes that young and beautiful Mary was killed in a hit and run accident on Archer Ave after leaving a party at the Oh Henry Ballroom. Since the 1930s, countless people have witnessed her ghost in the form of a hitchhiker. Many stop their cars when they see her, only to find that no one is there. Some have reported driving her along Archer Ave., when she disappears from sight at the cemetery. Oh Henry Ballroom, now called Willowbrook Ballroom, is also said to be a hotspot for Mary’s ghost.

The Red Geranium

W Benton Ave., Naperville, IL

The house, currently abandoned, has had countless owners, all claiming to have had paranormal experiences. The presence pestered homeowners with moving and taking objects, the most dramatic being in the 1990’s when a homeowner reported that the painting she had been working on for weeks was suddenly blank. Psychics visiting the house have picked up on the story of a severely depressed man who botched an attempt at suicide. While slowly dying, he realized that all he wanted was to live. Eerie feelings and a heavy, dark atmosphere can be felt when standing near the stove. While this house is boarded up and off limits to the public, Naperville ghost hunters have gained access and will occasionally take tours to the home.