Section Links

Haunted Places

• Abingdon
• Bloomington
• Colchester
• Danville
• Decatur
• Galesburg
• Gladstone
• Havana
• Kewanee
• Lincoln
• Macomb
• Monmouth
• Oquawka
• Peoria
• Quincy
• Rushville
• Springfield
• Taylorville
• Urbana
• Vermont
• Warsaw

If you know of any other hauntings in Central IL, email me with info about and directions to the site (if hard to get to)!

Ghost Hunters

• IL Ghost Hunters
• Ghosts of the Prairie

Gallery

• My Photos

Peoria, IL Hauntings

Farmington Road - Parkside Tavern:

One of the Shelton Brothers (local gangsters during the 1930's l940's and 50's) was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Parkside Tavern on Farmington Road. It was possibly Bernie, who was shot with a high powered rifle from the hillside above the tavern on July 26, 1948. Bernie owned the tavern at that time. The Shelton gang and the Burger gang (from down around Springfield Il) were rivals for control of the profits from the downstate crime (South of Chicago). It was a gangland style killing and the hit was supposedly ordered by The Burger gang. His murder remainds unsolved.The tavern was a known stop for Bernie, who would come in at the same time each day. Many people now claim that the tavern is haunted by Bernie Shelton and there was quite a story in the Peoria Journal Star a couple of years ago where a reporter interviewed the owner and several patrons who swore that the have witnessed experiences of Bernie’s presence in the tavern.

Peoria Central High School:

A former principal, Max Mills, who died suddenly of a heart attack, has been seen walking the halls of the school.  He was a distinguished man always dressed in  a suit, white shirt, and tie.  He is presumed to be still keeping watch over the school.

Peoria Players Theatre:

"Players" is supposedly haunted by Normie the friendly ghost. He died on stage during a performance a long time ago. Normie has been seen backstage several times and has even helped a few people out with lighting. The toilets have flushed themselves. He supposedly likes the women's dressing room too. A painting of him hangs in the bathroom.

River Station building:

The old River Station building was a train station back in its origins.  The building was built in the late 1800's and the upper floor has been vacant and unused for many years.  The lower level is used as a restaurant and also a bar.  Many strange things have happened there.  Strange lights, lights flickering and turning on/off, a jukebox where the inside of it appeared to be turned upside down, televisions turning themselves on after closing time. Talk to anyone who works there and they'll tell you their personal experiences.

St. Frances Hospital:

There have been rumors of two ghosts of two nuns who were working a long time ago, at least a hundred years ago. They have been seen sometimes in the hospital in various places.

Woodruff High School Parking Lot:

An outdoor swimming pool was once located at the site. Sometime after it was built, some kids climbed the fence for a midnight swim. A teenage boy drowned, almost pulling his girlfriend down with him. Teenage girls who drive across the spot sometime feel a hand at their ankles, pulling their foot hard onto the gas pedal.

Zeller Mental Hospital:

Voices, noises, and apparitions are heard and seen. Unseen cars can be heard driving up and headlights of cars that disappear when you go out to check to see who's there. Police or ambulance sirens can be heard driving up but none appear.
Update: Zeller's was closed by the State in 2002 and reopened in 2003 as a Community College.