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Resurrection Cemetery - Chicago, IL June 14th, 2008
Archer Avenue is believed to be one of the most haunted roads in America. The avenue cuts a diagonal through Chicago’s south side running parallel to the Illinois and Michigan Canal as it follows an old portage trail between the Chicago River and Des Plaines River. Several factors are believed to contribute to the paranormal activity on Archer Avenue. First, Archer Avenue was an old Indian road built on a sacred line (or ley line.) Second the avenue was the building route of the Michigan and Illinois Canal where hundreds of immigrant workers perished in oppressive conditions during its construction. Lastly, there is a significant concentration of water to facilitate paranormal activity in the area including the Cal-Sag Canal, Illinois-Michigan Canal, Des Plaines River, and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Another factor in why Archer Avenue is believed to be one of the most haunted roads in the country is due in large part to the presence of Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, Illinois. This cemetery is home to a gravesite of a young girl who became known as Resurrection Mary, possibly one of the most “famous” ghosts in the world. Known as a vanishing hitchhiker, Mary is seen walking on Archer Avenue where she is picked up by passing motorists only to disappear before the ride’s conclusion. The traditional legend has Mary dancing at the Oh Henry Ballroom with her boyfriend. At some point during the evening, there was an argument and Mary left on foot despite the frigid conditions outside. Walking down Archer Avenue, Mary was struck by a driver who fled and was never found. Mary’s parents found her bodied on the roadside and had her buried at Resurrection Cemetery. She wore white dress and dancing shoes. However, evidence suggests that much of the legend is incorrect. The current, prevailing theory is that Resurrection Mary was a young Polish Girl named Mary Bregovy who was killed in an auto accident in 1934. However, rather than being killed on Archer Avenue as a pedestrian, Mary Bregovy was passenger in a motor vehicle that struck a “L” train support on Wacker Avenue in Chicago’s downtown and was thrown from the car through the windshield. The identity of female apparition seen on Archer was first discovered five years later by the funeral home director who had prepared Mary Bregovy. Apparently he recognized her from the description of reports that described her appearance and specific attire. Since the 1930’s several men driving between Resurrection Cemetery and the Willowbrook Ballroom have reported seeing a young lady hitchhiking. Dressed formally in a white dress, Mary was said to have light blonde hair and blue eyes and it reported to be quite fetching. Although quiet, she often asks to be dropped off by the cemetery where she disappears inside. Other reports indicate that she darts out into the road only to disappear after being hit by a car. Often her body is seen to be lying nearly lifeless on the side of the road only to disappear before authorities can arrive. However frequently after these “accidents,” there is often an impression of the body seen in the street. Other incidents were reported by cab drivers have returned to certain bars and lounges to inquire about a blonde-woman in a white dress who stiffed them on a fare the previous night by jumping out of the cab near Resurrection Cemetery. Perhaps the most intriguing Mary sighting was made by Jerry Palus who claimed that he met spent much of the evening with her in 1939. First, Palus met her at Liberty Grove and Hall where they danced together and even kissed. While struck by her beauty, he couldn’t help but notice that she spoke little and was quite cold to the touch. During the drive home, she disappeared from his car in front of Resurrection Cemetery. Another report came from a cab driver who has requested anonymity. While returning back to the city from dropping a fare off in the southern suburbs, he came across a young girl standing by the entrance of a shopping mall. Dressed only in a white dress despite the brutally cold Chicago eve, she stood solemnly and stared off into the distance. She was not hitchhiking and did not hail the cab. Despite making no indications for help, the cab driver was concerned for her safety and stopped to help. Without hesitation, she climbed in the front seat and plainly stated that she needed to get home. The driver describes her a “looker” who was no older than 21 years of age. While good-looking, the driver didn’t get any ideas, as she was young enough to be his daughter. The cab driver asked if she had car problems, but she did not respond. Given her demeanor, he suspected she that she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol because she seemed “fuzzy” and out if it, seemingly a million miles away. She only said that, “The snow came early this year.” Then in a moment of extreme urgency, she screamed to stop the cab. The driver looked around and did not see anything resembling a house. Confused by this, he asked where she lived and she pointed to the left at a small shack. While his head was turned, she disappeared in an instant from the cab without opening the door. Resurrection Mary is also believed to be responsible for two bent bars on the cemetery’s fencing. In 1976, police received a report that a young woman was trapped inside the cemetery. When the police officer arrived, he spotted no one. While walking around the perimeter of the cemetery, the officer noticed that two of the bars had been bent apart. Astonishingly, the impression of a handprint with skin texture and scorch marks could be seen on the green patina finish. Since the discovery by the officer, the cemetery unsuccessfully attempted to blowtorch the fence to remove any marks. Finally, to dissuade the curious from visiting, the cemetery has hidden them. The cemetery’s official statement maintains that a truck had hit the fence causing them to be bent. In an effort to straighten them, the fence bars were blowtorched, and then hand bent (while wearing an asbestos glove) in an attempt to straighten them. Arriving at the cemetery approximately an hour before closing, we drove slowly toward a darker, woodsier, older section of the cemetery. In other words, we tried to pick the spookiest section, most ghost-ridden section to explore. The car was parked in the shadow between two rows of giant oaks. Clouds followed in succession blocking the summer sun casting a gray shade over the cemetery. We were initially struck by the abundance of dear roaming the cemetery grounds. Small groups of deer dotted the expansive landscape from every vantage point. A large buck still in the velvet sat sentinel in the shade next to a large monument on a small, round hill. Deer moved around us unafraid often just mere yards away.
Judging by the names on the headstones, we could tell that our research was correct. This was Polish Cemetery; almost exclusively from what we could tell. (Tim felt right at home among his people.) One of Joe’s initial EVP questions was to inquire if there “is anyone who isn’t Polish here?” Joe then later requested for anyone who was Polish “to announce yourself as present.” An EVP is recorded and answers, “Present” to Joe’s request. We began to examine a section of the cemetery. EMF detectors, digital cameras and recorders were in hand as we strolled the immediate area. Joe and Rachael investigated the interior while Tim worked the tree line that bordered the graves. From time to time, our paths crossed. We stopped and exchanged our experiences. At one point during our examination, Tim thought he had heard something that resembled “humming” from behind him. Less than a minute after that, Tim approached a gravesite of a World War I veteran where he asked the man where he had served and if he had a message for any army friends or family. Analysis of the audio produced two quality EVP responses. When asked where did the veteran serve, a response of, “In France...in World War I” can be heard quite clearly. Immediately after that, in response to the second question concerning any messages for family, an EVP is captured that sadly declares, “No...No friends.” A car horn abruptly ended Tim’s conversation with the VFW and then Rachael approached as we moved on through the cemetery. However, another possible EVP is captured that appears to moan the word “No!” as we walk away. It is hard to be sure given its emotive yet faint qualities. Quite possibly the gentleman may have been lonely and desired conversation. It is noted that the voices we caught for these EVP's are the same, once again reiterating that it seems as though Tim was having a conversation with whoever was buried at this particular spot. At the midway point through that first session, Tim asked if anyone, “had a message” for him. A foreign voice appears to strain to answer the question. Initial impressions are that the response is “Yes” but given the shortness of the reply and muffled quality, it is difficult to be certain as to the credibility of the EVP. Again, it is worth a listen. Given that there was only a half hour until the cemetery’s close, we decided to drive the grounds once again and select the next most promising area. After a short drive, we found a corner of grounds that was juxtaposed between to an approximately two-acre area that was just bulldozed and another wood plot. In this area there was also an area that appeared to be having drainage issues due to the large sheets of plywood spread out, orange cones, and a line that led to a pump. We theorized that the disruption caused by the earthmoving equipment and flooding might be a decent spot to look for an active spirit. Again we split up with Joe and Rachael working the interior and Tim investigating the sections nearest the woods. During this time, nothing of significance occurred. However, Tim did hear an odd series of noises that seemed to be a shriek or a howl. Upon hearing them initially, the sounds felt out of place from the multitude of other noises that surround this suburban cemetery. Tim began to walk in the direction that he had heard the sounds. More noises followed. Tim could not help but think that they were originating within the cemeteries perimeter and not from outside the cemeteries walls. They were just loud enough to be heard. Digital recordings did capture the sounds as remembered by Tim. The sounds led Tim to the plywood path and pump. There, Tim asked questions regarding the drainage disruption and the resident’s feelings about it. Forty yards from the saturated area, a small woodlot sat isolated and seemed to be the logical destination of the audio chase. At the tree line, Tim couldn’t help but think that the woods were fairly creepy. As he scanned the woods, a black shadow moved in the darkness of the trees and disappeared. At least this is was Tim thought, but he was equally convinced that it could have been just a wild goose chase. Audio analysis of the event that recorded the mysterious noise buoyed his spirits. However, given the likely possibility of external contamination, it is difficult to ascribe anything paranormal to the captured audio. After following the series of “shrieks”, Tim returned back largely retracing his path from the car. Walking lazily down a quiet, serene wooden road, Tim asked in rapid succession, “Is anyone here with me?” and, “Do walk these roads at night?” as he admired the odd beauty to this section of Resurrection Cemetery. An EVP is captured responding with a “Yes”. (Begrudgingly Tim must admit that his wife discovered this EVP while validating the following EVP.) Tim then declared that, ”It is very pretty here.” A quality EVP is captured as the spirit agrees, “It is” to the statement. Again the EVP is contextual lending credibility and given that it has two syllables, it effectively rules of the chance of a “misinterpreted breath.” At the time of the recording, there was no one in Tim’s vicinity ruling out contamination. |
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