A Walk Through The Spooky Lincoln Park Zoo | A Haunted Tour With A Dash Of History

Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the fun destinations that you should never miss. If you are especially a paranormal activity enthusiast, you must not miss the after-hour tours. There is a lot going on under the surface that could get the chills through your spine. 

This after-hour tour shares the cemetery roots of the zoo and highlights the “suicide bridge” from the 19th century. It also identifies which animal house is the most haunted. Further, this place is also the witness of the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. 

There are a lot of activities that come with the name Lincoln Park Zoo. But this ghost tour is best for those who want to go out deep into the night to investigate the spooky stories.

The Terrifying Tales Of Lincoln Park Zoo | Know The Spookiest Lincoln Park Zoo History

Lincoln Park is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Chicago and, without a doubt, is one of the most haunted places in the city. This is the home of George “Bugs” Moran, and Lincoln Park has also witnessed some of the worst Gangland violence America has ever seen. 

This also includes the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre that happened in 1929. This happened in a sleek brick garage at 2122 North Clerk Street. This slaughter was also a part that is almost as obligated as today’s turf wars, like death and shootings.

Lincoln Park is also host to one of the most terrifying deaths. It is now popular as the “Tylenol Murders.” It was October 1, 1982, when Paula Prince, a flight attendant, was found dead.

She bought a cyanide-laced capsule bottle from the Walgreens store at Wells Street and North Avenue in the old section of Lincoln Park a few days before.

With so many haunted stories making the air heavier, the Lincoln Park Zoo has some spookiest spots. Let’s explore them. 

Lincoln Park Zoo: Mark The Spookiest Spots To Visit 

The gigantic Burr Oak tree in the Lincoln Park Zoo, Illinois, has been the witness to many otherwordly activities. It has also seen how more than 200 species of animals have found their home in this park. 

Further, Lincoln Park Zoo, the fourth oldest in North America, takes us back to 1868. The beginning of the zoo was pleasant, with the Lincoln Park Commissioners receiving swans as gifts from the Central Park Board of Commissioners in New York City.

With time, puma, elk, wolves, and peacocks came to this zoo as donations. Then, it also became home to apes, gorillas, bear cubs, and lions. 

However, Lincoln Park Zoo’s association with phantoms and the spirits who never found peace began with the  Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Along with burning the city and structures to ashes, this fire also devastated many graves. 

Nevertheless, today, the That Steak Joynt, The Cemetery, and the Lion House Bathroom are the three spookiest spots inside the zoo. 

1. That Steak Joynt

The infamous haunted restaurant, The Steak Joynt, presently known as Adobo Grills, is one of the oldest eateries in the vicinity of the parkland. It is home to one of the meanest ghosts the town has ever seen. It often happens that the ghost drags the waitresses down the stairs. And what they see is just a pair of glowing eyes. 

Mediums and psychics say that because of the double murder that happened in Piper’s alley. That pathway ran through the building. The killer did not just leave the premises alone. The spirit is still there, looking for people to kill.

2. The Cemetery

Even though you will hear a lot of haunting tales about the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park Zoo, the park itself is one of the most haunted places of all. This park used to be the home of Chicago’s City Cemetery. It stretched from old Green Bay Trail to Lake Michigan and North Avenue to Armitage. The cemetery was established in 1843 but was short-lived.

 They thought burying the corpse of the affected might spread the disease through the water supply. After that, orders were passed that they had to remove the bodies from the ground. 

They had to stop this long process on October 8, 1871, when high winds brought flaming debris across the river. The great Chicago fire slowly spread toward the north. The people from the northern part came to the cemetery grounds for shelter. And it eventually took them to the waters of the North Avenue Beach.

The fire destroyed the cemetery completely. The ruins could not be identified. They had no choice but to go with the plan to build a lakefront park. And that’s how Chicago moved on. But not all of the dead moved on; they had other plans for the city.

Ghost hunters are aware of the hauntings of the old cemetery grounds that left the dead behind after the fire broke. They have conducted many investigations in private homes and on the public grounds of Lincoln Park with their advanced ghost-hunting equipment. But nothing inside the zoo. This is the place that covers most of the former cemetery grounds. 

3. Lion House Bathroom

Many visitors have complained about seeing figures in Victorian outfits in the Lion House Bathroom of the Lincoln Park Zoo. Strange voices are also heard here.

Ron Jamiolowski and Colleen Nadas, who are investigators, conducted an investigation in the zoo’s lion house. They instantly felt there was something spooky going on there. They placed a row of mirrors that faced each other. This created an infinite space. They felt that the entities were getting trapped in that place.

The staff members of the Zoo also mentioned that they also had spooky encounters and often heard a man saying, “Get out.” The investigator said, ‘Amazingly, when I set up my laptop and began to record for EVP, within a minute, I picked up a stern male voice warning, “Get out! There’s a woman here!”

The investigator further mentioned, “As we continued our investigation, I took several series of photographs down the row of stalls leading to the end of the facility. During investigations, I like to take fifty to one hundred photos or more of each location to see if any of the frames contain an anomaly. When I played back the recording done during this time, I found that one of the male entities was a bit angry that I wasn’t paying as much attention to him as the area I was photographing because he clearly said, “Will you look at me!”

The Investigation Continues …

The investigation in the Lincoln Park Zoo did not end there. The investigator further said, “On a subsequent visit to the Lion House bathroom, I was amazed to find that I had photographed a shadowy figure silhouetted against one of the bathroom stalls. This photograph was one of a sequence of sixty I had snapped, one after another in quick sequence. Only this photo showed the image.  The other investigators with me attempted to recreate the shadow by standing against the opposite wall, out of view, but could not.”

Lincoln Park Zoo: Important Details You Must Know Before Your Visit 

‣ Where Is Lincoln Park Zoo Located?

The address of the Lincoln Park Zoo is Chicago, IL 60614, USA. It is close to Armitage Station (Purple and Brown Lines) and Fullerton Station (via Red Line). 

Further, you can take 22, 36, 151, and 156. All these buses stop at the zoo’s western edge. However, if you are still confused about how to reach Lincoln Park Zoo, you can get in touch with the Chicago Transit Authority or CTA at 312-836-7000. 

‣ How Much Are Lincoln Park Zoo Tickets?

Lincoln Park Zoo offers free entry to visitors, and it is open for 365 days. The zoo remains open from 10 AM to 5 PM. 

‣ How Big Is Lincoln Park Zoo?

The Lincoln Park Zoo covers an area of 35-acre approximately. 

‣ How Much Is Parking At Lincoln Park Zoo?

The parking lot of the Lincoln Park Zoo opens at 6 AM sharp. If you are an early bird and can reach the park within half an hour of its opening, you will not need to pay any charges.

However, after that, you will need to pay $30-40 per day as parking charges along with parking taxes. Further, the parking charges at Lincoln Park Zoo keep changing. 

You Can Stay At These Hotels Near Lincoln Park Zoo | Find Your Accommodation 

People traveling on a shoestring often wonder, “How much is Lincoln Park Zoo accommodation.” Don’t worry, as your stay at the hotels near Lincoln Park Zoo can cost as little as $55. 

So, let’s check out the options. 

That’s it on the spooky walk at Lincoln Park Zoo. If you are a paranormal enthusiast or a fan of dark tourism, you can plan your visit now! 

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