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Red Lion Pub - Chicago, Illinois
A workman, doing some simple renovations to an apartment would padlock the door upon leaving. When he returned, the padlock would be undone, not broken, but opened as if a key had been used. And the work was also undone. Boards he had put up were pulled out, nails were even removed. His tools would be scattered all over the apartment. Finally, he gave up in disgust, quit the job and left. The location is The Red Lion Pub, 2446 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. The building is a three story structure built of wood. The ground floor is the pub and the upper two floors used to be apartments. A number of spirits appear to inhabit this locale.
One such spirit is John Cordwell's father. John is the owner of the pub. An Englishman who became a successful architect, married a lady from Chicago, moved to the U.S. with her, built a successful business, then retired, began the pub just for fun. When he renovated the building, he had stained glass windows made, dedicated to his father, then placed them in the windows on the staircase. From that point in time until now, John's father has haunted the building. John believes it is him because his father's grave in England has no headstone. John noted that whenever he stood at one end of the
bar, next to the stairs, he began having dizzy spells. No explanation could be given for this.
Customers have also experienced dizziness in the same spot. John Cordwell said he had not experienced this prior to placing the stained glass windows in. Additionally, John says when he is upstairs, he frequently feels someone touch or tap his shoulder. No one is there doing this! A great many people have experienced these shoulder taps as well. John believes it to be his father for a couple of reasons. First, none of these activities began until the windows were put in. Secondly, his father had a very strong belief in the psychic world and life after death. His father had told him several times that he would come back and contact John. Other spirits haunt this building also. The place is even on the tour run by Richard Crowe, "Chicago Ghost Tour." Richard has even reported psychic events there. One time, when visiting John, he was overcome by the scent of lavender. Crowe stated the scent lasted at for nearly ten minutes. John did not seem to notice it and when asked, said he could smell nothing. The lavender smell is attributed to a young woman, about age 20, who died in the building. She was retarded, according to Crowe. A number of people visiting the building on Crowe's tour have experienced the same heavy scent of lavender. In addition, the girl's parents died in the house.
One waitress, became completely frustrated and in tears when attempting to open the door of the ladies room. She tried to pull the door open but found it wedged tightly closed. She had just come through it a few moments before this. She tried for nearly twenty minutes to open that door; when she finally gave up in total frustration. As she moved away from the door, it suddenly opened by itself. There is, or has been, little visual phenomenon reported here. Though there have been reports of seeing ghosts. One such occurrence was when Joe Heinan was tending bar. Joe recalled the night was very slow and only one customer was in the place. It happened the customer is a friend of Joe's. Joe was cleaning up, getting ready to close. He stopped and went off to the men's restroom. When he returned, his friend looked at him, white with fear, and said, "You never told me this place is haunted." He told Joe he had seen a white form walk down the stairs to the bar then back up the stairs again. Joe was a disbeliever. The building was built in 1882. Originally in farm country, but now it
sits on the northern edge of the large city of Chicago. Across the street from it is the movie theater,
Biograph, were John Dillinger saw his last movie before being killed on the street by FBI men. Al Capone and many
associates of his once lived in the area. A number of psychic investigators confirm the hauntings!
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