1: Archer Avenue.

Possibly one of the most haunted areas in all of the Chicago area, the stretch of Archer Avenue between Resurrection Cemetery and St. James-Sag Church weaves its way through forests, lakes, and multiple graveyards, all with their own terrifying tales. Ghostly monks haunt the areas around St. James-Sag, the “Gray Baby” lurks at Sacred Heart Cemetery, and phantom horse riders cross the street at nearby 95th and Kean. But perhaps none of the supernatural tales is as well-known as that of Resurrection Mary. Chicago's Resurrection Mary is one of the most famous "vanishing hitchhikers" ever. She's been scaring the crap out of the motorists on Archer Avenue since the 1930s, and with her consistent appearances she shows no sign of slowing down.

According to legend, Mary is the spirit of teenage girl who, after getting into a fight with her boyfriend, decided to walk home from the Oh Henry Ballroom (now known as the Willowbrook Ballroom and Banquets) late one night. After less than a mile, Mary is struck and killed in a hit-and-run by a driver who flees the scene and is never found. Distraught, Mary's parents lay her body to rest in Resurrection Cemetery , wearing the same outfit she wore the night of the dance. The End. Kind of.

Since 1939 people leaving the Willowbrook Ballroom have reported seeing a woman in a white dress standing on the side of the road. Whenever she's picked up by a passing motorist, the quiet girl says nothing the entire ride, until the car passes the Resurrection Cemetery and she promptly disappears into thin air. Sometimes Mary exits the car, and in one famous story she actually burns her hands into the cemetery gates, which still bare the marks to this day.

Sometimes men will meet Mary at a local dance and when they offer her a ride home she'll accept, only once the car passes the cemetery she pulls the usual disappearing act. There are plenty of variations of the vanishing hitchhiker story, though they all end the same way... with Mary disappearing into thin air. Folklorists and story lovers believe Mary's true identity is actually Mary Bregovy, a young girl who died in 1934. Others think she might be Anna "Marja" Norkus, another girl who died in a car crash returning home from Oh Henry Ballroom.

Plenty of perfectly sane people have claimed to see the ghost of Mary standing on the side of the road along Archer Ave. And if you're looking for something spooky to do this Halloween, Resurrection Mary is one of the most iconic American ghost stories of all time, so you can't get much spookier than that! Swing through Resurrection Cemetery (home to the world's largest stained glass window) and grab a drink at the Willowbrook Ballroom and maybe you'll see Mary too. Just, don't give her a ride, 'cause she never chips in for gas.

Jungle Habitat, is a completely abandoned animal theme park turned somewhat terrifying “recreational area.” When the decision was made to shutter the New Jersey safari-themed amusement park, the powers-that-be thought that simply abandoning the grounds would be enough to take the wildlife out of the park. However, they neglected to remember one key fact about the abandoned jungle’s untamed beasts– they're hard-wired for survival. First reports of the abandoned space being not-so barren came a few years after the initial closure of the park in 1976. When West Milford residents voted against the expansion of Jungle Habitat, the current owners, Warner Brothers, cut their losses and stepped away from the unlucky theme park. Leading up to this decision there were troubling incidents of visitor attacks and diseased animals on the loose. From the first days of the park’s opening, it became apparent that no one involved had the slightest notion of how to run an entertainment spot filled with wild beasts- closure seemed like a much simpler option.

In the aftermath of the shutdown there were difficulties- it was rumored that a binge-drinking session of some locals had led to an impromptu late night hunting party that killed more than thirty of the park’s more exotic animals, including lions, zebras, and elephants. A horrendous pile of carcasses was left behind for more than six months due to both parties refusing to take responsibility. Without any supervision or structure to regulate the park, Jungle Habitat was forgotten, and the wild things crept back in. And now, decades later, the strange rumors still persist. Locals have reported seeing kangaroos, monkeys, and other non-dangerous untamed beasts roaming around the outskirts of the reserve. The park itself has become overgrown and wild and the buildings have been reduced to ruins. More than forty years later, the park finally looks the part of a jungle habitat. Don’t take our word for it, though- the space is still very much accessible and a compelling scene for those with a passion for exploration- just make sure you watch out for the creatures within.