These women are now among several ghosts thought to inhabit the present-day Excalibur Nightclub. Was it murder or self-defense? It is said that Jean Lalime now haunts the Excalibur Nightclub, where his body was ignominiously put on display. The Chicago club boasted a board of directors that included jet- set socialite Jean Pirie, entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.
Today, Excalibur Nightclub employees claim to have seen a ghostly woman descending the stairs, glass shattering in the night at the adjacent Vision Nightclub without tripping off the motion detectors, and numerous cold spots encountered when the air conditioning or winter drafts have been ruled out. Many even refuse to go into the storage room on the upper floor without pairing up first. On the other hand, it must be said that it is commonly and erroneously claimed that victims from the Eastland Disaster were brought here, when they were actually brought to the Reid Murdoch Building, the J.
Gavin Funeral Home at N. It is also said that a lawyer that once lived in the building prior to Excalibur committed suicide on the site, but I have yet to find any confirmation of this story. I am especially suspicious of this account as the building seems to have operated only in a commercial rather than residential capacity, and this account usually appears next to those claiming bodies from the Eastland were briefly interned here. What do you see? Reproduction of this image prohibited without express written permission from The Chicago Bar Project.
Sadly, neither my friend nor I closed any deals that night…. Despite the complaints of cheesiness, irritation at the doormen and obnoxious patrons, the Excalibur Nightclub is a Chicago classic. The building is magnificent, its history and hauntings most intriguing, and how many clubs do you know have been around for 20 years?
Afterward, it housed several different businesses and organizations. A magazine publisher, the Works Progress Administration who built the Chicago History Museum , and the Loyal Order of the Moose all occupied the building over the next decade. The Chicago Institute of Design bought out the space in and left ten years later, after which several recording studios operated in the building during the 50s and 60s.
In , the building was declared a Chicago Landmark. The Limelight was a chain of nightclubs with several locations, getting started in South Florida then expanding to Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and London. After spending another million on renovations, he opened two nightclubs in the building; Vision and Excalibur.
Both clubs were known for extravagant parties, strict dress codes, and hosting live shows from big name artists. Popular performers at the clubs included Rhianna, Moby, and Tiesto. It was easily among the most popular venues in Chicago, given its architecture and the fact that it took the location of the insanely popular The Limelight nightclub. Excalibur and Vision both closed their doors in After Excalibur , several other nightclubs moved in and took its place.
Castle Chicago contained three nightclubs, a restaurant, a cocktail bar, and rooms for private parties. The building was bought out in , and Castle Chicago closed shortly afterward.
In , an Asian restaurant and nightclub named Hybrid moved into the building and is still in operation today. Since the opening of the Excalibur , patrons and staff of the nightclub have experienced several paranormal phenomena.
Some of the usual haunts around the Excalibur included the apparition of a woman in a white dress on the staircase. She was said to have a transparent blue aura and was often seen either going up or down the stairs. Some claimed to have been pushed by her spirit while descending the staircase.
As of yet, nobody knows who the woman was while alive. One rumor stated that the ghost of a lawyer who committed suicide haunts the building. This has proved to be untrue, as the building was never used as a residence.
Instead, many believe the ghost is actually a man named Jean Lalime. The Dome Room occupied the third floor of the Excalibur and featured a large dome with a painting of Zeus looking down toward the ground. Interestingly, the Dome Room is said to be the most haunted room in the building.
There are numerous accounts of drinks being pushed off the bar tables and onto the ground, and the staff have come in the morning to find glasses broken on the floor without the motion detector ever going off. Many have also experienced cold spots, candles lighting by themselves, and crying and moaning coming from empty bathrooms. Chicago magician Niel Tobin also used the Excalibur as the set for his weekly show Supernatural Chicago.
Tobin also used the Excalibur as a place for his annual seances, where he would attempt to contact the spirit of Harry Houdini. Want to see more spooks in the Windy City? Say no more! US Ghost Adventures has got the most frightening haunts in Chicago!
This long abandoned graveyard is shrouded in mystery and covered from the public eye by overgrown vegetation. Spend a night at the Drake Hotel! Her ghost still haunts the hotel to this day.
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