The old armoury on Washington Boulevard

Illinois · United States · Haunted site

The building was the Second Regiment Armory. In 1915 the Eastland rolled over in the Chicago River and this floor was used as the morgue.

The studios on Washington Boulevard in Chicago were built as the Second Regiment Armory, and people have long been reluctant to stay in the building after dark.

The reason usually given is the Great Chicago Fire. A correction filed in February 2005 gives the right one, and it is far more specific.

On 24 July 1915 the steamer Eastland, loaded with Western Electric employees and their families setting out on a company picnic, rolled onto its side at the dock in the Chicago River. Eight hundred and forty four people drowned, many of them trapped below decks in twenty feet of water, twenty feet from shore.

It remains the greatest loss of life in a single day in the history of this city, worse than the fire.

The armoury was used as the morgue. The bodies were laid out in rows on this floor for families to walk between and identify.

The building is private and closed to the public.

FAQ

Where is The old armoury on Washington Boulevard located?

The old armoury on Washington Boulevard is in Illinois, United States.