Bachelor's Grove

[disgruntledone]

Anyone been to Bachelor's Grove Cemetery?
I recently went with some fellow ghost hunters and we were able to catch a bunch of pretty convincing orb photos. (Notice the colors and patterns in the picture above. I took this walking on the path leaving the cemetery after feeling like I was being followed). Please beware, though, that this place has been known for satanist and gang activity, and our group was escorted by a policeman. Funny thing, the policeman, tough as he was, refused to enter the cemetery because of the stories he had heard.
I did not experience anything paranormal, other than the extreme feeling of being watched. Also, it was a pretty windy night, but there was no wind inside the cemetery.
Some people have reported seeing a ghostly woman looking for her baby, and the sounds of a baby crying. There is also a pond closeby which is rumored to be an old dumping ground for mobsters. Another story is that of a disappearing house--when people try to approach it, it disappears. Many see mysterious floating lights.
Bachelor's Grove is also the sight of this famous picture:


Has anyone else heard stories or experienced anything in this supposedly haunted place?
Some say it's the most haunted place around Chicago--possibly the U.S.

***Please note: DO NOT TRY TO VISIT THIS PLACE AT NIGHT WITHOUT PERMISSION. COPS ARE CONSTANTLY CHECKING FOR TRESPASSERS AND YOU WILL GET ARRESTED.

[jonnyblaze]

I live in Chicago..Where at is Bachelor's Grove??I'd really like to visit there..Also,what did ya do to get the cop to escort you guys??Was the cop the one who told you about the gang and satanic cults??That's funny the cop wouldn't go in..Well hope to hear back from ya soon since I'd really be interested in going there..

[spooky]

We use to go there back in 68 and was plenty scarry back then. There use to be a restaraunt around there called Gibbon's Gardens, where mobsters would eat at. Haven't been around there over 30 years, so not sure if the rest. is still there. I know there was'nt much else around that area except forest preserves. I believe it was around 147th and Oak Park Ave.

[italianbellaa]

where is bachelor's grove at i would like to check it out one day

[chicagoknight]

jonnyblaze- Bachelor's Grove can be seen from the Midlothian Turnpike (143rd street) between Cicero and Ridgeland in the town of Crestwood. If you drive west on the turnpike from Cicero, you can see it on the lefthand side about a block or two before you hit Ridgeland. You can actually see the "pond" and several gravestones from the road when the trees and bushes aren't in bloom. If you want more detailed directions on how to get inside, let me know.

spooky- Gibbons Garden is still there! Great food, too. Some of the best steaks around. It's not really that close to the cemetary though. It's about a half mile west and then half a mile south on Justamere Road.

italianbellaa- Bachelors Grove is really freaky. I've had some crazy experiences there. When I have more time to write, I'll detail some of them. It's one of the most haunted places in the United States. If you're ever in the area, it's definitely worth checking out.

But the cops do patrol the area. I only had one experience with the police stopping us, but he let us go in and didn't care.

disgruntledone- the orbs are definitely a staple of bachelors grove, but where in the world is that path? Unless I just never noticed it before, I don't recall there being a concrete path anywhere in there?

[jonnyblaze]

Went to Bach Grove last night with just my little sister..We did EVP(it was windy though) and took some pictures that are kind of bizarre..There are little specks of white on most of the pictures..If they were orbs,they were small..I will post them soon..Also,how do you transfer EVP recordings to the computer,I'd like someone to check them out with some software..I did hear a distinct man's voice say "hello" in my right ear but could tell it was alittle distant..My little sister didn't hear this either and was next to me..

Anyway,we didn't go too far..We turned back because we didn't want to get lost in those woods at 2 AM..If anyone could give me some good directions to get back to the cemetary,I'd appreciate it..We were on some trail but it was hard to make out because of all the leaves but this "trail" we thought to be on had less leaves than the surrounding area..If we knew where we were going,we would have gone but it was risky to keep going we felt..We went through the path that leads to a parking lot type area after passing the Bach Grove sign,then kept going towards the back and went to the left that looked to be a trail..I saw no signs that said anything about a cemetary..Please help me out with some info because we want to go back and be more prepared this time..The trip was about an hour from my parents house but would def. be a lot less from my apt. in the city..

[bobbybuka]

HEY JONNY - I've been to Bachelor's Grove twice....once with a "local paranormal group" from your area and then the other time just me and a few of my friends drove down on a weekend....it's about 2 and a half hours from my place.

Go to GOOGLE and just enter in:

143rd Street, Midlothian, Illinois

-and you get the large view of the area...you have to scroll a little to the left hand side of your screen, but you'll see that Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is clearly marked on the map (between Central Ave and Ridgeland Ave) - a lot of people have uploaded some very cool pictures of the place right onto google, so move your cursor around to see the "blue dots" that indicate people have place pictures....

With the overhead shot - you are also able to zoom in close enough to see the different paths.....

OK, are you saying that you didn't enter the place right from the Midlothian Turnpike (which is 143rd St) - ? That's the easiest way...there is a public parking lot right across the street and the path into the cemetery is very clear.....

AND DID YOU ACTUALLY GO IN AT NIGHT? I've been warned by many, many people that you'll definitely get ticketed for tresspassing if you're there after sundown - so me and my friends didn't want to risk it.

[bobbybuka]

real quick - I just found this online and it's pretty good directions...

www.bachelorsgrove.com/directions-to-bachelors-grove-cemetery-.html

You're looking for that redish sign that says "RUBIO WOODS" as you're driving east on 143rd (the Midlothian Turnpike) you pull right into the parking lot at that Rubio Woods sign. Then you cross the street - and go toward that cell phone tower...go a little beyond it and you clearly see the "road" into the woods....it actually was the "old turnpike" so it was paved, but it sort of becomes gravel and seems to just kind of become a "path" as you get into the woods...the cemetery is about a mile walk up this "semi paved path" on the right hand side....


Jonny, how did you get there? On what street did you park?

[jonnyblaze]

Hey Bobby,
We probably got into the woods around 2 AM,so yeah we went at night..We found a place on Justamere that we parked on that we thought wouldn't disturb anyone..It was around houses but it wasn't anyone's driveway or anything..Anyway,we walked for about a half mile or mile to get to Bach Grove Woods..We weren't in the right spot though..We took the path that is on Mapquest that is right on the Justamere and 143rd..The white path on the map is where we went up so obviously we were by the cemetary..There was a path but like I said,it wasn't very difinitive..

Definitely disappointed but I'm planning on going back soon..There wasn't a person around last night which was sweet..I heard the Bach Grove sign is used to trick people to go there instead of by Rubio Woods..Well,we fell for it..I plan to do more research and everything this time around..I will still post the pics we took since even though we weren't in the right spot,we still were in Bach Grove Woods..

Is there anyone on here who wants to go??I'm not sure if I want to go with friends or a person from here..I would like to go with an actual crew..

[bobbybuka]

OH - Jonny, you were at BACHELORS GROVE WOODS...or the Bachelors Grove Forest Preserve at 143rd Street and Justamere Road....

I just had to look on the google map again to see where you were talking about....you were about a mile to the east of the cemetery! Here's what the "group" I was with the first time explained:

"Bachelor's Grove" was the name of an "early settlement" in that area....the pioneer family that settled there first was named "Bachelor" - that's how the area got it's name. So the sign isn't really there to fool anybody, it's that the whole area was once known as Bachelor's Grove. Bring up google and just enter in "143rd Street, Midlothian, Illinois" and look where you were...from there, go up and to the right a little, you'll see Bachelor's Grove Cemetery!


Post on here if you're ever going to go there on a weekend...I've got plans for the next couple weeks, and after that it might be too cold to be fun, but if the weather is nice - I could see if my friends would want to drive down there again....

and we're pretty harmless! I think I'm probably a little older than you....but I mostly got into all of this "ghost hunting" because my nephew was really into it for a while (he's 17 now....and the first time we went, when we met up with the paranormal group - that was about 3 years ago because I set the whole thing up as a surprise for him for his 14th birthday...he had a great time, too! he says I'm a cool uncle for an old guy)

[jonnyblaze]

Bobby,that'd be cool to go with you..You seem like a skeptic but it'd still be fun..I feel like you wouldn't want to admit to any activity..Thanks for the backround on BG..I'm definitely interested in knowing more..I'm not worried about it being cold or anything..Hey,we might be the only ones crazy enough to go in the cold weather!!haha..There's a lot of places I want to visit in WI and IL..The only worry I have is bringing something back with me or the crew..

Also,not worried to meet anyone on the site unless they brought a gun..hahahaha..I box and am 6'2,200 lbs so I can handle myself..I don't think my lil sister would have felt safe had I not been there with her..hahaha..Yet,I'm very laidback and not violent at all unless someone comes at me and I have to defend myself..Most people think boxers are supposed to be aggressive but it's not true..I also go to DePaul University in the masters program for Education..Alittle backround on me..hahaha..

We definitely should meet sometime whether it be for BG or another site..Where do you live at??Also,age isn't a big deal..We're both into the same stuff,so it shouldn't matter..

[bobbybuka]

I'll email you some stuff about me....or private message you actually (nothing weird or freaky or anything, I'm actually part of the academic staff at a university and I really don't like to say too much more than that openly on the internet...but don't worry, I don't work at DePaul, so I'm not one of your freaky professors)

-and yeah, I already know that you realize I'm pretty skeptical about all of this....and I certainly did not witness anything like "the manifestation of full bodied apparations" or the like at Bachelor's Grove. In fact, nothing "manifested" for me at all....


but the place does have a very strange "feeling" to it. I don't know how to describe it.....it's maybe a "sadness" (if that doesn't sound too stupid) - it's just an "odd vibe" about this old derelict cemetery out in the woods...and we felt it both times we were there, so it really is an interesting place to visit!!!!

[jonnyblaze]

I was actually thinking of PMing you my message about me..Definitely PM me and we'll try to work somethin out..

[bobbybuka]

ok - pm sent!


Hey, there are a ton of videos on YouTube that people have taken of Bachelor's Grove Cemetery....I just found one that I think is pretty cool because it's a few members of a local "paranormal group" and they start filming right at the start of the "path" on Midlothian Turnpike (143rd St) and just keep the camera on as they walk all the way up to the cemetery itself, then they just pan the camera around the cemetery a bit.....


www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZTcTY5oMyU


If you watch that whole video (almost 7 minutes long) you'll see exactly how to get into the cemetery!

[bobbybuka]

I just noticed that "disgruntledone" - the person who started this topic back in 2008 - seems to be a member of a group called "E.G. Ghosthunters" and that's the same group who made the video that I posted the link for....

I wonder if "disgruntledone" is the female voice heard on the video? The 3 of them heard on the video sound like pretty decent (and funny) people......DISGRUNTLEDONE, IF YOU'RE STILL CHECKING THIS FORUM, COULD YOU SAY MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES AT BACHELOR'S GROVE?