The Custom House

Ursula Bielski • July 19, 2023
The Custom House

By the year of the Great Fire, 1871, the U.S. Custom House had operated in Chicago’s present-day Printer’s Row area for a little over fifteen years. The building housed not only the Collector of Customs but the equivalent of the IRS, the Steamboat Inspector, the U.S. Commissioner, the U.S. Marshal and the postal clerks’ offices. On the top floors were the federal courts, district attorney and clerks of court. Wryly, the Custom House was one of several so-called “fireproof” buildings that would be decimated by the Great Fire in 1871. 


After the Great Fire destroyed the Custom House, the U.S. government moved their various orphaned offices into Congress Hall, an old hotel at Michigan Avenue and Congress Boulevard which had survived the Fire. A decade later, the building would be razed to build the new Auditorium Annex Theater (today’s notoriously haunted Congress Plaza Hotel), for visitors to the World’s Fair of 1893. But just after the Fire, by December of 1871, the new Custom House headquarters were already known as haunted.

Soon after their tenancy began, stories of phantom footfalls and other strange sounds began to be reported by government workers, and—not long after-- a chilling story surfaced to explain the strange events, which were tied to a porter who had worked in the old Congress Hall Hotel. 


The dead porter’s former roommate told the tale of an evening when his friend had gone out to bathe in the Lake. When the porter came back later, his friend saw that he was pale and distressed, and he got into bed with his clothes on, falling asleep without a word. 


In the morning, the porter was gone. Later that afternoon, while his friend stood chatting with an associate in the lobby, the body of the porter was brought in on a stretcher. He had drowned the evening before in Lake Michigan.


Not long after the man’s death, the housekeepers at Congress Hall Hotel began to report strange noises in his former room and a feeling of unease. Then, one night about three months after the drowning, several people saw the dead man appear, dressed in soaking wet clothing, standing in the doorway leading to the yard of the hotel. The night watchmen at the hotel also reported hearing the sound of walking between 9pm and midnight most nights, and the engineer claimed to have heard someone snoring in his room when he was quite alone. On another occasion he went into the basement, where the porter used to nap on his duty nights, and found the chairs turned upside down, inkstands overturned, and papers and other items strewn about the room. 

Another night watchman was driven nearly crazy, reporting that he was constantly followed by phantom footsteps while making his rounds, the footfalls walking when he walked and stopping when he stopped.


Today the site where the Congress Hall Hotel once stood is occupied by the looming Congress Plaza Hotel, known as one of the most haunted hotels in the world and—for my money—the most haunted building in Chicago. Myriad spirits roam these halls, the victims of so many tragedies that occurred here over many, many years, including those of numerous accidental and purposeful drownings in the lake. Whether the porter who suffered here so many years ago is part of today’s gathering of ghosts is anyone’s guess. 


If he still walks the halls, however, he has a lot of company.


Dive deeper into the mysterious world of hauntings with our curated collection of paranormal investigations and ghostly encounters. Read more stories like this in “Ghosts of Lincoln Park: A Chicago Hauntings Companion” by Ursula Bielski, a book of downtown Chicago ghost stories written by our own American Ghost Walks team.



Uncover even more paranormal investigations and ghostly encounters, and Read more stories like this in “The Original Chicago Hauntings Companion” by Ursula Bielski, a book of Chicago ghost stories written by our own American Ghost Walks team.



Are you fascinated by the supernatural and craving more spine-tingling tales? Whether you're a skeptic seeking evidence or a believer looking for your next supernatural fix, "American Ghost Books" offers everything from historical haunted locations to firsthand accounts of paranormal experiences. Each book has been carefully selected to provide authentic, well-researched stories that will keep you turning pages well into the night.


Don't let your curiosity about the supernatural remain unsatisfied—you may also join our ghost tours and experience the hauntings firsthand! Walk through eerie locations, hear chilling stories from expert guides, and uncover the mysteries that lurk in the shadows.


You may also read real stories from our guests on our Google Business Profile Reviews and see why they keep coming back for more!



Find Your Next Paranormal Experience

Halloween in Virgin Islands
October 16, 2025
Celebrate Halloween 2025 in the Virgin Islands with parades, parties, and haunted tales. Explore island legends on Ghost Tours with American Ghost Walks.
Halloween in Puerto Rico
October 16, 2025
Celebrate Halloween in Puerto Rico with haunted attractions, ghost tours in Old San Juan by American Ghost Walks, and spooky island adventures.
Halloween in Red Wing
October 16, 2025
Celebrate Halloween in Red Wing, MN with haunted tours, trunk-or-treats, and spooky events. Explore the town’s mysterious past with American Ghost Walks.
By Paul Reyes October 15, 2025
Halloween in Lahaina is unlike any other celebration in Hawaii. Once described as the “Mardi Gras of the Pacific,” Lahaina’s Halloween has been a tradition since the late 1980s, drawing thousands of locals and visitors alike. Whether you are looking for family-friendly fun, lively nightlife, or a glimpse into Maui’s spooky history, Lahaina offers it all.  In 2025, the spirit of Halloween is stronger than ever as the community rebuilds and reopens after the devastating wildfires of 2023. This year’s festivities carry a special meaning by celebrating resilience, culture, and the joy of gathering together on Maui’s most famous street.
October 15, 2025
Celebrate Halloween 2025 in Wiscasset, Maine with parades, trunk-or-treats, and haunted history. Discover spooky stories with American Ghost Walks.
October 15, 2025
Join these Halloween 2025 events in Kennebunkport, from trick-or-treating on Summer Street to spooky Ghost Tours by American Ghost Walks along Maine’s coast.
Thalia Hall in Chicago
By Mike Huberty October 14, 2025
Discover Thalia Hall’s spirits: historic theater lore, staff sightings, and a hands-on ghost hunt Oct 26 at 6 PM. Limited spots.
Halloween in Hilo
October 14, 2025
Celebrate Halloween in Hilo with family events, parties, and haunted fun. Discover Hawaiian legends on Ghost Tours in Hilo with American Ghost Walks.
By Paul Reyes October 14, 2025
Discover why New Orleans is one of the best places to celebrate Halloween in 2025. Explore haunted mansions, voodoo legends, and ghost through walking tours.
By Paul Reyes October 14, 2025
Discover the best Halloween events in Chicago 2025 including parades, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and nightlife. Join American Ghost Walks for in Chicago!