Most Haunted Places in America: Hull House

The Hull House was founded by Jane Addams in 1889 to help the underprivileged of Chicago’s immigrants settle into the United States. This is where she lived and worked until her death in 1935. Built in 1856, the house was occupied by Ellen Gates and Jane Addams in 1889. Today Hull House is a world renowned museum on the grounds of the University of Chicago but the story of a devil baby makes it one of the most haunted places in America.

Hull House is different from the rest of the haunted houses that I have spoken of in the past. What makes it different is that besides ghosts, there is a legend not only in Chicago, but the rest of the world known as the devil baby. Used as the inspiration of the movie Rosemary’s Baby by Roman Polanski the devil baby was a folklore that was passed around by many of the immigrants as an evil entity that was hidden from the world by Jane herself.

There were several stories behind the devil baby depending on the religion of the specific immigrants. Some said that the mother was a god fearing woman who happened to marry an atheist. She had put a painting of Jesus on the wall which angered the husband. His exact words were I would rather have the devil himself living in the house. Well, the husband had his wish when the child with scaly skin, black eyes, devil horns. and hooves came into this world.

Others state that there were so many daughters to feed, that the father stated that he would rather have a demon than another girl. Legend has it that the child’s mother died after his birth, and Jane felt compassion for him and kept the child on the third floor of Hull House. While growing up, the devil child would watch the other children through the windows and envied how he could not associate and play with them. However, these rumors infuriated Jane Addams when hundreds of women would arrive at the doorstep of Hull House requesting to see the spawn of Satan himself.

Even after the debunking of the folklore that surrounded the Chicago-land region, to this day many of Chicago’s residents believe that the devil baby really existed. In her diary, she had stated of the strange noises that she heard in the night. Although she did not know where they originated at, Jane made sure to leave a large bucket of water a day to keep whatever it was at ease.

Today Hull House displays the works of Jane Addams. It’s been noted that visitors have witnessed a childlike shadow peering through toward them from the darkness. While Hull House was still a shelter for immigrants, several residents have heard scratching sounds coming from what is now the museum and breathing near their faces only to wake up alone inside the room.

Whether the legend is true or not, the stories of the devil baby at Hull House still intrigue Chicagoans and those who visit to this day. Some believe that the child was severely deformed and was shunned from the rest of the world, while others think that there is an underlying evil that remains in the home over close to 100 years after the death of Jane herself. However, the story of Hull House will always remain a legend of its time.

Related posts:

1. The Devil’s Promenade Ghosts
2. Belcourt Castle Hauntings
3. Ghosts Reveal Hannah’s House Secret
4. Hauntings of the Woodruff-Fontaine House
5. Tragedy at the Plumer Street House