Resurrection Catholic Cemetery
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She's been dead for more than 40 years -- but continues to draw amateur ghost hunters and curiosity seekers from around the world to Justice, Illinois. They come to catch a glimpse. But most settle for a fear-inspired adrenaline rush.
Her Name: Resurrection Mary
Her Home: Resurrection Catholic Cemetery
Unless you call Justice home, the Chicago suburb really doesn't boast much other than this beautifully manicured cemetery -- and the famous ghost story attached to it.
"It's a little bit off the beaten path but well worth the drive if you're into phantom hitchhiking folklore," says Richard Crowe, who learned of Resurrection Mary as a boy and has been leading ghost tours in the Chicago area for more than 30 years. "It's America's best-known location tied to a hitchhiking ghost."
According to legend, Resurrection Mary is a young Polish woman who was killed by a car while hitchhiking in the 1930s and subsequently buried in the cemetery. A pretty blonde dressed in a flowing white dress, she had been trying to hitch a ride home after attending a dance in the neighboring town -- and has been trying to complete that journey ever since.
While Resurrection Catholic Cemetery became her final resting place, this ghost has indeed proved quite restless over the years.
Resurrection Mary is said to wander Archer Avenue, now a four-lane road that runs past the cemetery and just 4 miles down, the old dancehall. To this day, she looks to hitch a ride home, and unassuming drivers ambling down Archer Avenue after midnight are her targets. Since the Depression era, most travelers who claim to have picked up the young woman in white say she directs them down the road -- only to vanish as the car passes Resurrection Cemetery. According to Crowe, he's verified more than 20 Resurrection Mary encounters over the years.
Cemetery officials call the story a "fairytale" and a magnet for unwanted attention. After all, nobody has been able to pinpoint exactly who this elusive ghost was in life and where she is buried in the cemetery. Nevertheless, theories abound and many still choose to believe -- in large part because her alleged sightings are so mysterious and sporadic.
Locals also seem to reluctantly embrace the mystique and notoriety Resurrection Mary has bestowed upon their town. The village of Justice doesn't boast any Resurrection Mary-themed shops or restaurants. Chet's Melody Lounge, a tavern across from the cemetery, is the closest thing it has. Here, Resurrection Mary enthusiasts can order a Bloody Mary and -- what else? -- swap Mary stories. If you really want to do your homework before hitting the bar, the local library has a specific file devoted solely to the legend. And some Chicago-based ghost tours do make the 30-minute trip to Justice to drive past the cemetery gates -- another part of the Resurrection Mary lore.
According to legend, the main gates of Resurrection Catholic Cemetery for a while bore the physical mark of it's most famous resident. In 1976, a passerby called Justice police one night to report a woman locked inside the gates. An officer responded to find no woman. However, he did find that two bars of the main gate had been bent outward -- like someone had been trying to get out -- and bore scorched human handprints that were embedded into the metal. Word quickly spread that it was Resurrection Mary's attempt to leave the cemetery. While those gates immediately attracted throngs of curiosity seekers, the twisted bars have since been replaced and re-painted by the cemetery.
"I remember you could wrap your hands around [the bars] and feel the hand impressions in the metal," says Crowe. "In an attempt to destroy the proof, the cemetery inspired more curiosity."
Most who come in search of Resurrection Mary come at night. Naturally, Halloween is the most popular time, with thrill seekers driving up and down Archer Avenue. Some even dress up as Mary herself, hoping to spook those easily scared -- or just easily amused. For obvious reasons, cemetery staff and Justice police beef up security around this time.
Richard Crowe warns those seeking Mary not to hold their breath, as she usually appears to those who aren't expecting her. In fact, he has yet to see her. But to increase your chances, he suggests coming to Justice during a full moon -- or when weather turns rainy or snowy.
"She has been encountered walking in the rain or in the snow," he says. "But she remains perfectly dry. Her hair and dress are untouched by rain or snowflakes."
Today, driving down Archer Avenue after midnight can be an eerie and foreboding experience. And for those who know the legend of Resurrection Mary, it can be downright scary. The scattering of small shops that line the street sits silent. On a clear night, the moonlight dances across the white headstones at Resurrection Cemetery. The scene can make for a heart-thumping drive -- especially if you add fog to the mix.
Sure, those who come in search of Resurrection Mary may not find her. But they will find themselves in constant anticipation -- or fear -- of the famous female hitchhiker in the white dress.
WHERE:
Resurrection Catholic Cemetery
7201 Archer Ave.
Justice, Illinois 60458
Cemetery Visiting Hours:
8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (May to August)
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (September to April)