Weird Illinois: Your Travel Guide to Illinois' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets [Hardcover]

Troy Taylor (Author), Mark Sceurman (Author), Mark Moran (Foreword)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble Books; 1st edition (April 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076075943X
• ISBN-13: 978-0760759431
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compendium of the Unusual in Illinois, August 21, 2008

By 

Jan Peczkis "Scholar and Thinker" (Chicago IL, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Weird Illinois: Your Travel Guide to Illinois' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (Hardcover)

Owing to the fact that most Illinois people live in the Chicago area, and that is where I am from, my review is limited to this region.

Famous buildings discussed include the Hull House. One of the unusual buildings featured in the book is the replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and located in suburban Niles. One of the eye-catching restaurants included is the Superdawg. It is a 1950's-style hot dog stand, located at the corner of Milwaukee and Devon, on the far northwest side of Chicago. First opened in 1948, it features the likeness of a boy and girl hotdog perched high above the restaurant. (I remembered it from my 5 year-old self being driven to my grandmother's burial in 1960).

Some crime scenes are included, notably the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and the site where John Wayne Gacy, dressed like a clown, murdered over 30 men and older boys, and buried their bodies in his basement. It is said that it took a mysteriously long time for grass to begin growing again at the site.

A number of cemeteries are featured. But ghost stories also originate from other areas associated with death, especially mass death. When a large airliner crashed at O'Hare Airport in May of 1979, killing over 270 people, there were reports of strange lights in the field at night, and knocks on the doors of locals. No one was there when the owners came to the doors.

The authors missed a chance to include the Our Lady of the Angels School fire of 1958, in which 92 children and 3 teachers perished. The school was subsequently rebuilt, and is no longer a Catholic school. But, over the decades since the tragic fire, there had been, from the new school building, occasional reports of mysterious sounds of children screaming.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Addition to the 'Weird' Series, September 13, 2006

By 

Clayton J. Gibbs "Horror Soundtrack Collector" (Rapid City, SD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Weird Illinois: Your Travel Guide to Illinois' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (Hardcover)

I love all the 'Weird' books, especially the 'U.S.' and the 'Weird New Jersey' book, but amongst the other states, this one is a real treat. First off, it's well written by expert Troy Taylor. Secondly, the pulse of the book never ceases. From the start it grabbed me and had me turning pages, when usually these books are something you pick up and put down, just because there is so much to digest. there are some great ghostly tales and other-worldly visits that make this compilation stand on top of my stack of 'Weird' books.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers the state, September 9, 2009

By 

Josh Collins "manifest investigator" (Pittsfield, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Weird Illinois: Your Travel Guide to Illinois' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (Hardcover)

This book by Troy Taylor is awsome. If you live in Illinois, and are into the things that go bump in the night, then this book is for you. Troy has written some great articles in the past about Illinois, but this one does it. There isn't an area in Illinois that isn't covered. If you live anywhere in the state, chances are, there is some part of this book that covers a topic in your region.

This book isn't all about ghosts. It covers strange statues, weird landmarks, local haunts, strange roadways and more. Definately a great addition to any history buffs library, and to anyone who lives in Illinois.