Resurrection Mary of Chicago

Resurrection Mary is America’s most famous vanishing hitchhiker. Since the 1930s, drivers on Archer Avenue near Justice, Illinois, have reported picking up a beautiful blonde woman in a white dress who disappears from their cars near Resurrection Cemetery. The legend has become part of Chicago folklore.

The Encounters

The typical encounter follows a pattern. A driver sees a young woman in a white or light-colored dress walking along Archer Avenue or standing near the road. He offers her a ride. She accepts but speaks little during the journey.

As the car approaches Resurrection Cemetery, the woman asks to be let out or simply vanishes from the moving vehicle. Drivers who stop and search find no trace of their passenger.

Some encounters occur at the Oh Henry Ballroom (now Willowbrook Ballroom), where men have reportedly danced with Mary before she asks for a ride home and then vanishes.

Identity Theories

Several theories exist about Mary’s identity. The most common connects her to Mary Bregovy, who died in an auto accident in 1934 after spending the evening at the Oh Henry Ballroom. She was buried in Resurrection Cemetery.

Other theories suggest she is Anna “Marija” Norkus, who died in 1927, or a composite of several young women who died tragically.

The Gate Incident

In 1976, a driver reported to police that he had seen a woman inside Resurrection Cemetery clutching the gate as if trying to escape. When police investigated, they found the iron bars of the gate bent apart and scorched with what appeared to be handprints.

Cemetery officials initially denied any unusual activity but eventually had to replace the bars. The replaced section is visible to visitors today.

Continuing Reports

Sightings of Resurrection Mary continue, though less frequently than in previous decades. She remains Chicago’s most famous ghost and one of America’s most enduring supernatural legends.