Congress Plaza Hotel
Creepy captains, peg-legged phantoms, and twelfth floor terrors haunt this historic Chicago hotel
Ghost Stories of
The Congress Plaza Hotel
- The apparition of ‘Captain Lou’ is seen at times
- Room TVs turn on and off by themselves
- Sounds of playful children are heard in empty halls
- A young boy’s apparition is seen in certain areas
- Cold spots are frequently encountered
- Shadow figures are spotted around the hotel
From the 1893 World’s Fair to Chicago’s Most Haunted Hotel: A Congress Plaza History
Chicago is a city of tall towers and colorful characters. There’s simply no telling who you might run into around this corner or in that building.
And while there are always living legends to find in the Windy City, there are ghostly legends too, if you know where to find them.
Visit the Congress Plaza Hotel, in the heart of the city’s center, and you may find a few legendary specters.
Through years of ghost stories at the Congress, many spiritual characters have developed, as remarkable in death as they were in life.
Timeline of Congress Plaza Hotel's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Congress Plaza Hotel through the years
1893
The idea for the Congress Plaza Hotel began as the city of Chicago was preparing for the 1893 World’s Fair. The Columbian Exposition promised to bring throngs of tourists into the area. Investors hoped to capitalize on the event with a brand new hotel. It was named the Auditorium Annex, for its placement beside the renowned Auditorium Theatre. The new hotel opened just in time to greet World’s Fair guests. And, after the fair wrapped up, tourists continued crowding into the increasingly popular hotel.
1911
Into the 1900s, the Auditorium Annex remained popular. The hotel even greeted presidents Grover Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt in its early years. In 1911, to differentiate it from its next-door neighbor, owners changed the hotel’s name to the Congress Hotel. Under the new name, the hotel’s run of success continued through the 1910s and 20s. And even when the Great Depression took its toll on tourism, the Congress kept humming along. But, when World War II broke out, the US government took control of the building for office space.
1945
The Congress remained in government hands until the end of the war. New buyers opened it back up in 1945, but it wasn’t until the hotel was purchased by the Pick Corporation in 1950 that its new life truly began. The Pick Corporation started a multi-year renovation project. This project brought the historic hotel back to the forefront of Chicago hospitality. Owners in the years that followed all took Pick’s lead in maintaining the Congress’s historic splendor.
2026
Still today, over 130 years after the World’s Fair, the Congress Plaza Hotel remains a favorite lodge for travelers to Chicago. Its hundreds of guest rooms greet countless people each year, while the many ballrooms in the building host some of Chicago’s biggest events. But while the hotel thrives in modernity, Chicago’s history thrives in certain areas of the hotel. Specters from the early 1900s, and even back from the World’s Fair era, still purportedly haunt the rooms of the Congress Plaza Hotel.
Is The Congress Plaza Hotel Haunted?
Plenty of American hotels are purportedly home to ghosts. But few have such a well-established list of spirits as the Congress Plaza Hotel. Almost every phantom you might encounter has a name, identity, and distinct personality. The only real question is, which one will you find on your stay?
One of the most frequently encountered ghosts of the Congress Hotel is known as Captain Lou.
The story goes that Captain Lou was once Louis Ostheim, a guest who committed suicide in the hotel’s early years. Now, his specter supposedly roams the hotel at all hours of the day and night.
Guests, and sometimes even night security guards, report seeing Captain Lou’s dark apparition in the hotel’s hallways. Some people even pursue his spirit, chasing him through the hotel until he leads them to the roof, where he’ll disappear without a trace.
Karel Langer: The Congress Plaza Hotel’s Haunted 12th Floor Ghost
The specter of Captain Lou is just one established entity haunting the Congress Plaza Hotel. Another well-known ghost is said to roam around the older areas of the twelfth floor. Presenting as a young boy’s phantom, this haunting is said to be that of Karel Langer.
Karel was one of the sons of Adele Langer, a Czech immigrant who was fleeing the Nazis in 1939. Depressed from leaving her home in Europe, Adele leapt to her death off of the Congress Hotel, with her children in tow. Now, Karel’s ghost is said to haunt the twelfth floor, where the family’s room once was.
The Playful Congress Plaza Hotel Ghost Who Still Runs the Halls
Rather than being a somber spirit, Karel Langer’s ghost is known for being especially playful. Guests frequently report the sound of a young child loudly running up and down the hall, only to find the corridor empty when they go out to investigate.
Others also report running into Karel’s phantom out in the halls. Karel will apparently grin at witnesses before fading into thin air.
Peg Leg Johnny: The Congress Plaza Hotel’s One-Legged Chicago Phantom
Another colorful character of the Congress Plaza Hotel is Peg Leg Johnny. As his name suggests, this specter is best known for his one-legged apparition, seen hobbling around the hotel on a wooden peg.
But, along with his pirate-like disability, Peg Leg Johnny is known for his unkempt, tramp-like appearance. This has apparently led to many calls to hotel security for them to remove a homeless man up on guest room floors. Of course, the guards always check, only to be stumped by another manifestation of Peg Leg Johnny.
The Congress Plaza Hotel Ghost Who Won’t Stop Changing Your Channel
Even invisible spirits build big reputations at the Congress Hotel. One ghost who has never been seen is still an oft-reported phantom on certain floors.
A popular hotel tale tells of a former judge who once lived full-time in the hotel. Whenever he had down time, the judge would walk up and down halls with his TV remote, switching other guests’ TVs on and off.
Now, decades after his death, he apparently does the exact same thing.
Guests will often report their TVs turning on and off by themselves, sometimes in the middle of the night. Could it be a paranormal encounter? We’ll let you judge for yourself.
Room 441, Room 666, and the Congress Plaza Hotel’s Most Haunted Spaces
There’s some dispute about which room at the Congress Plaza Hotel is the most haunted. Some aren’t even sure the hotel’s hauntings prefer any particular room. They may all be like the phantom judge, roaming from room-to-room making mischief.
For a while, lore hung around Room 666, mostly because it doesn’t seem to exist. The door is sealed off, but not due to hauntings. Instead, it’s simply reused as storage and hotel office space. But, ghostly tales also mention Room 441, supposedly haunted by a mysterious woman’s apparition. Though, this report may simply be an invention of hotel staff.
Cold Spots and Disembodied Voices: The Unexplained at Chicago’s Congress Plaza Hotel
There are many identifiable phantoms at the Congress Plaza Hotel. But people also report activity associated with no known entity. Cold spots are one of the most common claims, though no one knows if they’re the work of Captain Lou, Karel Langer, Peg Leg Johnny, or the mysterious judge.
Countless people also report the sounds of quiet, disembodied voices around the hotel, both in guest rooms and in common areas. But, regardless of how many people hear these voices, few can discern anything they’re trying to say.
Why the Congress Plaza Hotel Remains Chicago’s Most Haunted Address
The Congress Plaza Hotel, much like the rest of Chicago, has come a long way since the days of the 1893 World’s Fair.
Regular updates and careful historic preservation help keep the Congress a popular and upscale hotel in the city.
As busy as it is, the hotel itself doesn’t offer any ghost tours or paranormal-specific packages. But many of the city’s ghost tours and ghost walks make mention of the Congress’s memorable phantoms.
While ghost hunters can’t book the hotel all to themselves, any paranormal enthusiast out there can always reserve a room and explore. As long as they don’t mind being stirred awake by playful children or a ghostly judge messing with their TV.
