Excalibur Chicago

On the former site of a church and the Chicago Historical Society is the popular Excalibur nightclub in Chicago, Illinois. The area is steeped in interesting history, which spans more than two centuries.

The Chicago Historical Society stayed on the property for many years, with a brief interruption due to the Chicago Fire of 1871. Several women had fled to the building during the fire to seek shelter, and unfortunately remained inside when the building burned to the ground. The Great Fire, which was purportedly started by Mrs. O'Leary's infamous cow, caused more than $200 million in damage, claimed over 300 lives, and left 100,000 people homeless.

In 1892, the Historical Society building was rebuilt and dubbed "The Castle." During this time, it served not only as the Historical Society, but also as a makeshift morgue. The Historical Society occupied the building until 1931, after which time it became available for rental. Various tenants used the space until 1989, when the Excalibur moved in. There is still evidence of the fire in the hedges outside of the Excalibur where a hunk of melted metal lies.

With so much history behind it, the Excalibur nightclub is reportedly haunted. Spirits of former tenants and those who didn't survive the Great Fire are said to remain on the property. Every Friday night from September to November, the Excalibur hosts a show called "Supernatural Chicago," which highlights paranormal phenomenon around the Chicago area, with emphasis on the Excalibur. The tales told about the Excalibur have been featured in the movie White Noise and on television's A&E network.