by Edward Shanahan

 

This location sits on land that those who are Spiritualists or have the ability to tap into the Spiritual side would call the land sacred or Spiritual land, do to the fact this land and much of Willow Springs , IL was populated by Native American Indians and known as Indian Village 23 – Willow Springs.

What the Willow Springs Historical Book states and other information:
Archer Avenue is the road in front of the building and was an Indian trail. A map shown in the Willow Springs Historic Book, that was painted on deerskin showing the Des Plaines River area during the Potawatomi occupancy outlines the woods and surrounding land that this building sits on as Chief Cagmega’s Ridge and Potawatomi Ridge Trail lays behind it.

Directly North of this building is the Des Plaines River where the fur trading would go on between the Native Americans and the French traders who traveled the Des Plaines River, and less then a mile north east of that, you will find the Native American Healing Waters. It has been felt by those of Native American Heritage, that there is an Indian Burial Ground that one passes by when taking one of the trails that are in the woods behind this building.

What also adds to the possibility for the reason of this whole area’s paranormal / spiritual activity, it is stated in the Willow Springs Historic Book that during the 1890’s and early 1900’s, Indian burial mounds and gravesites were discovered throughout the village and destroyed by early residents in the village.

As stated in the Willow Springs Historic Book: Willow Springs was discovered by Chicagoans in 1854, as a beautiful picnic spot, on the Des Plaines . The land that this building sits upon used to be a favorite, tree shaded picnic area known as Spatis Grove.

 

By 1883, railroad travel south from Chicago to Willow Springs was a reality. From 1892 to 1899 the construction of the I & M Canal brought more people as well, many of them Italians, adding to the growing numbers of people who called the place home; mainly Germans, Poles and Irish. Ice harvesting off the river became a large money making endeavor for the people living here.

While ice harvesting was still a big business in Willow Springs in the early 1900's, other less wholesome businesses migrated south from Chicago as well. Gambling, drinking and the world's oldest profession found out that Willow Springs was a profitable place to set up shop, as there was no police department, only the Cook County Sheriff's department, who had bigger fish to fry in the early 1900’s than vice offenders.

Also stated in the Willow Springs Historic Book: On January 16^th, 1920 began the era of prohibition with an increase in the locations in the village that were Speakeasies. The roaring twenties also found the surge of private ‘moonshine’ stills in the town and prostitution was a common thing. During this time the location 'Willowbrook Ballroom' (sits across the street of The Irish Legend and is the location Resurrection Mary has been said to haunt), was built in 1921 by John Verderbar, it was called the 'Oh Henry Ballroom', it was originally a picnic grove, and the owner built an open pavilion for dancing and then turned it into a ballroom. Even as late as the 1950’s an illegal gambling casino that occupied a space in the lower level of the Willowbrook Ballroom was shut down.

Also stated in the Willow Springs Historic Book: The building that The Irish Legend now occupies and sits across the street from the Willowbrook Ballroom, the building then was called the 'Oh Henry’s Roadhouse' when it was built. It is said on some web sites to have been most likely built with Mob money. It has been claimed to have been a Speakeasy and the upper floor a Brothel. Many Spirit Feelers, Mediums and I claim that some of those Spirits still remain. They are what I attempt to tap in to while doing my paranormal nights Circle of Energy Séance.

Also stated in the Willow Springs Historic Book: During the prohibition era a gangster named Edward Zion lived in a house just east of Willow Springs Road on Archer Avenue , he was an experienced West Side gunman, a saloon keeper and a freelance bootlegger. In 1926, those of the Capone gang gunned him down in his back yard.

 

The owner of the home that at one time was the home that Willow Spring's Mayor Banks owned, has said she has talked to family members of Mayor Banks and they recall Al Capone visiting Mayor Banks back in the day while he was Mayor. Even as late as 1974 and the 1980’s, interesting business establishments operated in Willow Springs, one being The Holiday Health Studio and was eventually discovered to be a massage parlor alleged to be complete with prostitutes. In the 1980’s the town moved to ban male strip shows in the city.

This Roadhouse / building has been the home of the establishments: 'Oh Henry's Roadhouse' / O'Henry's 2 / Cavallone's West / Rico D's / Frankie's Roadhouse / The Stag’s Head and now The Irish Legend.

The Irish Legend Building

The Spirits of the building decide who stays and who leave by who makes them happy. That is the feelings I and other Spirit Feelers have felt at the location, as I have seen over the years owners come and go. The location has had individuals for their own selfish reasons try to discredit the history of the location, one individual even tried to say the building was not built during the prohibition era and the owner at time of that incident dug in to state records and a pulled tax record from as far back as 1923.

 

I have seen a couple individuals become owners of the location in the past and then embellish the stories of the spirits of the location and in one case, one of the owners allegedly allowed a paranormal group to embellish the stories about the type of spirit EVP findings that were found (allegedly created by the paranormal group leader), at the building. Even an individual who is a bus tour paranormal guide had a Magician come in and perform a magic show type of séance that included props like the magic slate boards that produce chalk writing by spirits when pulled apart after the séance. Nothing against the Magician, as he was doing his thing the paranormal tour guide hired him for, a magic show type of séance.

 

There has been an Irish Natural Witch who came into the building a few years back when one of those owners was telling far-fetched stories about the spirits of the location. She felt and knew the spirits where not happy, so she placed a spell on the place to protect the building and the spirits within and those spirits who travel through, from any other owners who embellish the stories of the Spirits of the land. The owner at the time only lasted about 6 months after her visit. Interesting that an Irish Witch came to the rescue of the spirits back then and today stands here an Irish Pub.

There have been many paranormal authors who have researched and carried the paranormal history of the location. Ms. Ursula Bielski, Troy Taylor, Scutt Markus and Jeff Belanger just to name a few, with three of the authors also including me in their write-ups of the location, as I go back in time with this location to when it was Cavallone's West. Ms. Ursula Bielski and I did a TV show together here at this location when a British TV program came here to film us about the historic and paranormal history of the location. The location has also been showcased on the Paranormal Cops TV show when the location was soon to become The Stag's Head. It's paranormal history has it's history and has been showcased by way of books and TV throughout the years.

 

I have held paranormal nights at the location under some of the owners and one I pulled away from when he started to embellish the stories there when I had the place and Ashbary Coffee House published in a book. There was another owner I refused to work with after he showed me how when he touched a woman's head with his hand, she would become hypnotized under his spell, kind of what you would see with Chris Angel doing on TV today.

That owner even tried to run a ghost tour there after the electric was shut off, the Willow Springs Police came knocking on the establishment’s door the night of the ghost tour because he was not allowed to run a business without electricity in the building. The establishment never re-opened. Another victory for the Spirits of the location and protection from those who do not believe.

 

Today The Irish Legend stands proud; it has been cleaned up and expanded. The owner and management respect the fact that they are not the only ones who own the building, the spirits of the past call it home and it is open to those spirits that decide to visit.

 

One thing that remains the same, the Spirits and I remain. On a regular basis I run private and public Chicago Paranormal Nights at the location with every night ending with my Circle Of Energy Séance, a séance where those who join in, become the Mediums. What I do, is attempt to raise the spirits and have successfully, to interact with those present. Every one of my Circle of Energy Séance is video taped by Prairie State Paranormal Investigation Team and they have captured many of the paranormal activities and EVP's at times, along with other paranormal investigation teams doing the same and some of them are below.

Just some actually historic history with the on going paranormal history that reminds us of what used to be. 
~~~

Edward Shanahan is a published Chicago Spirit Feeler, Psychic Medium,
Paranormal Host and entertaining Psychic Reader

Edward Shanahan - web site  Chicago Paranormal Nights - web site

e-Book 'Taking The Paranormal Seriously. Theories - Thoughts - Experiences'
by Edward Shanahan -eBook web page.

The Irish Legend - as the location looks today. Photo by Edward Shanahan

What the Brothel area haunted hallway looked like at one time. Taken from one of the rooms on the second floor a few years back when photo was taken by Edward Shanahan

The haunted Sitting Room for men to discuss business in Brothel area, photo taken a few years back by Edward Shanahan

 

Video of when 103.5 Kiss-FM, radio personality Andrew Finnigan
and his crew had a Private Paranormal Night with Edward Shanahan.

 

Video of just the Circle of Energy Séance with Andrew Finnigan who
is 103.5 Kiss-FM personality and his crew. Video taken by
Prairie State Paranormal.

 

Video of Circle of Energy Séance at The Irish Legend 3 days before
Halloween and paranormal activity never experienced in the past.
(warning - some cussing do to what happened). Video taken by
Prairie State Paranormal.

Video - The present owner of The Irish Legend meet the Spirits of
the gangster manger of the past and they showed him who was Boss
during the Circle Of Energy Séance (warning - some cussing do to
what happened to the present owner). Video taken by Prairie State

Paranormal.

 

Edward Shanahan
http://edwardshanahan.com

Edward L. Shanahan
Spiritual Observer - Psychic Reader - Paranormalist - Chicago land area.

 

Edward Shanahan is a Psychic Reader, does Conscious Channeling and has been called a Spiritual Observer. He has been written about in four
paranormal books. Sunday nights he co-hosts the Internet radio show 'The Unexplained World'. He does Psychic Reading and Séance Parties in the
Chicago land area and also is involved in group tours of paranormallocations.

Paranormal TV - 24/7
We will visit areas where reported Ghosts are, in the state of IL. Haunted Chicago

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