The Stag's Head - paranormal location and once Capones.

The Stag's Head, a haunted historic location and at one time a Capone place right outside of Chicago.
by Edward Shanahan

The Stag's Head is a fantastic Irish pub and restaurant, but history knows it as a one time Capone brothel and gambling hall.

It is a haunted location right outside of Chicago in Willow Springs, IL.  A location that I have been drawn to over the years and through three past owners and now with the new owners of The Stag's Head.

I was able to get this haunted location written up in two paranormal books, the first being Voices from the Chicago Graves and then in 2005 The Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. It was not just the history of the location but my paranormal experiences as a Spiritual Feeler and what I felt in some of the areas of the building. From the basement with the feelings so strong near what used to be the old furnace and I picked up that at times it was what the Capone gang used to do to get individuals to talk, the feelings where so strong back then in 2004 when I was in the furnace area, that for the first time and only time, I was drained so bad, I ended up in bed for two days afterwards.

Also the basement had tunnels running to the woods and allegedly individuals not friends of the Capone gang, would be dragged from inside through the tunnels into the woods. Also tunnels ran across the street of Archer Avenue to the Willowbrook Ballroom. Also an area in the basement it is said and felt by those able to feel spirits in an area, a body was buried and covered over.

Then the attic, when a TV crew from England filmed Ursula Bielski and I ath the haunted Capone building for a TV show in England (this was the time span before the owners of The Stag's Head and after the last owner before Stag's Head), we went in to the attic and I described how at times individuals would of been hung from a chain that was attached to a large wooden center beam running the width of the ceiling and they basically where tortured.

Haunted Hallway in brothel area - photo from 2004

As I said this was a gambling hall and brothel back in the day of Capone. When the book Encyclopedia of Haunted Places came out, I also had a page of information written in the book about the Ashbary Coffee House. The coffee house is about a mile east of the Capone building and in the information about the coffee house, I mentioned the paranormal findings there, basically the spirits of a family that included a little girl.

After the book came out, the owner at the time of the restaurant at Capone's building back in 2005, started what I felt as being a tale of how the little girl 'spirit' from Ashbary Coffee House would come over and play with a little boy 'spirit' named Adam in the Capone building. My reaction when I heard the owner telling this was 'WHAT?'

How did a brothel and gambling hall come to have a little boy 'spirit' from the time of Capone, brothel and gambling, running around and never before was mentioned or even felt by others before the book and my information about the coffee house came out and the owner then read it. Many people visiting the location after the story of the little boy spirit started, felt it was just that, as they never heard the story before, until the book came out.

That is when I pulled away from participating with that owner in paranormal tours etc;  there, as it was his story and one I refused to repeat, as more of what was being said about the little 'spirit boy' I felt became stories and I expressed this when the TV crew from England came out to film Ursula and I, and we went into the room that was being said to be the little boy spirit 'Adam's room'. Anger came over me by way of the Spirits of the building, as the Spirits where very angry over this story of a little boy named Adam and wanted it expressed for the TV crew.

The building has paranormal activity and has been documented by many, as does the woods behind it. The woods behind the building is the very first place I ever did my Circle of Energy, but that area is a Spiritual area once occupied by Native Americans and why I have always been drawn to the woods behind The Stag's Head and love to take individuals in to the woods to experience the Spiritual side.

Old furnace area in basement - strong feelings - photo 2004

I'm very happy that the location has new owners, The Stag's Head is a great place and I have had tours there already. The one coming up on Valentine's weekend filled up in 48hrs.

Individuals can have a paranormal night there with just there family and friends and I will do what I do on paranormal nights and tours. Also I will be holding more paranormal nights like the one being held on Valentine's weekend.

 For more information on having a Paranormal Night for you and your friends and what is provided or to receive the free monthly newsletter so your informed of the next Paranormal Night open to all,
just go to:  Experience and Explore Chicago area Haunted Historic Locations

Visit Edward Shanahan's web site - Paranormal Psychic Spirit Feeler

The Unexplained World - Web site of Chicago haunted locations, video tours, photos and articles.