Ghost Stories from Great America

[Luxornv]

During my recent visit to Kings Island, I heard some of the ghost stories related with that park, like Tower Johnny (a supposed ghost that inhabits the Eiffel Tower and plays with it). I thought I had researched the park fairly well, but was surprised that I missed those. It got me thinking about if there are any ghost stories from Great America. I don't think I have ever heard or read any from our park. I did a quick search here and didn't find much. It's also a little difficult to find as there are many Frightfest threads that mention ghosts. I did a quick Google search too, and nothing really came up. Does anyone have any stories, or is SFGAm just that sterile?

I don't necessarily believe them, I just find them interesting.

[Necropolis]

Hmmm...I don't know of any but hopefully Frightfest will spark some ghost stories in our park!! Look up Haunted Illinois, its a book, if you're curious about haunting in the state of Illinois. I know theres a few in our area!!

[sfgam1]

During Fright Fest, the park usually gives a description of the Grand Music Hall being "haunted" on the website. That's about it for what I have heard.

[CstrFan512]

I've heard that the Six Flags down south seem to be more active. Also a couple months ago I saw a photo report about a team who did a full investigation at SFStL. They covered the whole park and even got some good stuff. I'll see if I can find it.

[CstrFan512]

This may be it:
http://www.jwbserv.com/ghost/index.php? ... &Itemid=61

[steve0145]

I have offend wondered that myself. I believe in when somebody dies very fast that there sprite body stays there and walks the area where they died. Like the man that died when they where taking down Splash Water Falls. When I am at that park I look around for things moving in the second story windows and places where people should not be for any thing that might look like a person. or any thing that does not look right.

[Stoogie]

I really doubt that Great America is haunted. I thought that places were only haunted if someone died there? I don't know i might be mistaken. I know for a fact King's Island's Restaraunt is haunted. I went to use the restroom and when I came back things on the table just weren't right. my water glass was right side up when I know before i left it was upside down. small things like that.

[Necropolis]

Also if I remember correctly ghosts and spirits only haunt in areas with little to no human activity. SO yeah SFGAm is definitely NOT a place with little humans activity.

[steve0145]

here is what I found for people passing away at the park

Hurricane Harbor
On June 29, 2005, a 68-year-old guest from Chicago, Illinois had a heart attack, and died in the wave pool.

Camp Cartoon Network
On August 16, 2006, a 10-year-old girl from Arlington Heights, Illinois collapsed and died after riding rides in the Camp Cartoon Network area. An autopsy showed that she died of a congenital heart condition. Her family says that she had a history of heart trouble.

March 11 2008 Splash Water Falls (defunct) Six Flags Great America In the morning, a worker fell off the top of the ride while dismantling it.

Found 1 more

May 3 2003 Raging Bull Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, IL, USA 11 year-old girl chokes to death during ride on piece of candy

I am not saying that all of these are true but the one from Splash Water Falls is true.

[BURTONxBLUNT]

here is what I found for people passing away at the park

Hurricane Harbor
On June 29, 2005, a 68-year-old guest from Chicago, Illinois had a heart attack, and died in the wave pool.

Camp Cartoon Network
On August 16, 2006, a 10-year-old girl from Arlington Heights, Illinois collapsed and died after riding rides in the Camp Cartoon Network area. An autopsy showed that she died of a congenital heart condition. Her family says that she had a history of heart trouble.

March 11 2008 Splash Water Falls (defunct) Six Flags Great America In the morning, a worker fell off the top of the ride while dismantling it.

Found 1 more

May 3 2003 Raging Bull Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, IL, USA 11 year-old girl chokes to death during ride on piece of candy

I am not saying that all of these are true but the one from Splash Water Falls is true.

Raging bull is true......I know this cause my dad remembers that year.....the ride was shut down for a bit and the piece of gum was stuck in her throat....so she must of had a big watt of gum in her mouth

[Luxornv]

here is what I found for people passing away at the park

Hurricane Harbor
On June 29, 2005, a 68-year-old guest from Chicago, Illinois had a heart attack, and died in the wave pool.

Camp Cartoon Network
On August 16, 2006, a 10-year-old girl from Arlington Heights, Illinois collapsed and died after riding rides in the Camp Cartoon Network area. An autopsy showed that she died of a congenital heart condition. Her family says that she had a history of heart trouble.

March 11 2008 Splash Water Falls (defunct) Six Flags Great America In the morning, a worker fell off the top of the ride while dismantling it.

Found 1 more

May 3 2003 Raging Bull Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, IL, USA 11 year-old girl chokes to death during ride on piece of candy

I am not saying that all of these are true but the one from Splash Water Falls is true.

Raging bull is true......I know this cause my dad remembers that year.....the ride was shut down for a bit and the piece of gum was stuck in her throat....so she must of had a big watt of gum in her mouth

The wad of gum doesn't have to be too large; instead it just has to get caught in the right place and block the victim's trachea long enough to deprive the body, and most importantly brain, of oxygen..

I remember hearing most of those. I can't say about the one from 2005, that was before I really started paying attention to amusement park news and events. None of those have developed into a good ghost story though. With most everything seeming to be in decent working order at the park, there's no reason to make up stories about why rides aren't working.

[DejaVu2001]

May 3 2003 Raging Bull Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, IL, USA 11 year-old girl chokes to death during ride on piece of candy

Choking on the gum was the initial suspected cause of death. The full autopsy revealed the girl had an undiagnosed heart condition that was the actual cause of death.

[Android]

I've been fairly interested in the paranormal for many years, been to many of the popular spots in the Chicagoland area, can't say I've ever heard much about Six Flags, or I would have gone to the park for that reason alone. I've got that Haunted Illinois book and Chicago Haunts 1, 2 and 3 by Ursula Bielski and I just don't think I've ever heard anything about the park itself in books or any of the other stuff I've read/heard over the years.

[FParker185]

I personally don't believe in the paranormal at all, however I'll add that more people have died at SFGAm than you probably think, it's at least in the dozens. Lots of heart attacks and stuff of the sort that doesn't happen on rides and doesn't get reported since it's not really news unless it happens on/during a ride.

[Ilovthevu']

here is what I found for people passing away at the park

Hurricane Harbor
On June 29, 2005, a 68-year-old guest from Chicago, Illinois had a heart attack, and died in the wave pool.

Camp Cartoon Network
On August 16, 2006, a 10-year-old girl from Arlington Heights, Illinois collapsed and died after riding rides in the Camp Cartoon Network area. An autopsy showed that she died of a congenital heart condition. Her family says that she had a history of heart trouble.

March 11 2008 Splash Water Falls (defunct) Six Flags Great America In the morning, a worker fell off the top of the ride while dismantling it.

Found 1 more

May 3 2003 Raging Bull Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, IL, USA 11 year-old girl chokes to death during ride on piece of candy

I am not saying that all of these are true but the one from Splash Water Falls is true.

A bigger one you forgot is a mechanic on Ragin Cajun died. To me, I wouldn't keep that ride after a mechanic at Disney World died for almost the same ride - Primeval Whirl.

SFGAm would really be saying something about real ghosts at the park if there was something. I know SFOG has something though.

[DejaVu2001]

A bigger one you forgot is a mechanic on Ragin Cajun died. To me, I wouldn't keep that ride after a mechanic at Disney World died for almost the same ride - Primeval Whirl.

Are you freakin' kidding me?!?! You can not seriously think that!!

I'm no fan of Ragin' Cajun, mainly because it is a complete piece of crap, but to suggest it should have been removed because a mechanic was somewhere he shouldn't have been and got hit, just wow. Seriously

[steve0145]

I did see that one but he did not die at the park.

Ragin' Cajun
Main article: Ragin' Cajun (roller coaster)
On May 29, 2004, a 52-year-old ride mechanic from Zion, Illinois was killed by a roller-coaster car as he attempted to cross the tracks. Suffering from a traumatic head injury, he died at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.

From what i have learned about paranormal activity the person most of the time die at the location then they are some how trapped there. this is not always true. but for most cases this is. There still is a lot of work to find out how and why they stay where they are at.

I do believe very much in the paranormal I have been to places where I have heard things and been touched by something that I don't know what it was.

[GayCoasterGuy]

Some people believe in it, some don't. It's just one of those "how we are wired" things. I like to think there are ghosts everywhere, but I am a horror movie geek, so....

When I worked at Cedar Point, there were stories about how the Frontier Carousel was haunted and how it would go on by itself and stuff. There were other stories with the old (and nearly collapsing in 1991 - don't know how the Cedars is still standing) dorms and Hotel.

I haven't heard anything until this point about Great America being haunted. Do we know the history of what was on that land before the park?

[Necropolis]

^Oooh I too have always been curious what was on the land before Marriott's Great America came in...I can only assume there were just houses and land farms perhaps?

[FParker185]

Part of the property was a mink farm, the rest was mostly flooded swamp. Six Flags Blvd originally was called Pine St.