A Terrifying Guide to Chicago Hotels in the 1890s

This dubious guide with videos show below proves some Chicago hotels can be more dangerous than others. Although over 130 years too late to actually help anyone, these true stories will doubtlessly prove entertaining to today's travelers.

These are true lurid events that befell unsuspecting Chicago hotel guests in the 1890s. Nighttime fires, surprising criminal activities, and smallpox outbreaks provide an abundance of startling fodder. The selected hotel stories are arranged by street where they actually happened.

Petty crime historian, Paul R. Gold, wrote two books about Twin City hotels, which form the backdrop for the long-forgotten hotels, The story behind the making of hotel story videos can be listened on Philip Anthony's AM950 radio program.