21 Dark Destinations Around The World Where History Meets Horror

2. Chicago: The Haunting Legacy of H.H. Holmes

Chicago's skyline, with its towering structures, hides a dark past beneath its shadow. The World's Fair Hotel, known infamously as the "Murder Castle," was the site of H.H. Holmes' gruesome crimes during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Holmes, America's first documented serial killer, constructed a labyrinthine hotel designed for murder, complete with hidden passageways and soundproof rooms. The chilling reality of his crimes has inspired numerous fictional retellings, each exploring the mind of a man who embodied pure evil. Holmes’ story has seeped into popular culture, leaving a chilling mark on how true crime is told and remembered in Chicago and beyond. By understanding the allure of Holmes' narrative, we gain insight into society's fascination with the macabre and the thin line between reality and the fictionalized accounts that it inspires.