Chicago, Illinois, a bustling metropolis with a rich history, is also home to one of the most enduring urban legends in America: the Vanishing Hitchhiker. This ghostly figure, often seen along Archer Avenue, is said to be the spirit of a young woman who died tragically in the 1930s. Known as “Resurrection Mary,” she has been the subject of countless eyewitness accounts and has become an integral part of Chicago’s mythos.
The accounts typically begin with a motorist driving along Archer Avenue late at night. They notice a young woman, dressed in a white gown, walking along the side of the road. The driver stops to offer her a ride, and she accepts, saying she needs to get to Resurrection Cemetery. During the drive, the woman is quiet, often staring out the window. As they approach the cemetery, the driver turns to speak to her, only to find that she has vanished without a trace.
One of the most famous encounters with Resurrection Mary was recounted by Jerry Palus, who claimed to have danced with her at the Oh Henry Ballroom in the late 1930s. He recalled, “She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. We danced all night, but when I offered her a ride home, she insisted on being dropped off near the cemetery. As soon as I stopped the car, she just disappeared. I couldn’t believe it—she was there one moment, gone the next.”
Some believe the Vanishing Hitchhiker is the ghost of a young woman named Mary Bregovy, who died in a car accident in 1934 and was buried in Resurrection Cemetery. Others think she may be the spirit of another tragic figure who met an untimely end.
Resurrection Mary remains an enduring mystery, her spectral presence continuing to haunt the roads of Chicago, leaving drivers with a chilling reminder of the city’s supernatural side.