Haunted Rails

D. Hutchins, Washington Street platform, October 2008.

My name is Dale Hutchins. I was born in 1956 at Condell Hospital in Libertyville and have lived in Grayslake most of my life. I live on Barron Boulevard, about three-quarters of a mile from the Washington Street station. I'm a licensed electrician, registered in Libertyville and a few surrounding towns, and I've run my own small business since 1994.

I've been a member of the Lake County Genealogical Society since the early 1990s, which is where I developed the habit of working through archive materials. I'm not a historian, a geologist, a photographer, or an expert in historical surveying. I'm an electrician with a file drawer of research and a conviction that the material in it adds up to something.

I launched the original version of this site in 2003. After an experience at the Washington Street station in 2006 that I describe in the Research Notes, I rebuilt the site into its current form.

If you have documents, local knowledge, or experience with this corridor that might be relevant, I'd like to hear from you: dhutchins@hauntedrails.com

Please put “Haunted Rails” in the subject or I'll miss it.

Mentioned at:

• Weird Illinois forums: “Haunted Rails, Grayslake”
• Daily Herald community blog “Lake Viewings,” September 2007

Local History

• Village of Grayslake: History
• Grayslake Historical Society: Chronology

Railroad and Preserve

• Metra: About Metra
• Lake County Forest Preserves: Rollins Savanna

The 1935 death (documented history)

• Chicago Tribune, December 22, 1935, p. 5
• Waukegan News-Sun, December 23, 1935, p. 1
• McHenry Plaindealer, January 2, 1936, p. 8
• Fort Hill Cemetery: Joseph Juknevicz

Archive

• Waukegan Public Library microfilm: Waukegan Weekly Gazette, Waukegan News-Sun
• Grayslake Public Library

Originally at GrayCurse.tripod.com, 2003. Moved to hauntedrails.com in 2006. Redesigned and substantially revised October 2008.