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The Harrowing Tale of Chicago’s “Murder Castle”
H.H. Holmes claimed to have killed 200 people in his castle during the Chicago World’s Fair
The Chicago World’s Fair kicked off on May 1st, 1893 to great fanfare. It was a remarkable economic and scientific opportunity for countless Chicago natives who were eager to showcase their city’s progress after the devastating fire that decimated the city in 1871. The fair drew twenty-seven million visitors during its six-month runtime but not all of those people would make it home.
In the jubilation, massive crowds, and chaos that consumed Chicago in 1893, a man by the name of H.H. Holmes managed to construct a labyrinthine building by swindling banks, furniture makers, and steel companies out of their money. The building would soon be known to locals as the “Murder Castle”.
The perfect backdrop
During normal times, Holmes would have never been able to get away with what he did during the run-up to the World’s Fair. Hundreds of new buildings, stalls, stands, and storefronts were being constructed all over the city in preparation for the massive event. The fair itself boasted 200 newly constructed structures that showed off dozens of attractions, international booths, and shows during the fair. It was during this building…
