Resurrection Catholic Cemetery

She's been dead for more than 40 years -- but continues to draw amateur ghost hunters and curiosity seekers from around the world to Justice, Illinois. They come to catch a glimpse. But most settle for a fear-inspired adrenaline rush.

Her Name: Resurrection Mary
Her Home: Resurrection Catholic Cemetery

Unless you call Justice home, the Chicago suburb really doesn't boast much other than this beautifully manicured cemetery -- and the famous ghost story attached to it.

"It's a little bit off the beaten path but well worth the drive if you're into phantom hitchhiking folklore," says Richard Crowe, who learned of Resurrection Mary as a boy and has been leading ghost tours in the Chicago area for more than 30 years. "It's America's best-known location tied to a hitchhiking ghost."

According to legend, Resurrection Mary is a young Polish woman who was killed by a car while hitchhiking in the 1930s and subsequently buried in the cemetery. A pretty blonde dressed in a flowing white dress, she had been trying to hitch a ride home after attending a dance in the neighboring town -- and has been trying to complete that journey ever since.

While Resurrection Catholic Cemetery became her final resting place, this ghost has indeed proved quite restless over the years.

Resurrection Mary is said to wander Archer Avenue, now a four-lane road that runs past the cemetery and just 4 miles down, the old dancehall. To this day, she looks to hitch a ride home, and unassuming drivers ambling down Archer Avenue after midnight are her targets. Since the Depression era, most travelers who claim to have picked up the young woman in white say she directs them down the road -- only to vanish as the car passes Resurrection Cemetery. According to Crowe, he's verified more than 20 Resurrection Mary encounters over the years.

Cemetery officials call the story a "fairytale" and a magnet for unwanted attention. After all, nobody has been able to pinpoint exactly who this elusive ghost was in life and where she is buried in the cemetery. Nevertheless, theories abound and many still choose to believe -- in large part because her alleged sightings are so mysterious and sporadic.

Locals also seem to reluctantly embrace the mystique and notoriety Resurrection Mary has bestowed upon their town. The village of Justice doesn't boast any Resurrection Mary-themed shops or restaurants. Chet's Melody Lounge, a tavern across from the cemetery, is the closest thing it has. Here, Resurrection Mary enthusiasts can order a Bloody Mary and -- what else? -- swap Mary stories. If you really want to do your homework before hitting the bar, the local library has a specific file devoted solely to the legend. And some Chicago-based ghost tours do make the 30-minute trip to Justice to drive past the cemetery gates -- another part of the Resurrection Mary lore.