Hillside, Illinois

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors — approximate location, not a photo of the site
Julia Buccola Petta, known as "the Italian Bride," died in 1921 at 29 while giving birth to a stillborn son and was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in her wedding dress. Years later, her mother began having recurring nightmares that Julia had been buried alive and, after years of petitioning, secured a court-ordered exhumation in 1927 — Julia's body was reportedly found still intact. Her grave is marked by an elaborate monument featuring a statue of her in her wedding gown alongside a ceramic photo portrait taken as she lay in her casket. Visitors have long reported seeing her spirit, dressed in bridal white, wandering the cemetery grounds; in one well-known account, a family that had left a young boy behind returned to find him holding the hand of a woman in a white gown, who vanished as they approached.
Working Catholic cemetery run by the Archdiocese of Chicago, with grounds open daily during posted hours. Keep clear of services, stay on the roads, and treat the graves, including the one visitors seek out, with respect.
Tap a star to rate. No ratings yet

Chicago, Illinois
Built between 1886 and 1887 by real estate developer Robert C. Givins in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, this three-story, triple-turreted…

Chicago, Illinois
Opened in 1893 for the World's Columbian Exposition, the Congress Plaza Hotel has hosted presidents and, during Prohibition, served as Al…

Chicago, Illinois
Built in 1857 and dedicated in 1860, Holy Family Church is the second-oldest Catholic church still standing in Chicago and one of the few…
Sign in to leave a comment.