HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
+ 2 further entries on record
This 1882 Lincoln Park building has accumulated ghost stories across three documented deaths—most persistently a dark-haired woman called Sharon and a pervasive lavender scent
2446 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Research updated June 2026
Age
21+
Cost
$$
Full bar and food; no cover charge
Access
Limited Access
Multi-floor building; stairs to upper floor
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1882 · Lincoln Park Chicago · British Pub Chicago · 1882 Frame Building
The building at 2446 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood was constructed in 1882. Over the following century it housed a grocery store, a gambling parlor, and eventually a Western-themed saloon called Dirty Dan's, run by a man named Danforth. According to accounts preserved in the Red Lion's lore, Danforth was evicted and swore revenge on whoever took the building.
London-born John Cordwell, a former Royal Air Force veteran who participated in coordinating escapes from German POW camps during World War II, purchased the building and opened the Red Lion Pub on November 16, 1984. He styled it as a British pub with dark oak paneling, Tudor beams, and memorabilia from his family's history—a wall dedicated to the Great Escape, an Africa Room on the second floor honoring his mother's academic work on African studies, and a front War Room for his grandfather's World War I service.
Three deaths are documented in the building's history, one involving an elderly couple and their adult daughter, who reportedly had a developmental disability and was known for wearing lavender perfume. The building changed hands again when John Cordwell died; his son Colin took over and undertook a full interior rebuild. The pub reopened at the same address and has operated continuously since.
Sources
The Red Lion Pub has carried a reputation as Chicago's most haunted bar since at least the late 1980s, when local press began documenting staff and customer reports. The building's best-known reported presence is a young woman with dark hair, consistently described as dressed in clothing from the 1920s, who is seen at the far end of the bar. She has been called Sharon by regulars, though no documented death of a woman by that name in the building has been established. She is described as appearing seated or standing quietly before vanishing when noticed.
A lavender perfume scent is among the most frequently reported phenomena—concentrated on the second floor and attributed in the pub's lore to the adult daughter of the elderly couple who died in the building, who was known for wearing lavender. The scent appears and disappears without a traceable source.
Other accounts include the women's restroom door being held shut from the inside when no one is present; heavy footsteps on the staircase; furniture-moving sounds after hours; tools going missing during renovation periods; and objects falling from shelves. Three distinct apparitions have been described by separate witnesses over the decades: the dark-haired woman, a blond man, a bearded man in a black hat (sometimes associated with the former owner Danforth), and a figure in cowboy attire. CBS Chicago's archived 1980s coverage included the Red Lion in its survey of Chicago area haunted locations, predating the current era of ghost tour culture.
Notable Entities
The Red Lion is an operating British-style pub. The second-floor 'Africa Room' and the front-room war memorials reflect the Cordwell family history. The building's reputation is part of the pub culture; staff are generally willing to discuss the ghost stories. Open Wed–Thu 4 PM–1 AM, Fri 4 PM–2 AM, Sat 12–2 AM, Sun 12 PM–midnight.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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