First Unitarian Church

This downtown Alton church was a stop on the Underground Railroad, quietly helping escaped slaves reach freedom. The weight of that history — and the suffering of those who passed through — has left a mark on the building.

The First Unitarian Church in Alton, built in 1905 on the site of the former St. Matthew's Catholic Church (which burned down), is considered Illinois' most haunted church. Both churches served as stops on the Underground Railroad, adding layers of history to this sacred space.

On November 21, 1934, the body of Phillip Mercer was discovered inside the church. He had apparently committed suicide during the early morning hours after being reported missing by the family he had been staying with. No suicide note was ever found, and his death remains a mystery nearly a century later.

Since Mercer's death, staff and visitors have reported strange activity: footsteps echoing through empty halls, voices from rooms where nobody's standing, knocking sounds, the strong scent of a man's cologne, and full sightings of Phillip himself wandering the sanctuary. The church piano has been heard playing with no one seated at the bench, and Mercer's image has been seen walking through the building.

The church's location in Alton connects it to the tragic legacy of abolitionist Elijah P. Lovejoy. A Presbyterian minister and newspaper editor, Lovejoy moved his anti-slavery publication The Observer from St. Louis to Alton in 1836 after facing violent opposition. Before dawn on July 23, 1836, his first Alton printing press was destroyed and dumped in the Mississippi River by a mob.

After several more presses were destroyed, Lovejoy was murdered on November 7, 1837, defending his fourth press. His ghost is said to wander near his memorial at Alton City Cemetery, and his presence is felt throughout the town he died defending.

Alton is known for having the greatest concentration of haunted locations in America. The First Unitarian Church has been featured on television programs on the Travel Channel and Syfy Channel. American Hauntings offers overnight ghost hunts at the church, allowing visitors to experience the activity firsthand.