Palatine, Illinois: Miniature Golf in a Funeral Home

This was my first Roadside America adventure off the iPhone app. Carl was great, and the basement is really fun! FYI, there is no cell coverage in the basement. Cell's are "dead" down there!

You have to do this one!

I was in suburban Chicago and happened to be passing the Ahlgrim & Son Funeral Home just before closing time. I might never get another chance to see for myself, so I sucked it up and went in. Things seemed... well... dead. But a very nice gentleman greeted me. We chatted for a bit about the biz and then I just sort of blurted out, "Do you REALLY have a miniature golf course in the basement?" Without missing a beat, the gentleman said, "Yes."

I said, "Wow! That must really be something!"

"It's a blessing and a curse", he replied somewhat wearily. Then he added, "Would you like to see it?"

Naturally, I jumped at the chance. I didn't really want to bother him, but he seemed strangely proud of it. So down we went, into the cellar where, when the gentleman snapped on the switch, the lights and animated objects along the course, rose from the dead. It was eerie, to say the least. There was a haunted house, and a pinball machine on one side of the room that played organ music and let out a moan or maniacal laugh occasionally, which added to the "fun."

This year I set off on a road trip to see ever greater attractions. First stop was Ahlgrim's Funeral Home, Palatine, IL, for a round of miniature golf [in the basement]. Mr. Ahlgrim, who usually opens the place to groups (b-day parties, Scouts, etc), was away, but a nice young man named Carl opened the place for us (since there were just two of us) and allowed us free rein for as long as we wanted. Wow!