Al Capone, also known as one of Chicago’s most notorious gangster bosses, had a plethora of retreats and vacation spots where he could unplug from his extremely busy life of murder and mayhem and indulge in some peaceful R&R. These include St. Paul MN, Hot Springs AR, as well as some lesser-known hideouts where he was able to maintain his anonymity, such as French Lick IN, Brookfield WI, Olean NY, Lansing MI, Dubuque IA, and Johnson City, TN. But one of Scarface Al’s all-time favorite spots was much closer to his home, in Kankakee, as Kankakee Illinois Hospital was well known to Chicagoans looking for a good time. Kankakee County towns had a reputation in the 1920s and 1930s as open, fun places where anything went.

Kankakee County’s motto was “Only an hour from Chicago, but a world away.” According to Jorie Walters, a researcher at the Kankakee County Museum, there isn’t much written documentation of Al Capone’s influence in the area, but everyone knows the truth. Walters’ information was gleaned from books, history columns in the Kankakee Daily Journal, oral histories, and old museum archives. She says that some of the local dives that were owned or frequented by Scarface Al include Bradley Illinois’ Hawaii Motel; a safe house at L’Erable on the Iroquois River that was very well fortified against unexpected and unwanted visitors; Nel Clark’s, a Kankakee brothel now called the City Tavern; The Sahara restaurant on Fifth Avenue in Kankakee; and the Radeke Brewery, also in Kankakee, which was secretly owned by Al Capone in the 1920s and 1930s. Kankakee was also the hometown of Fred Burke’s moll. Burke was Capone’s top enforcer who planned and executed the 1929 Valentine’s Day massacre against Bugs Moran’s gang.

Another of Scarface Al’s favorite hangouts was Miami Gardens near Peotone Illinois Hospital, which was both a bar and brothel in the Prohibition Days and is now called Edwin’s Bar. Scarface Al had a reputation as the main taster of the wares he sold at his brothels. The Miami Gardens had high, ornate tin ceilings, and there was a secret twenty-car garage in the basement of the building that is riddled with bullet holes in the walls. It is rumored that gang executions were held in this hidden garage. Another favorite hangout was the Club 54 restaurant near Manteno Illinois Hospital (just south of Manteno where Governor’s Highway meets 500E). This restaurant was actually a brothel.