From the Civic Theatre to Henderson Castle, some of Kalamazoo's historic buildings are now home to a few lingering ghosts. Our state is home to some bone-chilling ghost stories, many of which come from these terrifying places in Michigan. Old US Highway 41 & 2nd Street, Old US Hwy 41 & 2nd St, Oaktown, IN 47561, USA. What better way to embrace that eerie feeling than with some ghost stories scary enough to keep you up at night? The 1906 Old Jail is said to be haunted by a sheriff's wife. 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The historic Doherty Hotel in Clare was built in 1924 by former Senator Alfred James Doherty, a friend of automobile magnate Henry Ford. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. In the Forts guardhouse, cold spots (even on the hottest summer days) are felt in the building. Find museums in Kalamazoo, MI, Thornapple Village Inn Restaurant - Bistro Chloe Elan, Old LaMar Hotel and Horseshoe Bar Building. Before this place was rebranded as the Henry, it was a Ritz Carlton, which featured a ghostly attribute: doors that swung open by themselves in Room 418. menu. Can I tour any abandoned places in Michigan? The castle has also been featured in three movies, all of the horror genre. These inmates are said to dwell in the halls, rooms, and tunnels underground lingering in search of redemption, forgiveness, or perhaps a pardon, or just peace. She had no prior knowledge of Mertz spirit living in the Civic and upon telling fellow volunteers and employees, their response was Oh, thats Thelma.. Although Carlson hasnt had many experiences throughout her time spent in East Hall, she spoke of many others who have, including one employee who experienced a light mysteriously going on and off by itself. Michigans Fabulous and Frozen Lighthouses. During the 1920s Detroit was a bustling city with a booming auto industry and an illicit but profitable liquor trade. Michigan Bell Telephone Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan 8. French said that the big rumor around the factory is that the ghost on the third floor is Orville Gibson, the founder of Gibson Guitar. The ghosts of Henderson Castle: Historic home is 'active,' paranormal enthusiasts say. Clean and comfrotable, this is a unique historic spot. Address: 830 Cottageview Dr, Traverse City, MI 49684, USA. One particular moment involved a broken plate when they initially moved-in. All that really remains is a historical marker in front of a nearby McDonald's along a street still called Rawsonville Road. Perhaps the creepiest place in the Traverse City area, this state hospital originally opened as an insane asylum in 1885. Google Maps If you've ever spent time in the area, you might have heard ghostly tales about Henderson Castle and its storied past. The Old Kosciusko County Jail was in operation from 1870 to 1982. While abandoned places can be thrilling to visit, some are not safe to do so and may even have no trespassing signs posted. Love Michigan? OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. According to employee Casey Sebring, two of his fellow employees had experiences with a young boy in red overalls. This is the place where Captain Willie Townsend worked from 1902 to 1910, when he passed away. Just remember, aside from the hotels and restaurants, view these creepy places from afar. The Terrace Inn is set in a quiet neighborhood in Petoskey, and its a very charming place. Dont let that charming green awning fool you: this popular hotel in downtown Holly has been the scene of some real strange happenings, attracting the attention of ghost hunters paranormal investigators from all over the country. Guests have heard footsteps and strange noises here, and experienced feelings of uneasiness. Those brave enough to enter the building say theyve seen the apparitions of ghosts as well. Get Even More Stories Like This Right In Your Inbox! Mr. Henderson was the owner and president of the Henderson-Ames Company, which made uniform regalia for secret societies, fraternal organizations and the military. The facility now sits derelict and subject to trespassers, curious to see this haunting place. Another former institute for treating tuberculosis patients, this sanitarium opened in 1907. Visitors have seen streaks of . Share Tweet Mohawk, Michigan Calumet Air Force Station One of the few Cold War-era bases with many of its original structures still standing. Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital in Kalamazoo, 2016-2022GhostQuest.net & Brian Weaver. The Elkhart Civic Theatre (aka Bristol Opera House), housed in an 1897 building, is said to be haunted by ghosts who send books and papers flying off shelves, levitate small objects, run sewing machines and project moving shafts of light. Cornerstone University is haunted by a ghost girl in a 1970s-style dress who has been seen waiting outside Pickett Hall late at night. Her ghost has been reported, wearing a white gauzy dress. . Dr. Upjohn himself, who died in the Doctor's Cottage, is said to haunt the place. During prohibition, secretive networks like bootleggers and Freemasons thrived. The Civics ghost is believed to be Thelma Mertz, who was supposedly part of a program at Chenery Auditorium. Though aged markedly by the weather, this sprawling facility stayed quite intact until it was demolished in 2018. Considered by some to be the most haunted historic building in Michigan, the Holly Hotel has been home to numerous visits from otherworldly guests. The canal was to connect Lake St. Clair with Lake Michigan. If you're planning a tour of haunted places in Michigan, be sure and scroll to the bottom of the article for an interactive map to help you plan your trip! 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. According to stories, over 150 years the church burned down and its preacher hanged himself from the tree near the gate. Get Even More Stories Like This Right In Your Inbox! The bridge was built in an unusual way for concrete structures of its kind, using a more bare bones approach and employing fewer laborers. After all, the property is rich with history and lore. The place has since been razed and turned into a golf course. A second ghost is a man in a tweed suit who overlooks the balcony at the front of the inn, and the third, a child in the basement. Since the late 1800s, Henderson Castle has sat perched on West Main Hill overlooking downtown Kalamazoo. Take one - or both - to check out some of the most incredible abandoned places in Michigan. Address: 100 Monroe St, Kalamazoo, MI 49006, USA. Read on to learn about a handful of Michigan ghost towns,their stories, and where to find them. Theres a trail you can hike along that will lead you to the ruins. Some report the sound of phantom gunshots here as well. Not all of Michigans lighthouses are haunted, but heres a few that have someinteresting stories behind them. Those mandolins eventually grew to guitars and other string instruments by the 1900s, becoming the Gibson Guitar Corporation. If you have any amazing photos from your explorations of abandoned Michigan buildings, share them on our page! While many who used to work out of the building blame the unexplainable on Waldo, Carlson said a former WMU teacher could actually be the culprit. 677. All that remains are thirteen houses and a Methodist church, maintained by the Keweenaw Historical Society; every year on the last Sunday of July, locals and descendants of the Central Mine villagers attend a special service at the church to honor those who lived there. His apparition has been on the rotunda walkway in painters' attire. But either way, you can still at least drive by and wonder about the stories that originated from some of the creepiest places in Michigan. Allegan, Michigan 21.3 miles from Kalamazoo, MI The 1906 Old Jail is said to be haunted by a sheriff's wife. Chimes are said to herald her appearance. Situated on a hillside overlooking the city of Kalamazoo, this abandoned tuberculosis asylum served as a highly successful treatment center during the 1950s. While many around Clark Lake were gazing upward observing the astronomical phenomenon, a darker aberration was occurring. search. Its now part of the Grand Traverse Commons, a mixed commercial and residential development. Theres nothing quite as chilling as looking up at a once-grand building and imagining its bustling heyday as it sits in ruin, overtaken by wayward plants and graffiti. The Up North Memories Guy Harrison. Photo via Wikimedia Commons user Trimalchio. Also, the infirmary on the fourth floor is said to sport blood stains resulting from a girls' Near Oakwood Cemetery, at the corner of Brewer and Cannonsburg Roads, a woman has been seen standing in cold, rainy or snowy weather without a coat. The boy is allegedly seen in a mirror playing peek-a-boo from underneath a bed in the Victorian room. The building was unoccupied for years and Al, a homeless man, used it as a place to sleep before a plumbing pipe burst. Seven Gables Road, Dansville, Michigan 3. More proof the building is haunted came to light after the Southern Michigan Paranormals, a local paranormal group, did an investigation of the building nearly eight years ago. One of the most haunted places in Michigan is Seven Gables Road in Dansville. Since its opening, its been the site of two deaths. What is the most haunted place in Michigan? Discover Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal in Rochester Hills, Michigan: The remains of a failed canal can be found in several towns near Lake St. Clair and is known historically as "Mason's Folly.". The National Park Service bought the mostly empty village in its entirety in the 1970s, and several of the original buildings remain today including a cannery, a general store, and a blacksmith shop preserved as part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Are you looking for the most haunted places in Michigan? The company continued to grow in 1917 for nearly a century at the Parsons St location, until it closed its doors in 1984. The DuShanes also believe Hopkins spirit walks the halls as well, as his daughter had an encounter with an old man in the hallway. The Traverse City State Hospital was developed as the Northern Michigan Asylum in 1885 and remained in operation for over 100 years. I'm in the South west Michigan area so if anyone knows anywhere within 2 hours of Kalamazoo let me know! The only reminders of the community of Port Crescent . They decided Thelma was an actress who was dumped by her lover and, heartbroken, threw herself off the balcony. In fact, their stories are not all tragic. If youre an urban explorer or simply curious about some of our states long-defunct sites, heres a tour that will fascinate you. You're in for a frighteningly fantastic experience. Deward is still on many maps and therailroad grade still remains, as do some building foundations and scrap metal, hinting at the lives once lived here. For starters, check out this haunted road in Michigan that's said to be home to a few ghosts. However, another story suggests a pregnant woman called Elizabeth Abbey Sweet was staying in room 211 when she fell, miscarried, and died. Kalamazoo Sanitarium C Rodenbarger/Flickr Today, Fisher Body is one of the most famous abandoned places in Michigan and is easily accessible to anyone looking to explore the ruins. The remains of an abandoned dinosaur theme park litter the woods just off the highway. The town had a post office, three-story school, and one of the first telephone services in Copper Country. This elegant hotel near Lake Superior is the site of a few bone-chilling stories dating back almost 100 years. The place has since been razed and turned into a golf course. In the old part of the hotel, which is now reportly the hotel's smoking section, objects have been witnessed moving about by themselves. Gover has had multiple run-ins with the spirit of Mertz. The ghost also has been known to watch patrons through the projection room window, but ducks when anyone looks at him. The OIYS Visitor Center. Its very clan and comfy, and each room has private bath. With the Besser Natural Area lies a tiny ghost town that sits among the trees. Patients with tuberculosis, typhoid, diphtheria, and polio were also treated in this facility that was appropriately designed in the Gothic style. Rusty bed frames sit inside these tattered walls, and some say they've even encountered spectral spirits among the rubble. Instead, immediately call the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department at 269-385-6173. Be honest, you like to scare yourself silly. The place has since been razed and turned into a golf course. The Belding Library, this version of which was built in 1917 (the original library was destroyed in a fire), is haunted by a little girl. Creepy! The facility was phased out and finally abandoned in 1969. Built by successful businessman Frank Henderson and his wife, Mary, the castle cost $72,000 in 1895 about $2.5 million in todays dollars. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Additionally, the librarian from the second story is said to be seen on the 6th floor either pacing or weeping, still mourning her love. Studebaker's child and nanny were seriously injured when a fire broke out in the nursery and he killed himself not long after. Want to learn more about Michigans picturesque lighthouses? Her husband is said to have died some years later of a broken heart, still mourning the loss of his wife and the twins she was carrying at the time of her death. Michigan State University reportedly has an abundance of haunted sites, including the University Garden, the Physical Plant, Williams Hall, and Mayo Hall, where the ghost of namesake May Mayo plays a piano and the Red Room is rumored to have been the setting for past Satanist rituals. Dating back to the 1800s, the theater company is haunted by a young Depression-era girl. Michigans Upper Peninsula isnt immune to paranormal activity, as evidenced by The Landmark Inn in Marquette MI. She writes about Michigan for OIYS. Objects move around on their own as well. An apparent sawmill fire in the 1920s saw the beginning of the decline of the town, which now exists on the map as a rail-trail point for snowmobiles and ATVs. Read more on the Civic's haunted past:The ghost of the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre: Who's afraid of Thelma Mertz? SHARE US~We love spreading the word about the beauty of Michigan and the many Michigan activities throughout the year. By 1960, the complex consisted of five cottages to house the patients, a central heating plant, two garages, a pump house, a water tower, water pipes, steam pipes and connecting tunnels. Other than some home foundations reportedly half-buried in the nearby woods, the towns Bland Cemetery is pretty much all that remains; you can find it on the north side of Oviatt Road about a half-mile east ofCounty Rd. Your can use our Guide to Lake Michigan Lighthouses or our Guide to the Lake Huron Lighthouses. The Brook Lodge was originally the summer residence of the Upjohn Family (of Upjohn Pharmaceauticals). The resident spirit who supposedly walks the graveyard, is a Mr. Joel A. While most workers have had some kind of experience with their friendly ghost, whether it be voices or footsteps, French came face to face with the spirit when he was on the third floor doing inventory. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Ultimately, its success led to its decline, as patients who were treated and cured no longer needed to stay at the sanitarium. Serena Maria Daniels is an award-winning freelance journalist in Detroit, by way of Chicago, by way of the West Coast. Dont worry, though, far unlike the demonic hauntings in horror flicks, these spirits have a friendly demeanor and seem to be caretakers of the haunted house. It first happened Sunday, September 27, 2015, the night of the Blood Moon. It will be up to YOU to decide. The Civic Theatres Park St. location was built during the height of the Great Depression in 1931. Home 30 Most Haunted Places in Michigan UPDATED 2023 (MAP). Also known as the Wayne County Infirmary, Psychiatric, and General Hospital Complex, this once sprawling asylum served the invalid and mentally ill for more than 150 years. Leadley Park, the first of Lansing's two amusement parks, opened July 4, 1892 to huge crowds. Michigan is home to several well-known ghost towns like Fayette in the Upper Peninsula. Things fell apart when Warren lost one of his legs in an accident replacing it with a wooden leg. Fifteen miles south of Ontonagon in the Upper Peninsula, Old Victoria Historical Sitepreserves the remains of another Michigan mining boom town, once called "Finn Town." This haunted building stands on once a lavish mansion of a lovely couple named Warren and Virginia Randall who had a brutal ending. Haunted Places In . He says the ghosts are of friendly nature and there have been no cases of malicious incidents. 30 Most Haunted Places in Michigan UPDATED 2023 (MAP), Haunted Places in Michigan: Discover 30 Spooky Destinations in Michigan, Haunted Places in Michigan: Michigan Haunted Hotels and Inns, More Haunted Places in Michigan: Haunted Forts in Michigan, More Interesting Travel Spots in Michigan. Are you fascinated by abandoned places in Michigan? Miracle Room; . Have a look at what weve uncovered at the creepiest places in Michigan. Thank you! 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