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History
This building was originally constructed in the 1874 by a apparent con man – John Sweezey. Sweezey borrowed the money to build the house – it was the most expensive house in the area at the time – but never bothered to pay it back.
He sold it to the Spicer family, however it was burnt to the ground in 1879
Stimson left town suddenly after the “mysterious” fire at the house. The Spicers suspected arson.
After the First World War during the Spanish Flu Epidemic the building was converted into a 20 bed hospital.
Three of the hospital’s founders died in the hospital: Dr Francis Blanchard died shortly after the hospital was opened by falling into a open elevator shaft.
Dr Charles Stimson – for whom the hospital was named after – and Dr Harriet Chapman – the original name of the hospital - also breathed their last in this building; presumably by natural causes.
Like any other hospital there were numerous deaths inside the building.
Once the hospital was closed in the 1950’s the building was divided up into 4 separate apartments.
The house is now owned by Pam and Chris Sturgill – who bought it in 2017 – who originally were looking to both restore the house back to it’s 19th century glory and turn it into a bed & breakfast.
They started offering ghost tours and paranormal investigations as a way to raise money for the restoration and conversion.
Now they have gone public with their investigations you can book one at the Facebook Page link above.
Paranormal Activity
Approximately 2,000 people died in this building.
On the third floor there are phantom sounds of medical equipment being moved around.
Also, on the third floor shadow figures have been seem moving around.
In one former patient room the phantom sounds of entire conversations can be heard when the door is closed. A child’s laughter and a woman crying have also been heard.
Phantom footsteps are heard in the elevator shaft where the doctor died.
Other reported activity: disembodied voices; objects moving on their own; lights turning on and off on their own; phantom smells; electrical disturbances; light anomalies and feelings of being watching and not being alone.
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History
This house was built by Frank Henderson – one of Kalamazoo’s most successful businessmen - whose company sold uniforms for secret societies and the military. He built the house as well as planning an entire residential neighborhood on land that belonged to his wife, Mary, on the west side of the city.
The house is built on a steep hill overlooking downtown. It was built at a cost of $72,000 ($2.554 million in 2022 dollars) with 7 bathrooms, an elevator and a third floor ballroom; with a total of 25 rooms.
It was built between 1890 and 1895.
Mr Henderson would pass away in 1899 having very little time in the house. His wife continued to live in the castle until her death in 1907. The house was then passed to their children.
In 1919 the children sold the castle to Bertrand Hopper who converted the carriage house to a 4 car garage; this building has now been converted into a separate residence.
After being vacant for a number of years the castle was bought again in 1945 and separated into a number of apartments. In the late 1950’s it was considered as base for the Kalamazoo Art College but that ended up staying downtown.
During the 70’s and 80’s the castle underwent massive renovations by 2 separate owners. The second one Frederick Joyce was the first to convert into a bed & breakfast and open it to the public.
There have been 2 more owners since 2005 but both have kept the castle open to the public. It is now considered a resort and spa as well as a bed & breakfast.
Paranormal Activity
This location consistently makes anyone’s list of the top 10 haunted locations in Michigan.
Both Frank and Mary Henderson are said to be reluctant to leave the house they built. Their apparitions are seen throughout the castle.
Mary Henderson is most commonly seen standing at the top of the staircase.
The ghost of a soldier that served with the Henderson’s son in the Spanish-American War – Clare Burleigh - is also seen in the house as well as a little girl and a dog.
All the ghosts are quite friendly and are seen – especially the Hendersons – as guardians of the castle.
Other Reported Activity: shadow figures; disembodied voices; numerous EVP’s captured by investigators; touches, tugs and pulls by unseen entities; doors opening and closing on their own; objects moving on their own and feelings of being watched.
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History
This island was first settled in the mid-1830’s by William Burton for the purposes of logging. He built a dock in the eastern bay creating the only deep water port between Buffalo and Chicago. By 1847 a village called Burton’s Wharf has sprung up including a blacksmith shop, general store and a barn.
There was even a Post Office built in 1870 as farming began to take over on the island. In 1871 a 100 foot lighthouse was built that is still on the island today. In 1923 the US Government built a lifesaving station on the island near where the current ferry docks are today.
As the 20th Century went forward the population of the island began to dwindle. Burton’s wharf fell into disrepair and the farmers began to abandon their farms. Today there is only 1 year round resident on the island – a National Park ranger who lives in the former life saving station.
There are over 50 known shipwrecks in the waters around the island.
The island is only accessible by ferry from Leland in the summer months.
Paranormal Activity
In the 19th Century it is said that a boat full – about 20 people - of cholera victims came to the island, unloaded a boat full of the dead and dying and left again. The local islanders had no choice but to dig a mass grave and bury the newcomers and rumor has it not all of them were completely dead when they were buried.
The stories of ghosts and paranormal activity began shortly after this event.
The mass grave is believed to be near the old cemetery just north of the Bay Campground and near where the old dock used to be.
Scuba divers have heard unexplained cries underwater while diving on the numerous nearby wrecks.
Another story is that of a woman whose husband went to the mainland and never returned. Every day she would take a lantern and walk to the dock awaiting his return. Eventually she died of old age but her ghost continues the daily ritual to this day.
The lighthouse is haunted by a former keeper and his family who were killed in a storm returning from the mainland.
A previous Park Ranger became very distraught and drew his weapon demanding to taken off the island because of the ghosts that were plaguing him. Apparently, this story has been confirmed.
Other Activity: apparitions wandering the beach that fade away if approached, light anomalies; cold and warm spots; phantom scent of lavender; feelings of being watched; doors and windows opening and closing on their own in the abandoned buildings and disembodied voices.
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History
Construction on this $2.5 million – in today’s dollars – building began in 1914 and was completed in 1915. The first occupants were 3 nuns and 60 Aboriginal children.
The Aboriginal children had been transferred from another facility after being stolen from their parents to be forced into white culture. In the beginning the orphanage only accepted kids aged from the second grade to the eighth grade but later they would accept both infants and older children.
In 1963 the facility took in refugee children from Cuba. In 1965 the facility was closed down and in 1981 the last of the administration left.
From 1981 to 1998 the building was completely abandoned and became the target of urban explorers, teenagers and paranormal investigators. It was then to be converted into an assisted living facility but that failed.
The next dream in 2008 was to create a school for the performing arts but that fell through as well. In 2016 renovation finally began and the old building was turned into low-income apartments.
Paranormal Activity
It is possible – even likely – that this institution did some good in its long history. What is clear is that it most definitely did some bad; evil would be a better word.
Based on the Residential School scandal in Canada as well as other events of the past neither the Catholic Church nor any other Christian charity have a good record with taking care of children under their care in the 19th and 20th Centuries; especially Aboriginal children.
Survivors – and that’s what they should be called – of this institution tell stories of severe beatings by the nuns and of stories of children being left out in the Northern Michigan winters. There is even a story of a little girl who went outside in a blizzard and became lost. A nun had to rescue her but she died of pneumonia none the less. The nuns are said to have left the body of the little girl on display in the lobby as a warning to any others who dared to disobey them.
Sound unbelievable? I direct you again to the discoveries related to Canada’s Residential Schools.
At least one medium has attempted contact with the souls trapped here and they were blasted with a freezing cold wind and slammed with a smell of death so vile they literally vomited.
Apparitions of children are seen both inside the building and on the grounds. They some show heavy bruising and other ghastly marks of brutal beatings. Phantom sounds are heard of children crying, a little girl moaning, footsteps, whispers and voices. The sounds of children crying is said to be especially loud in the former lobby.
Objects have moved on their own including a baby carriage that rolled across the floor for no physical reason. A glowing green orb has been witnessed in the basement.
Before the conversion when the building was abandoned locals would see lights moving quickly through the building as well as lights flickering.
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History
Congress approved funds to build the original lighthouse here in 1850 to aid the ships coming in to load up on ore. The lighthouse was first lit in 1852 but it quickly suffered from the elements and began to fall apart.
In 1865 funds were approved for a new light and in 1875 the Army Corps of Engineers built a breakwater; the new lighthouse was built on the southern end of it.
In 1889 a storm completely destroyed the original light.
In July of 1899 the replacement lighthouse was electrified.
Staffing the lighthouse was very problematic with numerous keepers either leaving or being dismissed until the US Coast Guard took over operations in the early 20th century.
During World War II the grounds were used as training grounds with up to 300 recruits living on the grounds. The Coast Guard Station that was built on site at this time is still active.
In 2002 a 30 year lease was given to the Marquette Maritime Museum who give public tours of the lighthouse seasonally.
In 2016 the Coast Guard transferred the deed to the City of Marquette.
Paranormal Activity
The lighthouse is haunted by a little girl in turn of century of clothing. No one knows her identity, but she is far more likely to show herself to women or children.
She is most often visible in the top window of the lighthouse staring out over the waters of Lake Superior. She is only seen when the lake is calm and the weather is nice. She is never seen when the winter storms come in.
Many surmise she was a lighthouse keeper’s daughter who fell on the rocks and succumbed to her injuries.
Others say she drowned in a shipwreck during a storm; hence not appearing in storms. Still others say she can hear the eternal cries of her parents’ souls in the storms.
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History
In 1875 Mackinac Island was declared the second National Park in the United States – later becoming a Michigan State Park in 1895 – leading to a massive influx of visitors to the island. In 1886 two railroad companies and two steamship lines came together to build this hotel.
The hotel opened on July 10, 1887 after a massive advertising campaign in the American and Canadian cities surrounding the island. In 1887 it cost between $3 to $5 ($90 to $150 in 2021 dollars) to stay a night. A quick look in 2022 and the reality is between $600 to $1500 to stay a night.
There are 3 categories of rooms as well as named suites.
There are also 7 suites named after First Ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy to Laura Bush. The front porch of the hotel is the longest in the world at 600 feet (200 metres) long. The porch over looks the famous tea garden and the resort’s pool named after Esther Williams.
For non-guests there is a fee of $10 just to have the privilege of walking on this deck and admiring the view.
Motorized vehicles are not permitted – except for emergency vehicles and snowmobiles in the winter – on the island which is only accessible by either ferry or small plane. Horse drawn carriages are used to take guests from the ferry docks to the hotel or anyone else.
When ice forms on the lake preventing the ferries from working the hotel is closed.
Paranormal Activity
The hotel’s official position is that they are not haunted.
The island was used as an Indigenous burial ground as well as a burial ground by the settlers in the area.
When the hotel was built numerous human remains were unearthed and said to have been relocated. As in uncountable other locations it is rumored that not quite all of them were actually moved.
A man in a top hat has been seen playing the piano at the bar.
A woman dressed in Victorian attire is seen wandering the halls of the hotel.
Apparitions of Indigenous people are seen both in the hotel and on the grounds. Their clothing identifies them as pre-European colonization.
Glowing red eyes are reported in the theater.
Guests have reported the temperature suddenly dropped in their rooms; objects disappearing only to appear in plain sight at a later time; feeling as if an unseen presence gets in bed with them and feelings of being watched.
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History
In the 1940’s all of Michigan’s psychiatric hospitals were either full or beyond capacity – 10,000 patients in Eloise alone (see below for our article on the Eloise Complex). The only solution was to build another one. Before the invention of anti-psychotic drugs these asylums were the only solution to the growing mental health issue.
In 1943 the State of Michigan bought 453 acres of forest in Northville with the intent of building a new psychiatric facility. When the hospital opened in 1952 it was state of the art with a power plant, recreation facilities, kitchen, employee housing and patient housing in both cottages and a 9-story building.
This new 650 bed facility was quickly overcrowded – just like its contemporaries – often housing over 1,000 patients in places like the gym.
With the advent of drugs, the population began to decline quickly in the 1970’s. A report by the Detroit News didn’t help accusing the hospital of leaving heavily drugged patients in a room all day watching tv. They also found evidence of assault, rape and further neglect.
However, with Northville being one of the most recently built facilities it survived the great closures of the 90’s. In 1995 the name was changed to the Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital.
Nothing could stop the forward march of progress, though, and the days of giant psychiatric institutions was coming to an end. For Northville it was 2003 when the last patient moved out.
In 2006 the property was sold to a developer and a few buildings were demolished. All of the others – including the iconic 9 story building – were left to slowly fall apart and rot. Trespassing and vandalism became major issues.
There were a couple of lawsuits and general unhappiness with the developer so the township ended up buying a large part of the property back with a plan to redevelop the area into a large park with trails and a sled hill created from waste from the hospital.
All remaining buildings were completely demolished – including the basements and tunnel system – by November 2018.
Paranormal Activity
Apparitions of former patients and staff have been seen in the buildings – including standing in the shattered windows – and on the grounds.
Phantom voices and conversations have been heard. Phantom footsteps are reported and some people have been followed by them. Light anomalies, unexplained mists and temperature changes have been experienced along with electrical disturbances. Phantom screams, laughter and other unexplained noises and bangs are heard.
Feelings of unease, sadness, being watched, not being wanted and desperation are widely reported.
In the former tunnels people have reported being breathed on by an unseen presence.
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History
First called the Northern Michigan Asylum this facility was established in 1881 as a solution to the need of a third psychiatric facility in the State.
The hospital opened in 1885 with 43 patients. Eventually there would be 3,000 patients living in multiple buildings.
Of the original three asylums in the State – Kalamazoo (still a psychiatric hospital but a much smaller campus now) and Pontiac (demolished in 2000) – it is the only one with the main Kirkbride building still intact.
The main building was the first one built and was called Building 50. Between 1885 and 1903 twelve patient housing cottages and 2 infirmaries were built.
Like many other institutions during the time patients were encouraged to work on the farm that was built on site. The use of restraints was prohibited here and patients were to be treated with comfort and fresh air.
In 1926 the James Decker Munson Hospital was established in honor of the first superintendent. In the 1950’s it was replaced by the Munson Medical Center which still operates today.
In the 1930’s three buildings were constructed where the Munson Center parking lot and the Pavilions are now.
In the 1950’s the farm was closed and the majority of the farm buildings were demolished in the 1970’s. In 1963 the main center wing of Building 50 was demolished and replaced with a modern building after it was deemed a fire hazard.
In 1989 the facility was closed with a loss of over 200 jobs to the city. The hospital grounds were split up and given to the Munson Medical Center, the Pavilions and Garfield Township.
For more than a decade the core grounds remained unused with lots of plans that never really got off the ground. Most of the buildings deemed of lesser historical value were torn down but Building 50 and the majority of the cottages stayed intact.
In 2000 the Village at Grand Traverse Commons began a preservation and re-use of Building 50 developing it into a residential and commercial area. The majority of the cottages are now occupied by tenants and the grounds have been converted into parkland and gardens.
Paranormal Activity
People have reported feeling very uneasy feelings on the grounds of the former hospital; especially in the vicinity of the Hippy Tree. They also describe feelings of being watched and strong feelings of not being wanted.
Some go as far as to say there is an evil and dangerous energy there. There’s even an Urban Legend that the Hippy Tree is a gateway to Hell.
Apparitions are seen both on the grounds and in the former hospital buildings; apparitions of both former patients and staff. Some construction workers even quit their jobs after seeing the ghosts of people in hospital gowns wandering the property.
Disembodied voices are frequently heard – including unseen people having full conversations – both on the grounds in the buildings. Ghostly voices have even been recorded by news correspondents doing reports in the area.
In the former laundry room people report intense feelings of being watched and doors slamming on their own.
In the tunnels below the buildings and overwhelming dark and cold energy is felt to the point where people have become physically sick.
In the asylum’s former chapel legend says a priest hung himself after he was driven insane by dark entities.
Other Reported Activity: extreme sudden changes in the energy and the air; phantom footsteps; touches, tugs and pulls by unseen entities; light anomalies and electrical disturbances.
In the month of October “Asylum After Dark Tours” are generally run. These tours are very specifically not labeled as ghost tours or haunted experiences however; they do provide a way into the old asylum buildings after dark and away from the crowds.
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History
This complex originally opened as a poor house in 1839 with 33 residents. An area of 280 acres was bought and put aside for it. The only existing building on the site was the Black Horse Tavern; a log cabin which served as a stage coach stop for the Detroit-Chicago run. The Tavern became the Keepers House and another building was built for the residents of the poor house.
By the Great Depression in the 1930’s the complex had become massive with numerous buildings and a population of over 10,000 residents. The complex was completely self-sufficient with a farm, a fire and police department, its own trolley system, laundry, power plant and recreation hall as well as numerous buildings for patient care and residency.
When it was running at full capacity Eloise was the largest psychiatric institution in the United States.
As the population dropped the farm ceased operations in 1958 and in the 1970’s some of the large psychiatric buildings began to shut down. By 1982 all psychiatric patients had been transferred off site and the State of Michigan took over.
The last institution was the General Hospital and it was closed in 1986.
The adjoining cemetery – the last burial was in 1948 – with over 7000 graves marked only by numbers is owned by Wayne County at last report. Legally, you need permission of the relatives to move remains but it is doubtful the records of who these numbers belonged to even exist anymore. Considering a poor house, a tuberculosis sanatorium, an insane asylum and a hospital all once were running on the site it is highly probable there are numerous unmarked graves here as well. The cemetery is located on Henry Ruff Road south of Michigan Avenue.
The buildings began to be demolished and a strip mall, golf course and condos now occupy the land. The large smoke stack with Eloise written on it was deemed unsafe and brought down in 2006. The old Commissary building is now a homeless shelter and only the bakery – badly damaged in a fire in 2016, the fire house, the old power plant and D Building – now called the Kay Beard Building – remain.
The remaining property is now owned by a developer – who bought the site for a staggering $1 - and plans to turn the Kay Beard building into a hotel/bar/restaurant and the fire hall into a public space. Both the bakery – in ruins – and the power plant – full of asbestos – will be torn down shortly.
Paranormal tours were offered at one point in the Kay Beard Building but the new owner has only said there will be a haunted attraction built in the building.
Paranormal Activity
Considering its once formidable size and number of patients – deceased and alive – and the number of procedures performed here its not hard to imagine that any and all forms of paranormal activity have been reported here.
The property was chopped up after the majority of the buildings were demolished and many commercial and residential buildings were built on the former grounds. Needless to say, labeling the property as haunted was not anything the people who were making money from these sales wanted. I did come across one newspaper article where a real estate agent was asked about it – his reply was “nobody gives a shit.”
There have been paranormal investigations of the old power plant and the Kay Beard Building – formerly Building D where 400 patients were housed – and they described the property as very eerie and reported feelings of unease, being watched and as if there were invisible presences close by as well as a lot of emotional residues left over from the site’s long history.
Wayne County did use Building D as offices for a while in the 2000’s and employees did report many of the things the investigators did as well as encounters with apparitions; some of whom spoke with and interacted with the living.
So, what to expect should you go here: apparitions of former staff and patients; shadow figures; disembodied voices, laughter, crying, screaming and shouting; all manner of so-called Poltergeist activity; empathic feelings of every emotion possible for human beings; touches, pokes and prods from unseen entities; light anomalies; unexplained mists and electrical disturbances etc, etc, etc.