Haunted Places Archives - Lost In Michigan

The Haunted Blue Pelican Inn

Posted on October 28, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Iconic Buildings .

The Blue Pelican Inn & Restaurant in Central Lake, on the northwest part of the Lower Peninsula. Originally built in the early 1900s, the building has gone by several names, including the Central Lake Hotel and Murphy’s Lamplight Inn, and its lengthy history seems to have attracted several permanent, spectral residents. The most famous is the ghost of Mrs. Gill, a former manager who returned later in life and died in one of the upstairs rooms in the 1950s; she is frequently seen looking out a window in that same room.

The Inn’s other well-known ghosts are often tied to tragic or memorable events from the building’s past. One recurring apparition is the Young Bride, believed to be a woman who fell to her death while attempting to elope from a second-story window by climbing down in her wedding gown. Her spirit is said to walk the upstairs halls. Another is the Little Girl seen peering out of the attic dormer, often with school books. This sighting is linked to a time when the Inn temporarily served as a schoolhouse after the town’s original school burned down.

Beyond the specific figures, staff and guests have reported a range of unexplained paranormal activity that supports the Inn’s reputation. These include the sightings of a ghostly couple in 1920s attire dancing near the bar, cold spots, disembodied noises, and even instances of objects moving on their own, such as glasses flying off shelves. These numerous reports from witnesses, including paranormal investigators, firmly cement the Blue Pelican Inn’s status as a must-visit location for those interested in Michigan’s spooky history.

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The Haunted Cells of Boyne Falls

A truly unique piece of history—and perhaps a local haunting—stands in a park in Boyne Falls, Michigan. Right next to the playground equipment, you’ll find an old iron jail cell dating back to the village’s wild lumbering days.

This small lockup was once necessary to temporarily hold the region’s notoriously rowdy lumberjacks. Today, however, it’s rumored that some of those former “residents” never truly left.

The old jail cell is said to be haunted. Local folklore suggests that on some nights, visitors can spot glowing orbs of light floating within the iron bars. These spectral lights are rumored to be the trapped spirits of the past inmates.

Whether the cell is genuinely haunted or just a spooky piece of local lore, it definitely serves as an interesting and chilling historical artifact right in the middle of a modern park.

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A Girl’s Headstone and the Aging Photo

Posted on October 13, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Haunted Places, upper peninsula .

West of Newberry, the Forrest Home Cemetery holds a peculiar and poignant memorial. It is an old headstone featuring a purple glass bubble.

This unique stone marks the grave of a young girl who passed away many years ago, just six years and six months old. Her grieving parents embedded a photograph of her within the purple bubble.

Local legend claims that the photograph inside the glass has aged over time. While it’s more likely that the image has decayed with the passage of years, the headstone remains a compelling and interesting sight. It serves as a quiet place to pause and pay your respects to the young life lost too soon. The tombstone can be found near the road by the western entrance of the cemetery.

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The Old Hotel in Kalkaska

Posted on May 27, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Haunted Places .

The Sieting Hotel, located in downtown Kalkaska, first opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1912. Like many historic buildings, it has a past steeped in tragedy and is rumored to be haunted. It’s believed that the spirit of a man who died in one of the rooms in 1920 still lingers there. Guests and staff have reported hearing strange sounds throughout the old hotel, including moans, voices, and screams. I am not sure about it being haunted, but it is a nifty old historic building that has many storied stories to share if walls could talk.

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Royal Oak’s Oldest Home: A History Steeped in Time… and Maybe a Few Ghosts?

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Houses .

Royal Oak’s oldest standing home, the 178-year-old Orson Starr House, isn’t just a historical landmark with a Michitan State Historical Marker standing in front of it – The house is rumored to be one of Metro Detroit’s most haunted locations.

Built in 1845 by early settlers Orson and Rhoda Starr, who initially ran a cowbell manufacturing business before pivoting to brick and tile, the house became a significant part of Royal Oak’s history. Orson Starr himself was a prominent community figure. The house later became city property and is on the National Register of Historic Places; the Starr family bible is still used for official swearings-in.

Despite their success and influence, the Starr family also experienced profound loss. Orson and Rhoda had ten children, but sadly, only five survived to adulthood. In a particularly tragic turn, three of their children passed away within a single week, the cause of their deaths remaining unrecorded.

It’s perhaps these echoes of the past that contribute to the numerous reports of paranormal activity associated with the property. Some believe that Orson Starr himself still resides within its walls, occasionally accompanied by the spectral presence of his German Shepard. With multiple generations of Starrs passing away in the house and a brief period in the 1900s when it served as a funeral parlor, it’s no wonder whispers of other unseen residents persist. Haunted or not, it is a historic part of Royal Oak and it is wonderful it is being preserved to tell the Starr family’s story.

P.S. This time of year my photos end up looking a little gloomy with brown grass and bare trees but I still like to get out and explore to find interesting places and stories to post.

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River Raisin National Battlefield Park: A Haunting History

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places .

The River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, Michigan, is not only a significant historical site but also a rumored hotspot for paranormal activity. The bloody battle that took place here during the War of 1812 has left a chilling legacy that some believe continues to linger.

The Battle of Frenchtown occurred on January 20-21, 1813, when American forces were ambushed and defeated by British and Native American troops. The subsequent massacre of American prisoners of war, known as the “River Raisin Massacre,” is a dark chapter in American history.

Paranormal Activity at River Raisin

Many visitors and staff members claim to have experienced strange occurrences at the battlefield park. Some common reports include:

Ghostly apparitions: Soldiers in period uniforms have been spotted wandering the grounds.
Eerie sounds: The sounds of battle cries, gunfire, and moans have been heard, even when the park is deserted.
Cold spots: Areas of the battlefield are said to be unusually cold, as if a draft were blowing through, even on warm days.
Electronic disturbances: Cameras and recording devices have reportedly malfunctioned or captured unexplained images and sounds.

Is the River Raisin Battlefield Truly Haunted?

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the historical significance and haunting tales surrounding the River Raisin National Battlefield Park make it a fascinating and potentially eerie destination. If you’re brave enough to explore this historic site, you might just encounter something extraordinary.

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Camp Sauble

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Haunted Places .

A few miles east of the town of Free Soil is a large building surrounded by a fence topped with barbed wire. The words CAMP SAUBLE are above the front door. It was part of the Michigan state prison system and was a camp for troubled youth. It was constructed in 1960 and closed in 2005. It is currently being used as a haunted attraction in the fall.

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Holmdene Hall

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Iconic Buildings .

Holmdene Hall at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids was originally built as a family home for Edward Lowe and his family in 1903. He was such a prominent member of Grand Rapids society that President Theodore Roosevelt stayed there when he visited Grand Rapids for a speech in 1911. In 1945, the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids bought the estate and moved Aquinas College to the estate from its site downtown. The mansion served as the main offices and classroom building for about 10 years while new construction expanded the college.

Students and staff have reported strange events in the old mansion. Like lights mysteriously turning on and off. The elevator seems to be operating as if someone was in it when there is no one inside. Others say doors slam shut on their own. There is also a rumor that Mr. Lowe’s son, James drowned in a pond on the property, or that he fell down a dumbwaiter shaft and died, but that is not true. He moved to San Francisco and became a successful businessman and died at the age of 65.

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The Ghost Stories of Franklin Church

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Haunted Places .

This cute little white and green church stands in south western Michigan. It is a few miles west of Dowagiac and over the door are the words Franklin Church EST 1854. Next to the church is an old cemetery. Listed as the Franklin Cemetery it is also known as Munchkin Land. It got the nickname because rumor has it that many people have seen the ghosts of children in the old graveyard.

As the story goes, that I have read on several sites on the internet, In the late 1800s the minister at the church murdered two young girls and burned their bodies in the woods behind the church. After being found out the minister hung himself in the bell tower of the church. I am not sure if the old church is still used for weekly services but I have seen some old photos of it before it was restored. It looked rather dilapidated and that is when I assume the ghost stories started being told. It is nice that the old historic building has been restored.

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The Haunted Cemetery On Dice Road

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Haunted Places .

In the northwest corner of Saginaw county, north of Hemlock, there is an urban legend of a girl that haunts Dice Road Cemetery, like many urban legends, I think there is some truth that started the story.

As the story goes, 5 year old Anna Rhodes Fazio was living in Italy in 1816 with her family, when her father went insane, and set their house on fire, killing himself and her mother. Young Anna survived the fire, and sailed to America, and lived with her aunt in the area north of Hemlock. They became friends with the local Indians. Anna and a young Indian boy named Dark Hawk grew up together.

As Anna grew older she fell in love with Jonathan Millerton, and they were married, by the time Anna was 17. shortly after they two wed, Anna’s aunt died, and Jonathan had to sail the Great Lakes for his lumbering pursuits, leaving Anna alone. Dark Hawk became jealous of Jonathan, and began to sexually assault Anna, driving her into insanity. That summer a large storm swept across the state, and when Jonathan’s ship did not return she, feared him dead and committed suicide. Even more tragic, Jonathan returned home after she died, his ship sailed to a few other ports and delayed his return.

If you visit this cemetery please be respectful and follow posted rules.

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