Haunted Places Archives - Page 7 of 8

The Ghost Lightkeeper at the Old Presque Isle Light

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Lighthouses .

I find a lot of interesting stories on the Internet, and we all know if it’s on the internet it must be true, ( wonder what font works well for sarcasm) anyways, I found this story about the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse being haunted by a former keeper.

George Parris and his wife moved into the keeper’s cottage in the 1990’s to run the museum and give tours. Sadly George died at the lighthouse in 1992, and since his passing, the light mysteriously comes on at dusk and goes off at dawn, which is strange since the light is supposedly disabled. Air National Guard pilots have even reported seeing the light and visitors who climb to the top claim to see a face staring back at them from inside the light fixture. George loved the lighthouse and showing visitors around the grand old structure, he was also known to play pranks on the visitors, now maybe he is playing one last prank from beyond the grave.

P.S. if you are wondering why the light is on in my photo, I had a little fun with photoshop.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

If you like my posts, it would mean a lot to me if you will subscribe for email updates

Hell’s Half Mile In Bay City

In the late 1800’s, after the lumbering season was done, lumberjacks and shanty boys would head out of the woods and into town, with pay they just received for a season of hard work harvesting timber in the northern woods of Michigan. One of the first large cites they would get to was Bay City, and Water Street along the Saginaw River was there for the men to spend their money. There was a plethora of businesses looking to separate the Lumberjack with his hard earned money, and after months in the woods they were happy to spend money at the saloons, dance halls and brothels, drinking and gambling in the downtown blocks on water street. The area was known for large drunken brawls, giving it the nickname “Hell’s Half Mile” There were tunnels and catacombs that ran under the city streets and buildings, allowing passage from saloons and brothels, without being seen, or maybe even to drag dead body out to hide elsewhere.

I find it kinda funny that downtown Bay City has gone from a reputation of violence and lawlessness, to a place of quint coffee shops and antique stores, and oh by the way, my Friend owns the Americana Antique Mall on Water Street, i hope you will stop by and say hi next time you are in Downtown Bay City.

It would really mean a lot to me if you subscribe to Lost In Michigan

The Tragic Tale and The Ghost Of Minnie Quay

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places .

There is a legend of a young woman’s ghost that roams the beaches of Lake Huron waiting for the return of the Sailor she loved. As the story goes Minnie Quay grew up with her family in the town of Forester, on Lake Huron, halfway between Port Huron and the tip of the thumb. Her family owned a tavern in forester, and during the lumbering years in the late 1800’s ships would dock at the small town. When Minnie was 15 years old she fell in love with a young sailor, that worked on one of the ships, that stopped in Forester. Her parents did not want her involved with a sailor, and forbid here to see him. She was not able to say goodbye to him when his ship sailed away. Distraught, she was said to walk thru the center of town, and then walked out to the end of the pier and jumped into the icy waters of Lake Huron on April 27^th 1876. She was buried in the cemetery next to Lake Huron north of town and her ghost is said to walk the shoreline waiting for her lover.

After learning about the story of Minnie Quay, I decided I need a photo to go along with the story, so I wanted to get a pic of the Lake Huron shoreline near Forester, and I found a beautiful county park north of town to take a pic. When I looked south along the shoreline out to a point that protruded into the lake I was shocked to see what looked like a person on the shoreline. After I looked thru my camera I saw that it was only a lone pine tree growing on the beach, but I wonder if that is the spirit of Minnie waiting for her sailor to return.

I have more about the town of Forester and Minnie Quay in my Lost In Michigan books which are ON SALE HERE

Oh and by the way, I saw this old house in Forester that could have been where Minnie’s family had their tavern, and where she lived, it’s only a guess, but I can’t help but wonder.

If you like my posts it would mean a lot to me if you will subscribe for email updates

The Ghostly Tale of the Rear Range Lighthouse

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Lighthouses .

While I was researching the history of the old Saginaw River lighthouse, I came across some interesting stories of the old lighthouse being haunted. The current lighthouse was built in 1876 in a swampy area north of Bay City to guide ships into the mouth of the Saginaw River, replacing an earlier light that was built in 1831. The Lighthouse was deactivated in the 1960’s, but still used by the coastguard as living quarters until the 70’s, when a new station was built across the river. Servicemen stationed there claimed to have heard footsteps inside the old lighthouse, even though he was the only one there and all the doors were locked.

The mystery of the footsteps are believed to be one of two light keepers that died while serving at the lighthouse.Peter Brown was appointed Keeper of the old Lighthouse in 1866, being disabled he had help from his son, and his wife Julia to maintain the light. Keeper Peter Brown passed away in 1873 before the new range lights were built, but his family remained at the station, and Julia was placed in charge.

The new lighthouse was opened, and Julia served as head keeper until 1877, when George Way, whom Julia had married, was placed in charge of the light. Julia was made first assistant keeper, and served in this role until the position was abolished in October 1882. The position was reinstated the following spring, but the coast guard appointed Leonidus Charlton as the first assistant keeper. Keeper Way passed away in November 1883, and sixty-seven-year old Julia left the station, which had been her home for seventeen years. There are rumors that Julia may have murdered her husbands, to be Head Lighthouse keeper, but that has never been proven and it may be the spirits of the old lighthouse keepers that remain at the lighthouse.

The Lighthouse is on Dow, or I guess now it’s Dupont’s property, and is only open to the public on special occasions.

If you love Michigan lighthouse and ghost stories, be sure to check out the book Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses by Dianna Higgs Stampfler and available at bookstores and Amazon HERE.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

It would mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

The Haunting at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Lighthouses .

At the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula is one of Michigan’s oldest and largest lighthouses, It was built in 1858 to guide ships into Grand Traverse Bay. It is believed that former Lightkeeper and Captain Peter Nelson still haunts the old lighthouse. Nelson settled in Northport and became the lighthouse keeper from 1874 to 1890, but some say he never left. Volunteers at the lighthouse have claimed to hear voices in the hallway and footsteps on the hardwood floors.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

If you like my posts it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

The Hauntingly Beautiful Masonic Temple in Detroit

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Haunted Places .

The Detroit Masonic Temple was designed by famed architect George Mason, who also designed the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and the Ransom Gillis House ( you can see my post about the house HERE), with his partner Zachariah Rice. The cornerstone of the temple was placed on September 19, 1922, using the same trowel that George Washington had used to set the cornerstone of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.. The building was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1926.

There is a myth that architect George Mason went broke funding the construction and his wife left him so he climbed to the top of the building and jumped off, but that is not true. He lived to be 92 years old and died in 1948. The building has over 1,000 rooms, and several secret staircases, concealed passages, and hidden compartments in the floors and strange things are said to happen, but I just think the old temple has a hunting beauty to it.

The Detroit Masonic Temple has been the largest Masonic Temple in the world since 1939, when the Chicago Masonic Temple was demolished. The stage of the auditorium is the second largest in the United States. The building houses two ballrooms: the Crystal Ballroom and the Fountain Ballroom which measures 17,264 square feet and accommodates up to 1,000 people. There is also an unfinished theater located in the top floor of the tower, that would have seated about 700. Several movies have been filmed on location at the temple including Batman vs Superman ( there’s 3 hours of my life I will never get back) A 17,500-square-foot drill hall has a floating floor, where the entire floor is laid on felt cushions. This type of construction, also known as a sprung floor, provides ‘give’ to the floor which tends to relieve the marchers.

In April 2013, the building was reported to be in foreclosure over $152,000 in back taxes owed to Wayne County. The debt was paid off by singer-songwriter Jack White, a Detroit native known for his work with The White Stripes. He wanted to help the temple in its time of need as they had helped his mother in a time of need. The temple gave her a job as an usher in the theater when she was struggling to find work. In response, the Detroit Masonic Temple Association renamed its Scottish Rite cathedral the Jack White Theater.

Lost In Michigan calendars are on SALE, They are going fast, I sold out of them last year, if you want one before they are gone you can order them HERE.

I hope you will Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

[fbcomments]

The Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Haunted Places, Historic Places .

The Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School in Mt Pleasant is a strange and mysterious looking place, and doing some research I found that it’s history is strange and mysterious too.

According to wikipedia the first building was erected in 1892 for the purposes of educating Native American children and the eight-classroom building opened to the first seventeen students in June of 1893. Enrollment had increased significantly and in the coming years it was necessary to build additional buildings to house all of the students and their daily activities. These included separate boys and girls dormitories, a hospital, a woodworking and blacksmith shop; a building for industrial training, a dining hall, a clubhouse for the employees of the school, several farm buildings.

Some accounts I have read make it sound as if it was a wonderful place to “educate” Native Americans but while researching about the Marquette Orphanage, I know that many of these places run by the government were used as a way to “reform” native American children, I also found references that claim abuse of the children and strip them of there heritage.

The school closed on June 6, 1934 when the State of Michigan took over the property for Michigan Department of Mental Health services and it became The Mount Pleasant Branch of the Michigan Home and Training School. The intent of this home and training school was to house and train mentally handicapped young men. Many of the boys were abandoned; some were juvenile criminals that did not understand their crime or charges in court. Some of the residence were physically handicapped, but a majority of the residents had some kind of mental health issue.

There are rumors of abuse to the patents by the staff. I know what we find horrific, was accepted back then, but who knows what has happened at that facility over the years it was in operation.

I have had people tell me it also housed the criminally insane including murders and rapists but I am not sure about that, I think it gets confused with a correctional facility in Iowa called the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute originally known as the Iowa Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1861.

An old Native American cemetery is on or near the property and 174 undocumented children died at the school along with its history as a mental institution it is rumored to be haunted.

It was designated as a State Historic Landmark in 1986 and you can see some of the buildings on Crawford road, I took my photos from the road, I was told it was patrolled and they watch closely for trespassers. Patrolled or not, I don’t trespass and I would advise anyone against it.

If you like reading about some of Michigan’s strange history, Lost In Michigan books are available on Amazon HERE

I would love it if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan Facebook does not show you all of my posts.

The Tragedy and Haunting at The Big Bay Lighthouse

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Lighthouses, Murders .

Standing on a tall rocky bluff overlooking Lake Superior is the Big Bay Point Lighthouse built in 1897 near the town of Big Bay. The House was built as a duplex with one side for the head lighthouse keeper and the other for the assistant keeper. Those who worked at Big Bay Point were truly isolated. The keepers’ wives not only had to do the usual housekeeping and food preparation, but also schooling of any children in residence.

The first keeper William Prior made the 24 mile walk to Marquette to visit his dying sister, after her funeral he walked back to the lighthouse, to see the assistant keeper did not fulfill his duties, after firing him and a couple more concomitant assistant keepers, Prior hired his son George to be the assistant keeper. Just over a year after he was hired, he fell on the steps of the landing crib. Keeper Prior took him to the hospital in Marquette on April 18, 1901, and his son passed away roughly two months later on June 13. His son’s death drove him into a deep depression, and on June 28 he disappeared into the woods with his gun and some strychnine. It was feared that he had gone off to kill himself. A search party was sent out, but they were not able to find him.

Over a year later, the following entry was made in the station log:

Mr. Fred Babcock came to the station 12:30 pm. While hunting in the woods one and a half mile south of the station this noon he found a skeleton of a man hanging to a tree. We went to the place with him and found that the clothing and everything tally with the former keeper of this station who has been missing for seventeen months.

By 1941 the light was automated and in 1951 – 1952, the building and land were leased to the U.S. Army. Soldiers were stationed at the lighthouse for two-week periods of anti-aircraft artillery training. Large guns were placed on the cliff near the lighthouse, and targets were towed by planes over Lake Superior for practice. The soldiers lived in the meadow and woods to the west of the lighthouse. One of the soldiers stationed at the lighthouse murdered the owner of the Lumberjack Tavern, in the town of Big Bay, for raping his wife. The book and movie Anatomy Of A Murder are based on the crime.

1961 the Lighthouse and surrounding property were sold to a private owner. Today it is the only operational lighthouse with a bed and breakfast, rumor is the lighthouse is still haunted by the ghost of Keeper Prior, I am not sure it is, but I do know it is a beautiful lighthouse, and would be a nice place to say at.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

The Haunted Bruce Mansion

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Houses, Uncategorized .

Near Brown City in Burnside Township is this beautiful old Second Empire mansion built in 1876 by John G. Bruce who owned the Bruce and Webster General Merchants with his brother-in-law. Burnside township was originally Allison Township, but the name was changed in 1866 to honor Ambrose E. Burnside, a union general in the Civil War. John G Bruce was the postmaster for 16 years in Burnside. Most of the town was destroyed by a fire in 1881, but the mansion and general store was spared from the flames. in 1894 Bruce lost the general store to a fire, and rebuilt it with a brick building.

He eventually sold the home to Cynthia Smith who died in the house from a fever in 1921. Cynthia’s son sold the house and it changed owners a few times. It was eventually purchased by John Walker in 1926. Rumor has it, he was driving his automobile when he hit a pedestrian. Terrified at what he had done, he took the body back to the mansion and buried it somewhere on the estate. Some say the ghost of the victim, others say guilt, caused the man to lose his fortune and he hung himself in the old tower. It is said the be haunted, I am not sure about it but it is a beautiful old house and it’s kinda spooky with the ghostly light green paint and it seems like an odd location for an old mansion. you would expect to see something like it in one of Michigan’s large cities but not in the middle of farm country.

NOTE this house is NOT abandoned and please do not trespass and be respectful of the owners. you can follow their facebook page HERE

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

It would mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

The Haunted Silos of DeHoCo

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Haunted Places .

Traversing the back roads of Southeastern Michigan I stumbled upon this group of old abandoned silos on the corner of 5 Mile and Ridge road in Plymouth Township. I see old barns and silos all around Michigan and wonder about their history, unfortunately, I rarely find out anything and it remains a mystery. With this strange group of silos, I did find some interesting info. Doing some research on the internets I found some references to the “Haunted Silos” which claims the silos were part of a prison farm built by the Detroit House of Corrections and the silos were part of a large complex built in 1920. The complex was used until a new prison was built down the road in 1931. I don’t know if it’s haunted, but I can see why it got the moniker if it was part of an abandoned correctional facility.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

If you like what I post could you do me a kindness, and subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts.

« Previous Page