Back in the day, the Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island used to be a university. According to legend it is haunted by a former student who ended his life after being heartbroken. Or did he?
In the glistening waters of Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a serene retreat known for its picturesque beauty, historic charm, and an eerie reputation for the supernatural. In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it.
Mission Point Resort: This fine resort with an outlook over the blue water has gone through many stages and has been the home of many different organizations and schools. Today it is a hotel, but it is said it is still haunted by the ghost of a former student from when it was Mackinac Island College. //Source: Mary McGuire/Flickr
A Brief History of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.
The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is.
Mission Point Resort: Tragedy and Restless Spirits
Mission Point Resort can be found on the southeast side of Mackinac Island and is notorious for its paranormal activity as well as its wonderful view of the sunrise. The family owned place has been a hotel and conference center since the late 1970, but by then, it already had a long history.
The southeast end of Mackinac Island thus became known as Mission Point after Reverend William Ferry, a Protestant missionary established Mission Church, which was one of the first protestant churches in the Midwest. You can also find the Mission House, a boarding school built to teach native american children the christian way of life. Like the Mission Point Resort, the Mission House also is believed to be haunted.
In the 1940 and 50s, a lot of Mission Point used to belong to a religious group known as The Moral Re-Armament group. They called themselves a multi-national group promoting love, unselfishness, purity and honesty. Other people have since called the group a cult with a pro fascism and pro Hitler statements professed by some members.
In any case, they invested in the place and built many buildings catering to the community, bot the locals as well as tourists.
Mackinac College and the Student Haunting it
Once, Mission Point Resort was a part of the Mackinac College campus, a private liberal arts college from 1966 to 1970. The college taught courses in biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, modern languages, theater, television, radio, journalism, art, government, and public affairs. The college offered professional degrees.
The student mass consisted of 113 students from 30 states and Canada. It wasn’t a successful one and closed after graduating its first class in 1970. Some tried to revive it as a bible college, but also this failed.
The Mission Point Resort is said to be haunted by the spirit of Harvey. He was a student at Mackinac College who allegedly committed suicide after a heartbreak. According to some sources, this was said to have happened in 1967.
Mackinac Island College: The Clark Center for Arts and Sciences (left) and Peter Howard Memorial Library (right) were constructed for use by Mackinac College. The Library (completed in 1966) was torn down in approx. 1990. // Source: Mackinac Island State Historic Parks
Harvey probably stayed at the West Residence that was used as the male dormitory for Mackinac College. According to Amy Bruni and her paranormal research group, they were able to track down his real identity, but according to her, Harvey’s parents asked for his real name not to be mentioned.
Some say it was simply an unrequited love, some say that he proposed, but turned him down. What really happened is something of a mystery, and we only really know that one winter day he went missing and wasn’t found until spring.
What really happened to Harvey, was it really suicide? Some say that it was actually a rival for his love interest who had something to do with his death. Many stories claim that he jumped from the cliffs behind the college, but this narrative is most likely made up. According to other sources, they said that he shot himself. This is were the story about it perhaps not being a suicide comes on. There were rumors that there were two bullets to the head from a gun that was nowhere near his body.
Visitors have also reported sightings of shadowy figures and phantom lights in the wooded areas surrounding the Mission Point Resort, as well as hearing mysterious voices calling out in the night.
Mission Point Theater: The first modern building at Mission Point, in 1955 the Theater is situated between Mission House (left) and Faren Cottage (right).// Source
Harvey Haunting the Theater and Mission Point Resort
His ghost is known to linger around the theater found at the center of the Mission Point Resort ground. The theater was built by the MRA group in 1955 and given to Mackinac College in 1965. where he is said to be flirtatious, bordering on harassing women and playing pranks on men. He is also said to be pinching and poking visitors, often accompanied by cold drafts and unsettling whispers.
The picture of the Cooper Family with a falling body has gone many rounds within paranormal communities. Many alleged ghost photos will remain a mystery, but perhaps this mystery behind the photo is now solved?
Although the final piece of evidence in this ongoing case with the photograph topping most haunted photographs lists was dropped in 2020, there are still stories about the creepy ghost story behind the picture, and those articles detailing the exposed hoax about it, rarely mentions the final part of it.
So let’s get into it, who were the Cooper family, what happened in the picture, and who is behind this enduring legend that has been passed around the internet for a long time now? Let’s get into the story behind the picture and the many twists and turns it took along the way.
The Story of the Cooper Family and the Falling Body
Although the details vary a lot on the different retelling, there is mostly one way to start the Cooper Family Falling Body. Sometime in the 1950s the Cooper family of Texas bought an old house and moved into it. On their first night there, the father took a photo of Mom and Grandma posing with the two kids at the dining room table. Everyone was happy and smiling. They were living the American dream.
But when the photo was developed, they saw, to their horror, that what looked like a body falling or hanging from the ceiling had materialized behind them. It hadn’t been there when the father took the photo.
The Ghost in the Photo: The photo in question was this and caused a lot of debate over the years. Now, it seems the whole story is out.
So where did this thing come from? Was it an apparition of a deceased former tenant of the house? No one knew. Many theories has since been put forth, like that the house was built on top of a location were many black Americans were lynched and it was a ghost from that for example.
According to some variations of the legend, the little boys had nightmares for years because of this picture. Some versions ended with the family deciding to move out of the house because they couldn’t deal with the spooky haunting that was going on in the house.
The Truth Behind the Picture
So what really happened? Double exposures were not an uncommon thing in analog photographs before the digital age, but not all pictures garnered so much attention as this one. According to many “experts”, they deemed the picture legit. At least according to the posts without any sources. But the truth ended up being not like how the internet treated it.
The picture seems to have been passed around on lists like most mysterious photos, or scary ghost pictures since at least 2009 when it was posted on a fan site for the horror writer Thomas Ligotti. As for the story behind the picture, talking about showing the Cooper family from Texas appears to have been invented in 2013.
And what happened to the Cooper family? The fact is, that they weren’t even named Cooper, but Copper and someway along the way of copying and pasting, it was changed. One of the boys in the picture recognized himself when it went viral and he didn’t seem very amused by the picture.
He said: When my older brother sent me this link I was floored. We are the two boys in the picture. Well we were back in 1959. I have many picture like this one, but not this one. My mother had a habit of throwing away pictures that she didn’t like. Eventually the ones she kept were passed along to me. What annoys me is that somebody got hold of a family photograph. The story is almost entirely fiction. Our last name is Copper, not Cooper. Does anybody know who did this?
In 2015, photographers and others on Metabunk took a deep dive into the picture in the forum Robert Copper sent it to. Is it even a man in the picture? Some have pointed out that when turned around, it looks more like a woman striking a ballet pose, even going as far as identifying the person hanging from the ceiling as It’s the ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn superimposed, upside down over the photograph among other women.
Thinking that this would be the end of it, people put the case to rest for a time. But it wasn’t solved yet.
The Perpetrator Comes Forward
There is a book written about it called “urban legend: the true story of the Cooper family photo.” By Richard Ramsdell. People started to question this publication so close to the Metabunk debate. In 2020 however, in the same thread where Robert Copper came forth as one of the boys in the picture, he now reappeared as Richard Ramsdell, the author of the book as well as and the one behind the photo as well as in the photo.
He wrote: I want to thank all of you for the many hours of entertainment. I am the younger boy in the photo and I am Richard Ramsdell.
I stumbled across this thread in May of 2015 and was shocked to see an early artwork of mine getting so much attention and speculation. (I was floored by the sheer number of websites that perpetuated the Cooper family story.)
I created this image in 1981, in the darkroom. I once had a website where it and others were displayed. Somebody must have snatched the image and created the Cooper family story. The original “hoax” story is not mine. But it is hilarious!
I am one of the 2 creators of the Bristel Goodman online ARG. We were just trying to make a webseries and stumbled into the ARG world. It was an accidental ARG. After that it seemed obvious to create Robert C. just to mess with you. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. The whole thing was just so crazy. (And yes, I was able to entertain friends for many nights at the pub.)
Very quickly I thought of writing the book. I had just made 2 Apple iBooks, so I had some skills there. (The Amazon books have been converted from the iBooks. I agree, they look like crap in comparison.)
Of course the book is total fiction (mostly), the truth just isn’t as challenging for me. Clearly I’m not a skilled author, but I hoped that the imagery combined with a fun story would help me make a couple of bucks. Thanks to those of you who bought it. It makes me smile to know that a couple of you enjoyed it (dierdre, Ray Von G).
So who is Richard Ramsdell? In addition to being the little boy in the picture, he now claims that he was behind the editing of the ghost in the photo. According to his IMDB he is: Richard G. Ramsdell, an editor, colorist and producer, known for Bristel Goodman (2014), and Speed of Love (2010). Born and raised in upstate NY he has graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Salzburg College and the University of Florida. He is a visual artist of over 30 years, with a number of fellowships, grants and international exhibitions to his name.
Worth noting that some of the photographs of him have a very artistic use of double exposure. Is the story behind this strange photo finally solved then, or are there still more layers to peel off? A hoax within the hoax as it were.
A little girl is said to haunt a summer island. According to legend, the ghost of Lucy of Mackinac Island died of an illness when her parents were out of town. Still to this day she is said to roam the island, looking for where her parents went.
In the glistening waters of Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a serene retreat known for its picturesque beauty, historic charm, and an eerie reputation for the supernatural. In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it.
A Brief History of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.
The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, taking advantage of the rich natural resources and the strategic location that provided access to crucial trade routes. As time progressed, the island gained significance and later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, playing a key role in various military operations that shaped the early history of the United States.
With its scenic views and pleasant climate, in the late 19th century, it transformed into more of a summer colony and a tourist destination, attracting visitors from far and wide who sought relaxation and adventure. Today, it retains that charm, offering a blend of historical significance and natural beauty that continues to draw tourists looking to escape the bustle of modern life and immerse themselves in its rich heritage.
Mackinac Island: Cars were banned at the end of the nineteenth century due to health and safety concerns for the island’s residents and horses, as local carriage drivers said it scared their horses. This, together with the old historic houses and lush nature makes you feel like stepping back in time and welcoming old ghosts to linger.
The Ghost story of Lucy of Mackinac Island
Another well known ghost story on Mackinac Island is Lucy of Mackinac Island. She is said to be a 12 year old girl, wandering around the island in her light colored sundress and curly hair. At first glance, she probably looks like any other girl, but those looking twice will notice something strange as she appears and disappears like a ghost.
The ghost of Lucy of Mackinac Island is not confined to a single spot on the island but can be seen peeking out from windows from old Pine Cottage B&B and following people on the staircase at Crow’s Nest Trail up to Anne’s Tablet. Anne’s Tablet is a 1916 Art Nouveau sculptural installation by William Ordway Partridge.
More Than One Ghost Haunting The Pine Cottage
Lucy of Mackinac Island is not the only one said to haunt the Pine Cottage. Although Lucy seems like she can come and go as she likes, there are some ghosts that seem trapped in this place. Spirits simply known as the man, the woman and the creature are also said to haunt this place.
Pine Cottage: Peering out from the windows at the Pine Cottages, it is said that one of the ghost lingering there, is that of Lucy.
Room number 4 is haunted by a woman, often regarded as a helpful ghost according to the accounts of those who have encountered her presence. She is known for assisting guests in finding lost items, tidying up the space, and exuding a gentle aura that brings comfort to those who stay in the room.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from haunted hotels
Some believe that she may be the spirit of a woman who was allegedly murdered there in 1942, a tragic event that remains shrouded in mystery, with the details of the crime never fully uncovered. This unresolved history adds to the intrigue surrounding Room 4, drawing visitors who are eager to experience the soothing presence of the ghost and perhaps glean more insight into the tragic story that lingers in the shadows.
The man is thought to be the killer of the woman. There are however no unsolved murders on Mackinac Island except that of Frances Lacey who were murdered in 1960. She didn’t stay at the Pine Cottages though.
Who was Lucy of Mackinac Island?
Back to Lucy, who is said to wander around the entire island, appearing to tourists with a haunting grace. Who was she when alive? Was her name even truly Lucy? Although a well-known ghost, she remains an enigma, not a well-known girl. There are not really many records that fit her descriptions; fragmented tales and local legends fill the gaps.
According to the local lore, Lucy died from a sickness when her family left town for the weekend, some say they went as far as Detroit. Did they leave her alone, were they as some would have it, drunkard parents? No one knows, but it is said that she was found dead when they returned.
Now she is wandering, lost and calling for her parents. As dusk falls, the stories of her life and untimely death linger in the air, raising questions about her true identity and the life she once led before she became part of the island’s haunting allure.
At the highest point of Mackinac Island in Michigan, Fort Holmes is thought to be haunted by ghosts from the War of 1812. Could there also be something more ancient haunting the place?
In the glistening waters of Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a serene retreat known for its picturesque beauty, historic charm, and an eerie reputation for the supernatural.
In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it.
Fort Holmes: On the highest top on Mackinac Island, is the reconstructed Fort Holmes. Those visiting it claim to have seen the ghost of soldiers still guarding the fort. //Source: Wikimedia
A Brief History of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.
The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is.
Fort Holmes and the War Time Haunting
On top of Mackinac Island’s highest point, an old British stronghold was built. The building standing is not the original redoubt, but built to look like it did in 1817.
Fort Holmes was originally built in 1814 during the War of 1812, between the United States and the United Kingdom. Back then there was only a blockhouse and stockade built by the British and was a defense place when the Americans attacked in 1814. Back then it was called Fort George, and was only renamed after the Americans took over after the Major who was killed during the assault.
Read More: check out all ghost stories from haunted forts
It fell into disrepair under the shadow of the Fort Mackinac it was built to assist and Fort Holmes never functioned as an independent military fortification. Fort Mackinac is about half a mile south from Fort Mackinac and has its own haunted ghost stories.
The Fort Holmes was remodeled in 2015 and is today a popular place for tourists to hike up to watch the stars and the shoreline of the Straits of Mackinac. It is also said to be a place to see ghosts.
Fort Holmes: Stairway up to Fort Holmes, the highest point on Mackinac Island. // Source: Wikimedia
Some also claim that something paranormal is going on at the old restored fort. Many people claim to have seen three soldiers wearing Colonial-era uniforms, talking among themselves, but when they notice they are being watched, they disappear.
As with many places on the island, this fort is also said to have been built on top of native burial grounds, making people think that maybe the place also is haunted by the spirits of Ojibwe tribesmen and women as well as the Europeans desecrating more than one burial site.
Blue lights twinkling between the graves, ghostly figures and even phantom houses appearing and disappearing are only some of the ghost stories from Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery. What really happened to this abandoned cemetery?
Hidden deep within the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve, about twenty-four miles southwest of Chicago, lies Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery—a place that has gained infamy as one of the most haunted locations in the Midwest.
Time and nature have overtaken this once-respectable burial ground. A murky quarry is next to it and trash is thrown on the ground. Next to the gravestone of a couple of infants are small toys littered next to it. Something else lurks in its overgrown paths and broken headstones. For decades, visitors have reported eerie encounters, strange lights, ghostly apparitions, and even brushes with the spirits of the long-departed.
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery: A group of monuments on southeast quadrant. The cemetery is now abandoned and only ghost stories live on in this place. // Source
A Cemetery with a Dark Past
Established in the early 1830s or 40s, Bachelor’s Grove is the oldest cemetery in Cook County, Illinois. The first burial was that of Eliza Scott in November 1844. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery housed the Scottish, English and Irish immigrants that came in the 1820s. The name comes from both the Batchelder family who used to live there as well as a group of unmarried men calling themselves the Bachelors.
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery was once a peaceful final resting place for early settlers, but as the years passed, it became the target of vandalism, decay, and something far more sinister.
By the Prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s, the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery had reportedly become a dumping ground for Chicago’s notorious organized crime syndicates. Rumors persist that the mob used the nearby lagoon as a watery grave for those who had crossed them, their bodies weighted down and left to disappear beneath the murky depths.
Aside from the rumors of being a dumping ground for the mafia, it was said to be a peaceful place until the 1950s when the Midlothian Turnpike was rerouted and left the grove far away from everything. Teenagers started using Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery as a lover’s lane, a place to drink and party and ghost stories and fantastical legends took hold.
Today, most of the eighty graves are unmarked due to rampant vandalism, the headstones either stolen or toppled over, and the grounds left in disrepair. Some of the coffins were even dug up and robbed. But while many of the gravestones are gone, the spirits remain.
Encounters with the Supernatural
Since the 1960s, countless visitors, ghost hunters, and paranormal investigators have reported chilling experiences at Bachelor’s Grove. Some claim to hear whispers carried on the wind, see floating orbs of light in blue or red, or experience an overwhelming sense of dread.
On the entrance there is a large black and tan dog sitting or running down a path. People realize it’s a ghost first when the Others have reported near-collisions with phantom vehicles that appear out of nowhere on the nearby roads, only to vanish without a trace.
The Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove
Among the spirits said to roam the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, none are as well-known as the “Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove.” This spectral woman, dressed in a flowing white gown, is often seen wandering the grounds, cradling an infant in her arms. Many believe she is the spirit of a grieving mother, doomed to wander the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery in search of her lost child. The legend claims that she is seeking something, or perhaps someone, although no one knows what.
Her story got known when a group of investigators explored the cemetery in 1979 and apparently took a photograph of her in a hooded robe with her baby cradled in her arms. Later it seems the Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove attire changed from story to story, wore only a white dress and had no baby.
The Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove: This picture of what appears to be a ghost sitting on a grave in Bachelor’s Grove Cemeterybecame quite famous after it was taken in 1991 by Judy Felz, and so did the legend of the Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove.
In 1991, a famous photograph taken by Judy Felz from the Ghost Research Society captured what appears to be a semi-transparent woman in period clothing sitting on a broken headstone. The infrared image remains one of the most popular pieces of paranormal evidence associated with the cemetery.
But who was the Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove?
There have been many speculations about who the woman in the graveyard could have been. For a long time they believed she could have been Luella Rogers because of the stone placement as she was the one buried next to the headstone just marked: “Infant Daughter” in number 15. But over the years the “Infant Daughter” stone has been moved and is actually on top of another woman.
Infant Daughter: A lot of the details of the haunting of Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is connected to this tombstone. Source
The “Infant Daughter” headstones actually belong to the daughter of Bertand Fulton and Kathryn Vogt. Could this be the origin of the ghost? Or could it be someone else?
Could Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove possibly be Amelia Patrick Humphrey? Amelia was the first wife of Senator John Humphrey of Orland Park, a prominent politician from the mid 1800’s. Their third child Libby May died when she was only 11 months and 6 days and buried in the Patrick family lot (#44) in Bachelors Grove. Could this be the mother then, who is eternally visiting her young daughter’s grave?
The Phantom House Appearing in the Mist
One of the stranger legends from Bachelor’s Grove is the story about the disappearing house. It is said to be a white one-story Victorian house. On the porch there is a swing and a picket fence encircles it. When people claim to see it, they describe it more transparently. In the windows there is a flickering yellow light, as if a candle is lit.
Many people have come back from the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, talking about a house they were unable to find again. Many have sketched the same type of house from the legend, claiming they had never heard about the stories from this place.
A mist is often closing in on the house as well, and one story even claims that a line of people were waiting by the front door. When people try to approach it, they say that it shrinks and when you get close enough, it simply vanishes.
What or where the legend comes from is uncertain, but the story goes that if you actually are able to reach it, you will never be able to return.
But did a house even exist in this area? Some claim that there was nothing of the sorts built on this land, but maps from so long ago are not the most reliable. According to different maps there used to be around four homes and other structures close to the cemetery. There are pictures however that have resurfaced with buildings from the early 1900s looking like they used to be there, one of them is even said to really look like the descriptions of the story.
The Phantom House: The photograph, which was provided by ancestors of the Schmidt family who used to own the property surrounding the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery found a picture from 1914. Source
The Murdering Caretaker Following You
The most commonly told version of the Caretaker the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery caretaker and his family living in a house in the woods. The house is said to be located a short distance west of what is now the roped-off entrance to the main path leading to the cemetery off of 143rd Street, across from the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve parking lot. This path is also known as a portion of the Midlothian Turnpike that was unofficially closed to vehicle traffic in the 1960s, with the official closure occurring in 1977.
All is normal with him and his family until one day out of nowhere he becomes enraged and kills his entire family. It is said that he was overcome with “evil spirits” that told him to kill his family. After he realized what he had done, he took his own life. At some point down the timeline of the story the townspeople burn down the caretaker’s house to erase all memory of this tragic story.
Now, people encounter him walking around the cemetery grounds, often with an oil lamp in his hand, telling people to leave the place. If they don’t listen to him, he is following them on the trail, the light shining behind them before he suddenly vanishes.
The killing is said to have happened in the 70s, but there is no proof for this. In fact, the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery never had a caretaker at all. Still, there are plenty of people claiming to have encountered him over the years.
The Hook Man Legend Comes to Bachelor’s Grove
Another well-known story in the area is about a stranded couple, a local version of the Hook Man legend. It tells of a young couple who park by Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery. When they decide to leave, the boyfriend finds the car won’t start due to being out of gas or a stalled engine. He tells the girl to stay in the car while he goes to get help. While waiting, she hears a scratching noise on the roof that continues for a while. Curious but frightened, she remains in the car. Eventually, she sees blue lights and a siren behind her. An officer approaches, opens her door, and urgently instructs her not to turn around. Overcome with curiosity, she looks back and sees her boyfriend hanging from a tree above the car, his throat slit, his fingers barely touching the roof, scratching it. This horrific sight drives the girl into madness.
Now, this is a common story, but it gained new interest when a policeman shared it as real during an interview. In Halloween 2012, a group of paranormal researchers met a retired Bridgeview police officer who claimed to have seen official police reports of the incident. He mentioned baby-sized footprints on the roof of the car and stated that the murdered boy’s girlfriend was in a mental institution in Tinley Park. He spoke strongly about the report’s existence and the truth of the story, but later he recanted and stopped further communication, making it difficult to distinguish between tale and fact.
Disappearing Cars of the Cemetery
It’s not only houses and people that disappear into the night at Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, but cars as well. A legend that really took off in the 1970’s was the stories told about the disappearing cars. According to these stories, drivers would pass the desolated roads by the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery. According to them, they kept seeing a car pulled over on the side of the Midlothian Turnpike close to the cemetery. Although what type of car it was, changes from each retelling, although most often described as an older looking car, perhaps from the 40’s or even older. But when they went to double check in their rearview mirror, there was no car there anymore.
Some stories even said that night drivers ended up colliding with these phantom cars. A couple was at the corner of Central Avenue and Midlothian Turnpike. Checking in both directions, they saw it was all clear and made the turn. Out of nowhere, a “speeding brown sedan” as it’s often described as came hurling in the direction of the cemetery. The car crashed into the couple and they could feel the impact, hear the glass shattering and the metal crunching.
When they exited the car, the brown car simply faded away, and when they looked at their own car, it didn’t even have a scratch.
Although a popular story to tell about the place at the time, it seems like the legend of the phantom cars is not the most told anymore.
The Farmer and Horse in the Pond
Right next to the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery there is a little pond that is also said to be haunted. The story is that in 1870 there was a farmer plowing in a nearby field. His horse became startled and set off. The farmer, tangled in the reins, was dragged with the horse who jumped into the pond. Both drowned as the weight of the metal plow was so heavy it dragged the both to the bottom.
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery Pond
It is said that the farmer and the horse can be seen on the surface of the pond as well as appearing on 143rd Street right behind the cemetery.
But did this really happen though? According to historians it couldn’t have been in 1870 at least, as the pond didn’t even exist until after 1900. Was it another pond further away from the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery? Another year? Did it happen at all?
The Lingering Spirits of Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery
From shadowy figures darting between the trees to ghostly apparitions of monks, mobsters, and misty forms hovering above graves, the spirits of Bachelor’s Grove refuse to be forgotten. Paranormal investigators continue to explore the site, capturing electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) and anomalous readings, adding to the growing legend of this haunted graveyard.
For those brave enough to visit, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery offers more than just a glimpse into Chicago’s past— But you must visit Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery at day. From sunset to sunrise the cemetery is closed off and patrolled. To keep teenagers and those up to mischief out? Or to keep something in?
At the old and stately Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, there are rumors about more than one ghost haunting the place. When building the hotel, they uncovered so many human bones they lost count. Some say that they are still under the luxurious hotel.
In the pristine waters of Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island serves as a tranquil retreat celebrated for its picturesque beauty, historic allure, and a notable reputation for the supernatural. In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it.
A Brief History of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.
The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is.
Mackinac Island: Cars were banned at the end of the nineteenth century due to health and safety concerns for the island’s residents and horses, as local carriage drivers said it scared their horses. This, together with the old historic houses and lush nature makes you feel like stepping back in time and welcoming old ghosts to linger.
The Grand Hotel: A Luxurious Haunt
The Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island has become an iconic symbol of the island, is as famous for its opulence as it is for its ghostly residents. Built in 1887, this sprawling hotel has hosted numerous notable guests—and a few uninvited spectral ones.
Read More: check out all ghost stories from haunted hotels
The Grand Hotel is located on Grand Avenue is one of the most recognizable buildings with its 660-foot porch said to be the longest in the world. It was built in 1887 for the rich rail and steamship passengers.
Movies have been filmed here and presidents and celebrities have stayed here. And according to some, so does the dead.
Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island
The Mass Graves Found on Mackinac Island
In 2011 developers of a new hotel discovered a mass grave downtown on Mackinac Island. They had a plan of building a three storey hotel at the site. Before the hotel construction started, there was a building known as the MacNally Cottage at the location. Some think that the cottage was built on a Catholic cemetery of the St. Anne’s Catholic Church who closed the cemetery in December in 1851. where there were many native american members as well. The police said that there were some bones belonging to animals, but there were also human bones. The human bones found were likely from the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of the Chippewa natives. Many hundred bones were unearthed.
The tribal members came to reclaim and rebury the remains to give them a traditional ceremony, but the building of the hotel went on ahead as well. The next year a few bones were discovered on the site of a remodel for a Main Street store. So it’s safe to say that most of the construction work on Mackinac Island will dig up some bones. Which begs the question, what did they find when they first built the Grand Hotel in 1887?
According to the lore, they found so many bones and bodies during construction that they were unable to keep track of them. Who were the people buried here? Were they Anishinaabe Chiefs, warring tribes, or the fallen European soldiers from the wars fought on the land? We don’t really know, because they decided to build on top of them without removing the skeletons in the ground or doing further investigations. Some say that this has angered the spirits, and awakened them to haunt the Grand Hotel.
The Ghosts of the Grand Hotel
So what are the ghost stories inside of the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island? According to the staff, they keep hearing and seeing things they can’t explain, when they clock in for the morning shift, they find furniture has mysteriously moved. There are many different entities that are said to be the ones haunting the Grand Hotel. Here are some of the legends:
The Lady in Black
One of the most well-known spirits is the “Lady in Black,” believed to be a former guest who never checked out. Guests and staff have reported seeing the spirit of a young woman wearing Victorian era clothing, wandering the halls, particularly near the hotel’s grand staircase or walking a large dog on the porch after dark. She has even been said to get into bed with the other living guests.
The Haunting Black Mass
Another peculiar thing that is said to be haunting the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island is a sort of evil entity, appearing for staff and guests as a black mass with glowing red eyes.
A maintenance man was once working at the theater stage at the hotel. According to him, there was suddenly a black mass rushing after him, knocking him off his feet and out. Two days later he woke up from the fall and decided to never go back to the hotel.
Haunted Hotel: There is said to be more than one ghost haunting the hotel. //Source: Photo of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island during the late 1920’s.
Other Ghost Haunting the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
Another frequent sighting is that of an elderly man in a top hat lingering around the hotel’s bar and piano room, smoking a cigar. Those who see him claim that he disappears when approached.
Another is the ghost of Little Rebecca, who passed away on the grounds and haunts the fourth floor, being spotted floating or walking through the halls and disappearing to nowhere.
Now a part of southern folklore, the Bell Witch Haunting is still said to haunt the town of Adams in Tennessee. For years she was said to haunt the Bell family, but what was she really? A witch? Demon or ghost? A product of mass hysteria?
Deep in the misty woods of Adams, Tennessee, where the Cumberland River winds through the countryside, lurks one of America’s most chilling ghost stories—the legend of the Bell Witch. A tale whispered for over 200 years, this haunting legend is not merely folklore but a documented case of relentless paranormal activity that tormented the Bell family and left an entire town in fear.
With reports of eerie voices, poltergeist-like attacks, and a vengeful spirit with supernatural intelligence, the Bell Witch remains one of the most terrifying hauntings in American history. Although there definitely were more stories after the initial haunting, all the way up today, especially around the Bell Witch Cave, we will here focus more than the original haunting.
The Bell Family and Their Mysterious Torment
In 1804, John Bell and his family settled in Robertson County, Tennessee, purchasing a 320-acre farm in the quiet town of Adams by the Red River. Back then the Tennessee frontier was a wild place of dense forest and houses built miles away from each other. Originally a barrel maker, he married his wife, Lucy Williams in 1782 when she was twelve years old. Being born in 1750, he was 32.
The Bell Family: An illustration of the ninteenth century home of the Bell family of Red River (now Adams), TN. From the novel by M. V. Ingram, “The Authenticated History of the Bell Witch” published in 1894.
Who knows what their marriage was really like, but they certainly were prosperous. For years, the Bells lived peacefully, working their land and raising their nine children. But in 1817, their idyllic life took a sinister turn.
It started with strange noises—unexplained scratching at the walls, knocks in the dead of night, and the sound of chains dragging across the floors. The children reported hearing faint whispers, like a woman’s voice speaking just beyond comprehension.
Then came the sightings—shadowy figures lurking in the fields, flickering lights floating between the trees, and the apparition of a bizarre, half-animal creature with the body of a dog and the head of a rabbit seen by John Bell when he was out one day inspecting the corn field. He tried to shoot it. His son, Drew Bell claimed to see a strange bird on a fence that was much larger than anything else. The daughter, Betsy, saw a girl in a green dress, swinging from a limb of an oak tree by her neck.
Dean Confronts the Witch: 1894, An Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch: The Wonder of the 19th Century, and Unexplained Phenomenon of the Christian Era by M. V. Ingram
Dean, who was the Bell family’s slave, claimed to have seen a large black dog outside when he went to see his wife. The Bell Witch was said to have been particularly mean to the slaves the Bell family kept and refused them entry to the house. Dean was said to have been temporarily turned into a mule by the witch as well and always carried an ax with him.
BetsyBell: An artist’s drawing of Betsy Bell, done around 1894 and published in M. V. Ingram’s book about the Bell Witch.
Soon, the spirit made its presence undeniable, knocking on doors and walls, gnawing on their beds and the sound of chains on the floor. It spoke in clear words, tormented the Bell children, and took a particular interest in John Bell’s youngest daughter, Betsy. The unseen force would pull Betsy’s hair, slap her so hard it left handprints, and throw objects across the room in fits of rage. The activity increased a lot when Betsy became engaged to Joshua Garnder, another local. The witch started to chant: “Please Betsy please, don’t marry Joshua Gardner.” The harassment from the witch got so bad that she eventually called off the engagement in 1821. She instead ended up marrying her former schoolteacher, Powell in 1824.
Dean Turned into a Mule: 1894, An Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch: The Wonder of the 19th Century, and Unexplained Phenomenon of the Christian Era by M. V. Ingram
A Witch or Something Worse?
As the haunting escalated, the entity revealed itself in a chilling way—it could speak. It identified itself as “Kate,” a spirit who claimed to despise John Bell and vowed to end his life. But when asked if she was a witch, a demon, or something else entirely, she gave conflicting answers.
Sometimes, the spirit claimed to be the ghost of a wronged neighbor, Kate Batts, seeking vengeance for an old land dispute.
Kate Batts: said to be an unfriendly neighbor who claimed that John Bell had cheated her in a land purchase. Mary Catherine “Kate” Batts, the wife of Frederick Batts. Although not a poor woman, she was often mocked by others throughout the Red River Settlement in Robertson County. Her improper usage of words, along with her sometimes strange ways, led many to think she was practicing Black Magic or other forms of the occult. In fact, contrary to reports of her claiming that she would get even with John Bell on her deathbed, Kate Batts actually outlived John Bell by many years.
Other times, it said it was the soul of someone buried nearby or even a force older than human understanding. The Bell Witch seemed to possess knowledge of distant events, private conversations, and even future occurrences.
The strange things happening to the Bell family started spreading after James Johnston, a family friend, had stayed over. Soon many people started coming and challenging the witch to speak.
“I am a spirit; I was once very happy but have been disturbed.”
This is what the voice told them when they implored who it was. It said many things, like the disturbance was about the Native American burial mound on the property, although they didn’t really find anything when they looked. It also could recite sermons word for word and local gossip.
Even when an Englishman visited them, the voice took on a British accent, speaking to the man like his parents would. He wrote back to the Bell family later that the entity had really visited his family in England.
Their friend William Porter, claimed that the witch climbed into his bed and he tackled her, trying to throw it in the fire even. But the heavy weight and terrible smell coming from the spirit mad him unable to.
Burn the Witch: Illustration of William Porter attempting to burn the Bell Witch in his fireplace.
It wasn’t all poltergeist activity though, and Lucy, the wife of John Bell was said to be a perfect woman in the witches’ eyes. She would sing her hymns and give her fresh fruit.
Word of the Bell Witch spread beyond Tennessee, drawing the attention of curious townsfolk, traveling pastors, and even future president Andrew Jackson.
Andrew Jackson vs. The Bell Witch
One of the most famous parts of the legend, looking back, involves General Andrew Jackson, who later became the seventh President of the United States. Intrigued by the tales, Jackson supposedly traveled to Adams with a group of men, determined to confront the supernatural force himself.
As Jackson’s wagon approached the Bell farm, the horses suddenly froze in place, refusing to move forward. A sharp, disembodied voice rang out, taunting the men, and an invisible force pushed them back. That night, as they camped on the Bell property, Jackson’s men reported being slapped, scratched, and tormented by unseen hands. One soldier was thrown from his chair, and another ran screaming into the woods, claiming he was being chased by the witch herself.
The next morning, Jackson reportedly told his men, “By the eternal, boys, I never saw so much fun in all my life. This beats fighting the British.” Or his phrasing was: “I had rather face the entire British Army than to spend another night with the Bell Witch”. By sunrise, he and his men had left the scene, some say fled.
Although passed around as true, did Jackson really pay the Bell family a visit? His movement at the time was well documented, and there is no proof that he ever came to or even knew of the Bell family.
The Death of John Bell
As the years passed, the Bell Witch grew more aggressive toward John Bell. He suffered mysterious seizures, his health declined, as the witch taunted him, threatening to kill him. After years, he became completely bedridden. In 1820, he was found dead in his bed. Next to him was a vial of strange, dark liquid.
When the family offered the liquid to a cat, the animal died instantly. A triumphant voice echoed through the house: “I gave old Jack Bell the poison that killed him!”. There were also a lot of drinking songs that interrupted the mourners.
John Bell became the only person in history whose death was attributed to a spirit. The Bell family buried him, but the haunting did not end.
The Spirit’s Departure and the Curse on the Land
After John Bell’s death, the spirit gradually became less active, eventually telling the family it would leave—but would return in seven years. True to its word, strange occurrences resumed briefly in 1828, then faded again.
Read all: Check out all ghost stories connected to witches
To this day, the Bell Witch legend lingers over Adams, Tennessee. The land where the Bell farm once stood is believed to be cursed. A nearby cave, now called the Bell Witch Cave, is said to be a portal for the restless spirit. Visitors report hearing eerie laughter, whispers in the darkness, and feeling unseen hands push them as they explore its depths.
The Enduring Mystery of the Bell Witch
Unlike many ghost stories, the Bell Witch haunting was widely documented at the time it occurred. Numerous witnesses, including clergy, military officers, and politicians, attested to the events. The legend was passed down through generations, and in 1894, historian Martin Van Buren Ingram published An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch, that was the leading source material for the legends retelling, cementing the tale in American folklore.
What happened in those years? Some point to the symptoms of John Bell to a neurological disorder that they hadn’t discovered back then. By a strange coincidence, Bell’s palsy, discovered by Sir Charles Bell, describes John Bell’s symptoms pretty well, as he had temporary loss of control of his facial muscles among other things.
Both his symptoms as well as his death could be that of heavy metal poisoning, where arsenic has been put forth as the most likely substance. So was he poisoned over the years? By who? He was a fairly wealthy man and had quarrels with neighbors. He also held slaves that for years lived in fear. Poisoning has also historically been something wives did. And what about his daughter?
Other people pointed out that Betsy was the mastermind behind the haunting, even when she was alive. There were many rumours, one being that her father had molested her, although there really isn’t much proof. Many have put forward the theory that Betsy sounds like an example where a child or teenager is behind the poltergeist-like happenings.
Some say her husband, Powell was feeding her ideas, as he was believed to have an interest in the occult. She threatened lawsuits to those who proposed the idea and refused to talk about the witch with anyone other than her family. For the rest of her life she was afraid of sleeping alone.
It is also worth noting that the story came about in the period between the Second Great Awakening and the Spiritualism Movement. These movements were strong in this part of USA and spread through revivals and camp meetings for praying lasting for days. They experienced trance, spoke in tongues and other strange behaviour as a proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Something that in other settings would probably be called demonic possession. This concoction together with believing stories about witches, ghosts and demons put the perfect foundation for a poltergeist haunting like this.
The Future of the Bell Witch Legend
Skeptics argue that the haunting was exaggerated or even fabricated, but believers point to the sheer number of eyewitnesses and the unexplained phenomena that continue to this day.
Was the Bell Witch truly a vengeful ghost? A demonic entity? Or something beyond human comprehension? The truth may never be known. But one thing is certain—anyone who dares to visit Adams, Tennessee, might just hear the whisper of the Bell Witch calling their name. Amy Fluker, a researcher of the Mississippi version of the legend said: “As a historian of collective memory, it matters very little to my research if hauntings are real or not. It does matter that people believe they are. As a result, they can help us understand the perspectives, in this case, of 19th and 20th century Americans.”
A soldier hanged for the murder of another is said to haunt the Rifle Range Trail at Mackinac Island in Michigan. Appearing for those venturing onto the trail where he was once hanged, he tries to plead his innocence.
Mackinac Island, located in Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, is a peaceful getaway famous for its scenic beauty, historic appeal, and spooky legends. In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it.
Fort Mackinac: The Straits of Mackinac quickly became an important French fur trading location. The British took control of the Straits after the French and Indian War and built Fort Mackinac to protect their settlement from attack by French-Canadians and native tribes.//Source: Wikimedia
A Brief History of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.
The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is.
The Hanging of Private James Brown on Rifle Range Trail
On February 1 in 1830, there was a hanging on Rifle Road on Mackinac Island between 10 am and 2 am. There was a lot of talk in the small town about it, but if it was ever made a spectacle remains a mystery. Many say that all the locals came to see the hanging, but we don’t really know.
Corporal Hugh Flinn had been found dead, and Private James Brown was found guilty of his murder and hanged. They had argued the day he died and Brown walked by Flinn, sitting down at the mess room of the Soldier’s Barracks at Fort Mackinac. It was December 5 in 1828 and private James Brown entered the hall. A shot was heard and Flinn bled to death after the bullet hit his neck.
What really happened that day at Fort Mackinac? Brown confessed that the shot had come from his rifle, but claimed that it had gone off by accident. There were 15 witnesses to the aftermath, not the shooting itself, and they claimed Brown had lowered his musket as he cried out: “My God, what have I done?”
Many believed in his innocence, including Governor Lewis Cass, who even asked the president, Andrew Jackson for a pardon for him. As they tried him, they kept him in the fort’s guardhouse.
This pardon was not granted and he was found guilty of murder and hung to death on what is now close to the Rifle Range Trail. It was the only execution of its kind here. But it was not the end of the story of Brown. According to the locals, his spirit is still roaming the island, trying to convince the people who he appeared in front of to believe he was indeed innocent.
Ghost Haunting the Rifle Range Trail: There are miles and miles of trails on Mackinac Island. Some of them, like the Rifle Range Trail where the hanging occurred are said to be haunted by the ghost of the soldier. // Source/Zachary V. Sunderman
The Rifle Range Trail Ghost
On Mackinac Island there are over 70 miles of hiking trails, one of them going past where they once built a gallow especially for James Brown’s hanging, the only public hanging on the island. This particular trail known as Rifle Range Trail is said to be the place his ghost is appearing to haunt.
For eternity, his ghost roams Rifle Range Trail between Fort Holmes and Fort Mackinac. People sometimes hear footsteps and get a feeling of being watched when they walk it. Some stories claim that he will appear to some and plead his innocence he insisted on until his death, still trying to get someone to believe in him.
In addition to his spirit of James Brown haunting the Rifle Range Trail, there are plenty of military hauntings around the island. The sound of a fife has also been heard playing old military tunes in the morning fog close to the fort’s North Sally Port Entrance. In the end, who knows how many soldiers posted at this place is lingering as ghosts?
Listing countless of spooky occurrences from those who have dared to visit the McInteer Villa in Kansas, the mansion is now the blueprint for a classic mansion. Who are the spirits behind the hauntings?
Tucked away in the historic town of Atchison, Kansas, the McInteer Villa stands as a breathtaking relic of Victorian architecture along the Missouri River. The most famous thing that ever came out of this place was the legendary Pilot, Amelia Earhart, but they are also something for the ones interested in the paranormal.
With a striking red brick facade and ornate turrets, the house looks like how haunted mansions are described in movies and books. Its history also harbors a darker reputation—one steeped in mystery, tragedy, and a host of restless spirits.
Haunted Mansion:McInteer Villa, located at northwest corner of 13th and Kansas Streets in Atchison, Kansas; seen from the southeast.// Source: Wikimedia
A House with a History of Tragedy
McInteer Villa was built between 1889 and 1890 by John McInteer, an Irish immigrant who came to the states when he was young boy, all alone. Over the years he earned a fortune and became a wealthy harness maker. The McInteer Villa was originally a proud testament to his success after chasing the American dream alone as a boy. Now it’s more a reminder of the tragedies his family had to go through.
His first wife, Alice Conley died from a long suffering illness and was the first to die in the house. Perhaps she was its first ghost too? They had met in Cincinnati, Ohio and married in 1861. She was also born in Ireland, and had come to seek a new life. Together they had no children but had both nieces and nephews living with them at times. After being ill for a year she died in December 1891 at 9 o’clock in the morning.
As one of the confirmed deaths in the house, some visitors attribute some of the haunting to her. Could it be that people notice when the smell shifts? The air is often thick with the scent of a powdery perfume, as if a spectral woman still lingers in the hallways.
He remarried to a woman called Anna Donovan with three kids from a previous marriage, Peter, Fred and Carles. After McInteer’s death in 1902, his second wife and her family took over the McInteer Villa and she lived there until her death in 1916. The McInteer Villa stayed in the family for years until 1925 and many believe that she and her children are some of the spirits lingering. Could it be her who is behind the cabinets opening by themselves as well as doors around the house as if she was still the lady of the house? Or perhaps it is she who is playing the piano on the ground floor when everyone else has gone to bed.
Charles Donovan Pacing the Villa for Eternity
Most reported occurrences in the McInteer Villa are the disembodied voices coming from nowhere as you walk through the building. Those who step inside McInteer Villa describe an overwhelming sense of being watched, particularly on the second floor. From the hallway on this floor there are also said that heavy steps are heard, pacing back and forth.
But who is the one walking through the house after dark, when no one is supposed to? Strange voices and rattling of doorknobs is said to be the ghost of Charles Donovan, who died on the second floor.
Charles Donovan was the son of Anna Donovan. Like his mother, he also ended his life in the mansion. When he served during the first world war he contracted Influenza he didn’t really recover from and was sick a lot. He was 34 and a veteran, and probably had more than a lingering influenza from the war plaguing him. October 10th in 1922 he committed suicide by shooting himself with a 22 caliber in his bedroom upstairs.
Boarding House and Strange Haunted Rumors Starts to Form
The last in the line of the family to live in the McInteer Villa was Anna’s brother Charles Conlon until he died in 1930.
Over the years, the villa transformed into a boarding house for the next 25 years. Many came and went over the years and perhaps one of the temporary tenants is still staying here? Perhaps this is where a faint hint of cigarette smoke that follows visitors comes from, despite no one in the house smoking. No one is still alive.
In recent years there have also started to spread wilder stories than rattling of doorknobs and vague heavy energy in the house. One story passed around is that one of the biggest rooms they believe that were used for funeral ceremonies for a time, were the bodies were laid out for viewing and this is why there is so much paranormal activity. Perhaps it was, perhaps it was only for the families staying there, it’s not much proof to go on here. It is however not the only legends that have been spread from this house.
In the basement of McInteer Villa there are seven different brick-walled rooms that the mere sight would give goosebumps to those venturing down there. There are rumors of illegal abortions and even darker things happening. There is however no proof that this actually happened. According to the stories, the previous owners refused to go down there.
It’s really not easy to prove what really happened during these years, but we do know of some of the people who stayed here that are said to still haunt it.
In 1929 William T and Naomi Wood lived in the rooming house and had a daughter they named Romona Wood. She was only four years old before she died of unknown causes on September 20th that year. The Wood family moved away to Eugene Oregon, but many believe that the baby cries said to be heard in the house, belong to this little soul.
Goldie in the Rocking Chair
Among the most infamous residents was Goldie, a woman who allegedly passed away in her rocking chair—an item that now moves on its own, as if she still lingers in the space she once called home. The chair is still in the house, with a Raggedy Ann doll sitting in it and a framed obituary of the woman who died at its side.
Her name was actually Isobel Altus, a professional violinist who used to live here after she bought the house in 1952. Or was she actually a violinist? According to some sources she was actually a laundress and a stenographer. Although she did actually teach violin at the Colorado Women’s College for between 1922-1926.
She was said to be quite eccentric according to her neighbors and wanted to restore the house but didn’t manage it because of the expenses. She was said to have worn only black and her neighbors called her a witch because of her eccentricity and house. She also never married and never had any children. She died in 1969 and most likely, some of the wildest haunted rumors of it being a haunted house comes from this period if we are to speculate. An unmarried woman living by herself, wearing all black in a mansion? Of course it must be haunted then!
Story has it that the rocking chair was where she took her life according to some sources. But is it true? She is also said to have died in her sleep in her chair by the fireplace of natural causes. Right before she did die, she sold the house to George Gerardy who actually did end up renovating it. He let her stay in the house until she died on December 21 (15). She was left for 24 hours before she was found by her neighbor Dorothy Bond.
According to those visiting the house, they have seen the rocking chair go back and forth without anyone touching it. She is also said to be the one appearing throughout the house wearing a long black dress.
The Attic and the Shadows Lurking
Both George Gerardy and his wife Thelma Gerardy also died in their home from natural causes according to most sources, but strange tales started to be told about these two as well. It is said from the current owner of the house that Thelma did experience strange things in their home. It was most likely them who said they didn’t want to go down to the basement for example. How did they feel about the attic though?
The sound of footsteps over the floor with no one present is also said to happen in the attic as well. The very room feels heavy with all the spirits lingering there. The atmosphere has been described as uncomfortable, especially from women who report about being touched or even scratched by unseen hands. There is also a shadow figure said to have growled on occasion, and is perhaps connected to this alleged entity.
Who this entity is supposed to be, is unknown, but a shadowy figure is said to be lurking in the shadows. Some are claiming that it is the ghost of George Gerardy, who is said to have hung himself in the attic in 2006. Seems rather unlikely though, as he was 86 years.
The Flickering Lights in the Tower
It is a strange design of the house, and one of the architectural features of the house is the tower. Here, also the people walking past the house from the outside are also said to experience the paranormal things happening from the villa.
Read also: Check out all ghost stories from haunted houses
The light is said to go on and off in a strange and flickering manner, perhaps not so strange if the wiring or light bulb is an old one. But the strange thing here is that the tower of the villa has no electricity whatsoever, so what is the light then?
Now, the thing about the light flickering is perhaps a bit outdated now, as there is in fact electricity there today on the third floor. But what happened before the lights got installed and how long it was however is unknown.
A Paranormal Hotspot for the Brave
Unlike other historic haunted locations, McInteer Villa welcomes visitors looking to explore its ghostly corridors. Stephanie O’Reilly bought the mansion in 2018 and outfitted it to take visitors back in time. She bought it from the children of Charles Gerardy.
She started to fill her new home with old stuff, some of it said to be haunted by spirits brought inside from outside of the house. This is the story behind the creepy marionette doll who is said to be haunted. Certainly a haunted appearance, this marionette doll dates back to the 1800s, and has real human hair coming out from his head.
The house regularly hosts public events, including overnight stays, guided ghost hunts, and themed holiday gatherings and throughout the year most weekends are fully booked up. O’Reilly invites paranormal researchers into her home to investigate, keeps the cameras running in some of the more active rooms as well as placing toys reacting to movements around the house to catch some ghosts.
This is from where most of the rumors of the haunting comes from, and there are countless blogs and forum comments talking about their stay at the villa and how their investigation went. How the doors kept opening, strange things they captured in their photos, that time a speaker was allegedly thrown off the counter by a mysterious force as well as being able to move around boxes without anyone touching it.
The most unnerving occurrences include dramatic temperature shifts. It is said that a news crew visited the mansion once, and the temperature shifted over 40 degrees without an explanation. Unexplained noises, and shadowy figures glimpsed in the villa’s windows are also seen, only to vanish upon closer inspection.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, the stories surrounding McInteer Villa are hard to ignore and the experience of staying at a haunted mansion hard to pass up for a lot of people. Is it the spirits of past residents refusing to leave? Or is the house itself a conduit for something far more mysterious?
The cemeteries on Mackinac Island are said to be haunted, some more than others. After her children died from illness, a grieving mother is said to be haunting the Post Cemetery on the island.
In the glistening waters of Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a serene retreat known for its picturesque beauty, historic charm, and an eerie reputation for the supernatural. In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living.
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With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it.
Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery: Located a half mile north of Fort Mackinac, near Skull Cave, a burial site for American Indians. The earliest interments in the post cemetery likely date to the mid-1820’s and is considered haunted. The military occupation of Fort Mackinac throughout the 18th century suggests there was an earlier post cemetery, yet the location of pre-1820’s burials remains elusive.//Source
A Brief History of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.
The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is.
The Haunted Post Cemetery
Mackinac Island is also home to several cemeteries, each with its own ghostly legends. One of them is the Mackinac Island’s Post Cemetery, the oldest cemetery on the island. It was built in the early 1800s to house both British and American soldiers who were killed in the War of 1812. After this, civilians and veterans of the American Civil War were also buried here. The cemetery’s history is closely knit together with the reportedly haunted Fort Mackinac.
Many have been buried here, not many are named. The wooden crosses marked with their name have long since decayed and only 39 of the 108 souls under the ground are identified with headstones. A lot of mystery lingers over the cemetery as a lot of its history is forgotten because of how bad they were at keeping records at the fort.
The Graves: The story told about the Post Cemetery is that a grieving mother can be seen mourning over the graves. Here, the grave of Isabel Cowles and her brother, thought to be the graves the ghost mother is visiting. //Source
Visitors have reported seeing ghostly apparitions among the gravestones and hearing the faint sound of weeping, believed to be the spirits of those who met tragic ends during the island’s tumultuous history. One such story tells of the ghost of a weeping mother. She is seen over the 19th century graves of her two young children.
The Cowles Siblings Haunting Fort Mackinac
There were a lot of children staying at the fort who died, including Josiah and Isabel Cowles who died in infancy. Could these be the children behind the haunting happening at the Stone Quarter? Could the ghost of their mother be the one said to haunt the Post Cemetery?
Mary Ella Cowles who buried her children at the Post Cemetery. Could she be the one said to haunt it?
The family had moved from post to post the last ten years and came to Fort Mackinac in 1884, a booming tourist town. Mary Ella Hitchcock was born in 1855 in Rochester New York and married Calvin Duvall Cowles six months after they met. They had children and were known to be caring and loving parents, the opposite Victorian stereotype of a strict and not very affectionate upbringing model.
The move to the island was supposed to be a fresh start, but shortly after they arrived, Josiah died, only five months old. They moved away for a while, but came back with their daughter, Isabel, born in New York. Just before her first birthday, she died as well on the island in 1887.
Their mother never recovered and deeply mourned their passing. Although she spent the rest of her life traveling from post to post, taking care of her family, she never forgot or got over the children she lost on the island and buried next to each other.
She died in 1906 after watching both the Spanish-American war and the Philippine-American wars from the posts. She was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
It is also said she is haunting the fort, often seen in the Officer Hills Apartment Quarters, standing helpless and watching her babies die of a sickness she no one could cure.
Thirteen other children died at the fort over the years and were all buried at the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery, and if the haunting is real, there could be plenty of mothers coming to mourn for their little ones for all eternity.
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