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Ghostly Soldiers at Fort Holmes on Mackinac Island

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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.

Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Mackinac Island

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.

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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. 

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References:

Fort Holmes – Wikipedia 

Fort Holmes – Mackinac Island 

Haunted Ghost Tour – Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

5 Ghost Stories From MI’s Mackinac Island

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Fort Mackinac and the Ghosts of War

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Built to hold the British away, Fort Mackinac has seen its fair share of death, both in war times and times of peace. Soldiers dying in wars, children taken by diseases are only some of the many ghosts said to haunt the old fort on Mackinac Island. 

In the pristine waters of Lake Huron, situated between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island stands as a tranquil retreat renowned for its striking beauty, rich history, and a notable reputation for paranormal occurrences.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. 

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.

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.

Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Mackinac Island

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 Mackinac and the Echoes of War

Fort Mackinac, perched atop a bluff overlooking the island, is not just a historical site from the Revolutionary War era, but also one of its most haunted. As most haunted places in America, they believe the fort was built on top of a native burial ground.

The military fort dates back to 1779 founded by Patrick Sinclair, a British commander. Three years after its construction it was supposed to be handed over to the Americans, but Captain Robinson refused to. It was in the end handed over in 1796, but the fight of the fort was not over yet. 

Read More: check out all ghost stories from haunted forts

During the war in 1812 it was known as Fort Michilimackinac and the British returned. They came back for the fort with the help of the natives and Canadians. It was a surprise attack with cannons, and the sixty American soldiers stationed at the fort were easily defeated. 13 died during the attack and 51 injured. 

In 1814 however, it was given back to the Americans via a treaty, remaining with them without any more fights before being decommissioned in 1895. 

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

Soldiers and civilians alike have reported unexplained phenomena, including disembodied footsteps, sudden cold spots, and the spectral figures of soldiers in 18th-century uniforms. There are mysterious orbs showing up in tourists’ holiday pictures. And it seems like the haunting is not only confined to one of the 14 historic buildings of the fort. 

At War: Today the Fort Mackinac is used as a museum and reenactments of the battles it used to be a part of and has shaped the many ghost stories around the island. //Source: Wikimedia

The Hospital Haunting

There used to be a hospital now operating as an exhibit within the fort, showing how it was done back in the 19th century. A doctor known as the father of gastric physiology worked here and studied in detail the digestive system after a fur trader shot a hole in his stomach and survived. Dating back to 1828, it’s the oldest hospital building in Michigan. As many who died in battle, even more died from diseases like typhoid fever outbreaks and other illnesses.

In the hospital, many visitors have felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness overcome them, thinking it has to have a paranormal source. It is also said that the sound of crying babies can be heard. Furniture is mysteriously moving around and the motion detectors in place keep going off, even when no one is there. 

There is also the mysterious case of the people claiming to have seen floating phantom limbs in the air and them showing up in pictures. 

The Children Haunting the fort

The Fort Mackinac was not only a military outpost, but also served as a home for those stationed there. At the Officer’s Stone Quarters the families of those deployed at the fort lived, including the children. It is now a tea room, and has toys for children that seem to constantly be played with after hours.

This building is said to be Michigan’s oldest building from 1780, and no wonder that ghost stories have formed inside. It’s said that a group of ghost children is playing around, leaving toys for people to find on the floor in the morning. It is believed that the children used to have a father stationed there, but do we know their names?

The Cowles Siblings Haunting the fort

Mary Ella Cowles

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? 

The family had moved from post to post the last ten years and came to Fort Mackinac in 1884, a booming tourist town. It was supposed to be a fresh start, but shortly after they arrived, Josiah died. 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. The two children were buried next to each other in the Post Cemetery.

Their mother, Mary Ella Cowles never recovered and deeply mourned their passing. 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. She is also said to be haunting their graves at the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery. 

The Fort After Hours

Thirteen other children died at the fort over the years and were all buried at the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery, so there is not really known which one of them who is thought to be playing at the fort during the night. 

As the sun sets on Mackinac Island, casting long shadows over its historic buildings, the past continues to linger in the cool evening air. The tales of Fort Mackinac and its spectral inhabitants serve as a reminder of the island’s rich, albeit haunting, history.

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References:

Fort Mackinac – Haunted Houses

Fort Mackinac

Fort Mackinac – Wikipedia

Haunted Ghost Tour – Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau 

I Was a Ghost-Tour Guide on Mackinac Island

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Ghostly Whispers in the Dry Tortugas Fort Jefferson

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The old prison, Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park is thought to be haunted by someone who was imprisoned there. Most fingers point to Dr. Samuel Mudd, imprisoned as a co-conspirator of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. 

In the turquoise expanse of the Gulf of Mexico, where the sun-drenched waters meet the vast sky, lies a cluster of islands known as the Dry Tortugas named after the turtles by the first European who caught turtles there when he discovered it in 1513. Dry Tortugas National Park, located about 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. The park, accessible only by boat or seaplane, comprises seven small islands and the surrounding coral reefs and waters. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

While these pristine isles may boast stunning coral reefs and sun-soaked beaches, they harbor secrets that transcend the beauty of their natural surroundings. Pirates used to loom on these shores, around the island, remains of the many shipwrecks of those crossing the dangerous waters, giving the park a haunted rumor as well as for its beauty. Among the haunted stories, Fort Jefferson stands as a silent sentinel, bearing witness to a tumultuous past that echoes through the ages.

Dry Tortugas Islands: The small island is made into a national park with its old fort and prison surrounding it. It is said to be haunted by ghosts of prisoners who stayed there.

The Haunted Fort Jefferson

Its centerpiece of the Dry Tortugas is the rust red Fort Jefferson, a massive but unfinished coastal fortress constructed in 1825. Fort Jefferson was envisioned as a bastion of strength, a deterrent against the looming threat of Caribbean piracy that plagued the waters. It remained as a prison until it was abandoned in 1874.

As part of the larger Key West forts and coral reef complex, Fort Jefferson earned its place as a National Park due to its historical significance and the stories etched into its weathered walls.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Prisons

However, the ghosts that linger within Fort Jefferson’s confines are not confined to the realm of swashbuckling corsairs. Whispers of spectral apparitions traverse the corridors, evoking the haunting tales of prisoners who succumbed to the ravages of yellow fever during their incarceration. The wailing spirits of those who met a grim fate within the fortress are said to linger, their ethereal presence manifesting in chilling whispers and fleeting shadows.

Although there are not many details around the supposed haunting other than myths and hearsay, there is one person that is talked about most when discussing who could be haunting the fort. 

Fort Jefferson: The island of Dry Tortugas holds the old prison and fort, Fort Jefferson, thought to be haunted.

The Ghost of Dr. Samuel Mudd

But who is haunting the fort to this day. Among the spectral denizens of Fort Jefferson, one figure stands out—Dr. Samuel Mudd. While not a pirate by any means, Mudd was ensnared in the web of conspiracy surrounding the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and he was the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth after he was hurt during the assassination. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories on Haunted Islands

A co-conspirator of the infamous John Wilkes Booth, Mudd found himself imprisoned within the walls of Fort Jefferson with three others said to be co-conspirators. Although what his part in the plat was, if any, is very unclear. It was here, on these remote islands, he was set to serve his time before he was pardoned after he averted a viral outbreak of yellow fever in 1869 and took over the duties of the prison doctor who succumbed to it. 

Dr. Samuel Mudd: One of the prisoners thought to be haunting the prison is Dr. Samuel Mudd who was sent to prison after being believed to be involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Legend has it that the ghost of Samuel Mudd roams the halls and ramparts of Fort Jefferson, a specter bound to the place of his confinement. Although he was pardoned and released from prison, his conviction was never overturned, even though he and his family tried many times. To this day, the conviction remains a controversy. 

He died in Maryland of pneumonia, and was buried on firm ground, far from the island where he was imprisoned. Still, the legend about him haunting the fort remains. Whether it be a manifestation of remorse or a yearning for justice, the ethereal presence of Mudd adds another layer to the ghostly tapestry woven into the fort’s history.

As the sun sets over the Dry Tortugas and shadows dance upon the timeworn stones of Fort Jefferson, the ghosts of the past come alive, revealing tales of intrigue, tragedy, and the enduring echoes of history. Could someone, or something be haunting the place?

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References:

Samuel Mudd – Wikipedia 

Dry Tortugas National Park – Wikipedia