All year round, the residents of the House in Ludington, seem to be plagued by the ghost waking them up from their sleep and watching them from the rocking chair. Around Christmas time, the ghost is said to be the one placing the Christmas Angel on the Christmas Tree.
In the seemingly quiet and picturesque town of Ludington, Michigan, lies a house shrouded in mystery and ghostly legends. While its exact address is kept secret to protect the privacy of its current residents, this haunted house has been the subject of local lore since the early 1980s. Over the years, tales of eerie occurrences and supernatural events have transformed this unassuming home into a focal point of spine-chilling fascination.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
Ludington, named after James Ludington after developing the logging operations in the village, is a a small town of the Great Lakes at Lake Michigan with pristine beaches, historic lighthouses an forests were people have come for fishing since Colonial times. There are many locations for a ghost story, but there is one house said to have experienced a haunting around Christmas.
Ludington Michigan: Spray towers over the 57-foot-tall Ludington Lighthouse in Michigan as a storm packing winds of up to 81 mph howled across the Midwest and South on Tuesday, Oct. 26. // Source: Jeff Kiessel, Ludington Daily News. Flickr
The Phantom Footsteps
The most persistent and unnerving phenomenon reported by the house’s owners is the sound of creaking stairs. Every morning at precisely 5:15, the unmistakable noise of footsteps ascending the staircase echoes through the silent halls. Despite thorough investigations and countless sleepless nights by the residents, no physical presence has ever been found. This daily occurrence has become a ghostly alarm clock, signaling the presence of an unseen visitor.
Does it still happen? We have not heard otherwise, although, because of the privacy of the residents, there is not much details and facts to go on and the story as found is from the book: Haunted Christmas: Yuletide Ghosts and Other Spooky Holiday Happenings By Mary Beth Crain from 2009
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Another chilling aspect of this haunted house is the sensation of being watched. The owners often report feeling an intense gaze emanating from the corner of the living room, where antique rocking chairs sit. These chairs have been known to rock gently on their own, as if someone or something is quietly observing from a bygone era. The eerie creaking of the chairs as they move by themselves adds to the house’s unsettling atmosphere.
The Christmas Haunting
One of the most intriguing and seasonal phenomena in the haunted house of Ludington occurs every Christmas, a time for quiet and joy for others, but a haunting experience for the residence. The owners meticulously decorate their tree, placing the angel at the top as the final touch as in most houses in America. However, each year, without fail, the angel is mysteriously repositioned. No one has ever seen it happen, but each morning, the angel sits perfectly atop the tree, as if placed by an invisible hand, before the residents themselves get a chance to put it on top.
Local gossip and old neighborhood tales provide a clue to this particular haunting. Decades ago, a kindly neighbor had made it a tradition to climb a ladder and place the angel on the Christmas tree for the owners of the house. Why? As an acto of kindness? As a prank?
This annual act continued until the neighbor’s death. Strangely enough, it was after his passing that the angel began to appear on the tree by itself, leading many to believe that his spirit continues the tradition from beyond the grave.
The Christmas Angel: Put on the top of the tree, the Christmas Angel seems to be haunted as it seems to get there by itself. Could it be the ghost of a past resident or perhaps a neighbor putting it there as a ghost?
A Brief History of Christmas Trees
The tradition of decorating Christmas trees dates back to the 16th century in Germany, where devout Christians would bring decorated trees into their homes. This came from an even older pre-christian tradition in Europe of the Yuletide and midwinter celebration for the pagans.
The custom spread across Europe and eventually to America, where it became an integral part of the holiday season. The act of placing an angel or star atop the tree symbolizes the Archangel Gabriel or the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the wise men to the birthplace of Jesus. In the haunted house of Ludington, this tradition has taken on a supernatural twist, blending holiday cheer with eerie mystery.
The Haunting of House of Ludington
The haunted house of Ludington, with its spectral footsteps, self-rocking chairs, and mysteriously moving furniture, offers a captivating glimpse into the supernatural. The annual Christmas haunting, where an unseen hand places the angel atop the tree, adds a poignant and ghostly touch to the festive season. Whether it’s the spirit of a benevolent neighbor or a lingering echo of the past, the ghostly presence in this house ensures that Christmas in Ludington is a season of both wonder and spine-tingling mystery.
Mackinac Island is often listed as one of the most haunted islands in America, if not the most haunted city overall. Here is a list of some of the more famous ghost stories from the vacation 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.
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.
Fort Mackinac and the Ghosts of War
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
Perched on a bluff overlooking Mackinac Island, Fort Mackinac is steeped in Revolutionary War-era history and is considered one of Michigan’s most haunted sites. Though it was decommissioned in 1895, its ghostly reputation lingers. Visitors report disembodied footsteps, spectral soldiers in 18th-century uniforms, and mysterious orbs appearing in photos. The fort’s old hospital, dating to 1828, is infamous for eerie phenomena, including motion detectors triggering inexplicably, phantom cries of infants, and floating limbs appearing in photos. The Officer’s Stone Quarters, Michigan’s oldest building, is said to be haunted by playful ghost children. After dark, the fort echoes with ghostly cannon fire, marching soldiers, and children’s cries, blending history with the supernatural in an unsettling harmony.
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
Perched on Mackinac Island’s highest point, Fort Holmes, originally Fort George, was built by the British during the War of 1812 and renamed after an American major killed in battle. Though it never functioned as a standalone fort, it served as a defensive outpost for Fort Mackinac. The site, reconstructed in 2015, now draws tourists for its scenic views and ghostly tales. Visitors report sightings of three Colonial-era soldiers who vanish when noticed, and the fort is believed to be haunted by both Native Ojibwe spirits and European soldiers, as it may have been built over native burial grounds.
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
Mackinac Island’s cemeteries, particularly the Post Cemetery, are shrouded in ghostly legends and mystery. Established in the early 1800s, it holds the remains of British and American soldiers from the War of 1812, as well as Civil War veterans and civilians. Of the 108 graves, only 39 are identified, with the rest lost to time due to poor record-keeping. Visitors report ghostly apparitions, faint weeping, and the lingering presence of a grieving mother believed to mourn her two children. This ties to the tragic story of Josiah and Isabel Cowles, siblings who died in infancy during their family’s time at Fort Mackinac. Their mother, Mary Ella Cowles, deeply mourned their loss and is said to haunt both the fort and the cemetery, helplessly watching over her children’s graves. With 13 children buried here, the Post Cemetery remains a poignant and haunted reminder of Mackinac Island’s tumultuous past.
Ghost Haunting the 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
On February 1, 1830, Mackinac Island witnessed its only public hanging when Private James Brown was executed on Rifle Range Trail for the murder of Corporal Hugh Flinn. The crime occurred in December 1828 when Brown’s rifle discharged, killing Flinn during an argument in the Soldier’s Barracks. While Brown confessed the shot came from his musket, he insisted it was an accident. Despite pleas for clemency from Governor Lewis Cass to President Andrew Jackson, Brown was found guilty and hanged. His ghost is said to haunt the Rifle Range Trail, pleading his innocence to those who encounter him. Visitors report hearing footsteps, feeling watched, and even hearing a ghostly fife playing military tunes near Fort Mackinac, adding to the island’s eerie legacy of military hauntings.
The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, built in 1887, is celebrated for its grandeur and haunted reputation. Constructed over land believed to house unmarked graves—possibly from native tribes, European soldiers, or early settlers—the hotel’s foundation may have disturbed the dead, sparking tales of restless spirits. Among its ghostly legends is the “Lady in Black,” a Victorian-era guest who never left, seen wandering the halls and porch, sometimes with a spectral dog. Guests and staff also report sightings of a cigar-smoking man in a top hat near the bar and a child ghost named Little Rebecca on the fourth floor. The most unsettling figure is a sinister black mass with glowing red eyes, said to have attacked a maintenance worker. Coupled with tales of mysterious furniture movements and eerie encounters, the Grand Hotel remains one of Mackinac Island’s most luxurious yet haunted destinations.
The ghost of Lucy, a 12-year-old girl in a light sundress with curly hair, is a well-known spirit on Mackinac Island. She roams freely, appearing at places like Pine Cottage B&B, where she peeks from windows, and the staircase at Crow’s Nest Trail near Anne’s Tablet. Legend says Lucy died of illness while her family was away, and now she wanders, calling for her parents. Pine Cottage itself is a hotspot for hauntings, also hosting spirits known as the Man, the Woman—believed to be a murdered guest—and a mysterious creature. Lucy’s origins remain unclear, as no records match her story.
The Ghost of the Heartbroken Student Haunting Mission Point Resort
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
Mission Point Resort, located on Mackinac Island’s southeast side, is as famous for its scenic sunrise views as for its haunted past. Once part of a religious community led by the controversial Moral Re-Armament group in the 1940s and later home to Mackinac College (1966–1970), the site carries a storied history. The resort’s most infamous spirit is Harvey, a college student who allegedly committed suicide in 1967 after a heartbreak, though rumors suggest foul play due to inconsistencies in his death. Harvey’s ghost is said to haunt the resort, particularly its theater, where he reportedly flirts with women, pranks men, and creates eerie sensations like cold drafts and whispers. Visitors have also reported shadowy figures, phantom lights, and mysterious voices in the surrounding woods.
The Native and Metis Children Haunting the Mission House
Mission House: In 1825, this mission house was built at the site by a building crew led by Martin Heydenburk, a fellow missionary who was a teacher and carpenter. Today the Mission House is believed to be haunted by the indigenous children who were sent to school here. //Source: Wikimedia
The Mission House on Mackinac Island, now housing state park employees, has a long and complex history tied to tragedy and haunting. Built in 1825 by missionaries William and Amanda Ferry, it originally served as a boarding school for Native American and Métis children, aiming to assimilate them into European culture under the controversial motto “Kill the Indian, save the man.” While some records suggest the school treated students more leniently than similar institutions, stories of harsh discipline and alleged abuse persist, particularly from accounts by figures like Jane Schoolcraft. At least 16 children reportedly died from illnesses like tuberculosis while quarantined in the cellar, and their spirits are said to haunt the house. Ghostly activity includes the sounds of children laughing, footsteps, and objects moving during the night, particularly on the first and second floors. The building’s troubled past, including the lack of formal investigations into its history, adds to its eerie reputation.
The Drowning Pool: Said to be haunted by witches, what is the truth beneath the tales of the haunted lagoon?
The Drowning Pool on Mackinac Island, a small lagoon near Mission Point, is shrouded in eerie legends, though its true history is murky. Local lore claims it was used by Native Americans for rituals and tells of a young Native girl who died there, still searching for her lost love. The most infamous tale involves seven women accused of witchcraft in the 1700s or early 1800s, allegedly tied to rocks and drowned during a trial by water. However, historians question the story’s validity, noting the decline of witch trials by then and the lack of evidence of brothels or even the pool’s existence at that time—it may have been created in the late 20th century during island development. Despite doubts, stories persist of pale faces, ghostly lights, and chilling sensations near the water, adding to its reputation as a haunted site.
Madelaine LaFramboise Haunting the Harbour View Inn and Saint Anne’s Church
Born Marguerite-Magdelaine Marcot: The youngest child of a French fur trader and his Odawa wife, Marie Nekesh. Her maternal grandfather was Chief Kewinoquot of the Odawa.
The Harbour View Inn, formerly Chateau LaFramboise, was the home of Madeleine LaFramboise, a successful fur trader of French and Odawa descent. After retiring in 1822, she built the mansion on Mackinac Island and contributed significantly to the Catholic Church, founding a school for Native children and donating land for Sainte Anne Church, where she was later buried. Her grave was disturbed in the mid-20th century during church renovations, sparking rumors of a curse and hauntings. Guests at the inn report feeling watched, while churchgoers claim to see her spirit, encounter flickering lights, and witness a blue mist near her original burial site. To appease her, the church installed statues in her honor, hoping to bring her spirit peace.
Arch Rock and the Mysterious Portal to the Afterlife
The Arch Rock on Mackinac Island is steeped in legends. One story tells of the Ottawa nation’s shameful act, punished by the Master of Life, who sent a powerful wind to carve an arch in the rock. The Anishinaabe people believed the rock was a portal to the afterlife, where both spirits could enter and return. A famous Ojibwe legend speaks of She-Who-Walks-Like-the-Mist, a beautiful woman who rejected all suitors but was eventually carried to the sky by her Sky Person lover after mourning by the arch. The rock has long been considered a holy place by Native tribes and later attracted Freemasons who built lodges in the area. The island is believed by some to be haunted, with spirits lingering at the arch, a place once sacred to the Great Spirit, Gitche Manitou.
The Inn at Stonecliffe, built in 1904 by industrialist Michael Cudahy, is a luxury hotel on Mackinac Island known for its serene atmosphere, making it a popular wedding venue. Though details about its haunting are sparse, guests have reported paranormal encounters, including sightings of a ghostly servant and a little girl playing in the halls. A tragic legend involves a woman who was left heartbroken after her fiancé, a British soldier, died before their wedding and is said to haunt the venue. Additionally, the unsolved murder of Frances Lacey, a wealthy widow found strangled on the property in 1960, is linked to the inn’s haunting, with her ghost reportedly appearing near the location where her body was found, as well as at the hotel where she was staying before her disappearance.
Bogan Lane Inn and the Piano Playing Ghost Wanting to go Home
Bogan Lane Inn: Said to be one of the many haunted places to book a room at Mackinac Island, it is supposedly haunted by a little girl.
The Bogan Lane Inn, built in the mid-1850s as a private residence on Mackinac Island, has long been rumored to be haunted, particularly by the ghost of a little girl. Originally part of the fishing industry boom, the house was vacant for 40 years before being transformed into a hotel in 1957. Guests and staff report strange occurrences, including sightings of the girl with dark hair playing the piano and saying she wants to go home. Other paranormal experiences include flickering lights, televisions turning on and off, rattling doorknobs, and unexplained voices. While the ghost’s identity remains a mystery, the inn, like many old buildings on Mackinac Island, is believed to be haunted by its long history.
Skull Cave: Mackinac Island has a long history of being a sacred place for the natives and a burial ground for their chiefs. One of those places were the Skull Cave on the island. It is said that the bones buried there were removed and their spirits are now haunting the place.
The Skull Cave on Mackinac Island, named for the human remains discovered inside, has a dark history tied to the Pontiac’s War of 1763. English fur trader Alexander Henry, seeking shelter during the conflict, woke up in the cave to find himself surrounded by a heap of human bones and skulls. The cave, a long-used burial and spiritual site for Native Americans, is believed to have been disturbed when the remains were removed, angering the spirits. Visitors to the cave report eerie experiences, including shadowy figures, sudden temperature drops, and an unsettling feeling. The cave is now closed off to protect it as a sacred site.
On the summer vacation Mackinac Island, there are plenty of dark and haunted stories. At the Inn at Stonecliffe, there are rumors that the ghost of a little girl just wants to go home.
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, 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 Ghost Haunting The Inn at Stonecliffe
The Inn at Stonecliffe is an old establishment two miles from the downtown. It was built in 1904 by an industrialist named Michael Cudahy and is considered a luxury hotel. The hotel is both the central Mansion as well as the Summer House. Placed high on a bluff near the airport on the west side of the island it is a popular wedding destination, and retreat for those wanting something calm and away from the bustling city life.
Not much is known about the haunting at the Inn at Stonecliffe itself and the sources are few, except from all the confused and sometimes scared customers leaving reviews about seeing something that could have been paranormal.
One of the stories that have reached online is the alleged haunting of the ghost servant, still toiling away at the hotel and a little girl heard playing in the halls.
The Woman Haunting Brides at Inn at Stonecliffe
There also is a legend of a woman who was engaged to be married to a British soldier. When this was, if it was before the building that is now the Inn at Stonecliffe was built when the British had control over the fort, or after the building was built is unknown.
In any case it was said that he died before the wedding and she was inconsolable. Whatever happened to her after, the story doesn’t speak much of, but she returned to this popular wedding venue to haunt it after she died. She is said to wreak havoc on some of the wedding ceremonies performed at the Inn at Stonecliffe.
The Ghost of Frances Lacey of Dearborn and her Unsolved Murder
Another story tied to the property rather than the building itself is the unsolved murder said to haunt the island.
On a Sunday, July 24 in 1960, Frances Lacey of Dearborn, a rich widow went missing. She was staying at The Murray Hotel. Five days later, she was found murdered.
Her body was found on the Stone Cliff property, then owned by the Moral Re-Armament Organization who owned most of Mission Point. So not exactly connected to the Inn at Stonecliffe, but at the property. The organization owning the property at the time is probably also why her story often comes up with tales of Mission Point Resort. Although this particular resort is closer to Murray Hotel, it is from the other side of the island from where she was found.
It was said her body was found in the bushes close to what was called Devil’s Kitchen. That is a small cave on the island with local stories claiming that the Native Americans considered the cave to be a spiritual location inhabited by bad spirits. Allegedly, the spirits were cannibals who would capture and eat victims who ventured too close to the ill-omen location. How true this legend is though is unsure, or if it was something made up in the later years for tourism.
She had been strangled, but her murder went unsolved. After this, people have talked about experiencing her ghost haunting the premise as well. Both in the area where she was found as well as the hotel she went missing from known as The Murray Hotel.
One of the most successful fur traders in the Northwestern Territory was a Metis woman named Madeline La Framboise. After her grave was disturbed she has been known to haunt Saint Anne’s Church as well as her former home, Harbor View Inn.
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, 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.
Chateau La Framboise: House of Madeline La Framboise on Mackinac Island taken sometime prior to 1900. Her home as well as her church are said to be haunted by her spirit after her grave was disturbed.
The Ghost of Harbour View Inn or Chateau La Framboise
Born Marguerite-Magdelaine Marcot: The youngest child of a French fur trader and his Odawa wife, Marie Nekesh. Her maternal grandfather was Chief Kewinoquot of the Odawa.
The mansion now known as the Harbour View Inn used to belong to the successful business woman, Madeleine La Framboise. Back then it used to be called Chateau La Frambouise. Her husband was murdered and she took over his fur business and expanded, doing well and amassing a fortune, becoming one of the most successful fur traders in the Northwest Territory. Born in 1780, she was of French and Odawa descent, speaking English, French and native languages, giving her an advantage in the trade.
The mansion Madeline La Framboise built on Main Street as a place for her to retire in 1822 from the trade, often nicknamed as The Chateau La Framboise. Her plan was to live a quiet life with her family, sitting on the massive fortune she had amassed. In her time at Mackinac Island she founded a catholic school for native children and was a big supporter for the catholic church on the island.
Madeline La Framboise life of tragedy and death didn’t stop when she came out from the fur business filled with conflict and intrigue. She had a daughter who died in 1820 during childbirth and it hit her very hard. Madeleine herself died in April, 1846. The whole family was buried on Mackinac Island together, under the white marble sepulcher altar of Sainte Anne Church.
This church was a Roman Catholic one. After the War of 1812, the parish was saved by Madeline La Framboise, who worked with a succession of visiting priests to restore the church’s status as a place of worship. Built on the land Madeline La Framboise donated, she was hoping for eternal rest underneath the altar.
The Haunting starts in the Saint Anne’s Church
But Madeline La Framboise eternal rest seemed short lived. During the 50s or 60s, the church wanted to add to the basement and moved the remains of Madeleine, her daughter as well as the daughter’s baby. The reason for it was that they wanted to build a gift shop in the basement. Meanwhile, they were storing them in a yard crypt for a time before returning them in 2013 and giving them a proper burial.
The Haunted Church: St Anne’s Church where Madeline La Framboise were buried
Many believe that this is when the haunting started, as if Madeline La Framboise had cast a curse on the church and a ghostly presence at the old mansion as well within the church. Even the foundation of the church itself started to crumble, leaning to the side. Some say it started even earlier, perhaps as far back as her time of death.
Many people staying at the inn claim to feel a strange presence, like if they are being watched by an unseen entity. Could this be the ghost of Madeline La Framboise?
Madeleine La Framboise Haunting Mackinac Island
Because of her grave being disturbed, they think she is haunting this place as well, and churchgoers claim to have encountered her spirit, even after her body was re-interred in her final resting place. There is also said to be a strange blue mist hovering above the altar where her grave was originally, which individuals have reported seeing during late-night vigils, casting an otherworldly glow that both fascinates and terrifies those who witness it.
Despite the church having upgraded their wiring four times due to the persistent electrical problems believed to have been caused by her restless spirit, the lights continue to flicker sporadically, casting an eerie glow on the ancient stone walls. This unsettling phenomenon has led many to speculate about the lingering presence of the spirit, with some congregants even reporting ghostly whispers during evening services and unexplained cold drafts that sweep through the nave.
To appease her spirit, the church decided to install two statues in the courtyard of Saint Anne’s Church. Perhaps this will soon give her ghost peace.
Used as a burial place for centuries, Skull Cave on Mackinac Island is said to be haunted by the spirits of those who were laid to rest there and disturbed when they removed their bones.
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.
Skull Cave: Mackinac Island has a long history of being a sacred place for the natives and a burial ground for their chiefs. One of those places were the Skull Cave on the island. It is said that the bones buried there were removed and their spirits are now haunting the place.
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. This serene island served as a significant cultural and spiritual hub, where various tribes gathered for trading, ceremonies, and the sharing of traditions. 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, serving as a crucial hub for commerce and cultural exchange between native tribes and European settlers. Over time, the island gained prominence and later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, playing a vital role in the defense strategies of the time. This rich history laid the groundwork for its transformation; by the late 19th century, it evolved into more than just a trading site and military stronghold. It became a charming summer colony and a sought-after tourist destination, attracting visitors with its picturesque landscapes, recreational activities, and rich maritime culture—a character it retains to this day, drawing in new generations eager to explore its storied past.
The Skull Cave and How it got its Name
A place with a horrifying history behind it is the Skull Cave. In 1763 an English fur trader named Alexander Henry was out a bad night and had to take shelter somewhere. It was in the midst of the Pontiac’s War where Native Americans tried to overthrow British rule around the Great Lakes area. Twenty were killed and one scalped alive. Alexander Henry managed to escape to Mackinac Island as he was friends with the Ojibwe warrior Wawatam who brought him.
He found a cave hidden away in the Mackinac Island State Park and slept there, seeking shelter from the chilly night air. When he woke the next morning to the bright light of day, he was greeted by a horrifying sight that made his heart race in terror. The cave floor was filled with human remains, strewn about in a terrifying display that gave it its infamous name. The ghastly scene was accentuated by the eerie silence of the cave, broken only by the distant sound of water dripping from the cave roof. In his diary he wrote:
On awaking, I felt myself incommoded by some object upon which I lay, and, removing it, found it to be a bone. This I supposed to be that of a deer, or some other animal, and what might very naturally be looked for in the place in which I was; but when daylight visited my chamber I discovered, with some feelings of horror, that I was lying on nothing less than a heap of human bones and skulls, which covered the floor!
Skull Cave: To honor the place as a sacred burial ground, the cave is now closed for visitors, and you can’t go inside. Although the bones are said to have been removed, the spirits of those buried there are said to haunt the cave.
The Legends of the Haunted Skull Cave
The cave is one of the island’s oldest geological features. The limestone cave had been used as a burial site as well as other spiritual rites by the natives well into the 1700s when Alexander Henry happened upon it. It has never really been officially confirmed, but is still believed and the local natives in the area had a tradition of burying their dead close to water. .
The cave’s background gave rise to its eerie reputation and stories. The skulls ended up being removed, someone thinking this would have angered the spirits and they are haunting the cave.
Tourists visiting the site claim to have seen shadowy figures and apparitions sneaking along the cave walls, adding an air of mystery and intrigue to the location that draws many adventurous souls. These eerie encounters have fueled local legends and stories, making the cave a hotspot for those intrigued by the supernatural.
There is also said to be sudden drops in temperature and an unexplainable odd feeling when getting closer to the caves, as if the very atmosphere shifts and thickens, leaving an unsettling yet compelling sensation that keeps visitors at a distance, contemplating the hidden secrets that lie within the shadows of the cave.
To preserve the cave and respect it as a sacred burial ground, they have closed it off so you can’t go into the cave, ensuring that its historical and cultural significance is honored and protected from the wear and tear of modern exploration.
In a cozy inn at the charming Mackinac Island in Michigan, a girl is said to haunt the house. Playing the piano at night, messing with the electronics as well as appearing in front of guests, her ghost is begging to go home.
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.
Bogan Lane Inn: Said to be one of the many haunted places to book a room at Mackinac Island, it is supposedly haunted by a little girl.
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 Haunting Inside of Bogan Lane Inn
The inn on the island was built in the mid-1850s as a private residence on Bogan Lane downtown on Mackinac Island, a quaint inviting house with white painted wood and a cozy porch.
The inn was built when the fishing industry developed by many Irish families coming to the US after the Potato Famine was in large parts. It was left vacant for 40 years before being reinvented as a hotel. First in 1957 a new foundation, heating system and bathrooms were installed.
As with many of the old buildings on Mackinac Island, the Bogan Inn has its haunted legends and has been rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of a little girl.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from haunted hotels
The ghost is said to be a little girl with long dark hair, playing the piano and telling people she wants to go home, has also been reported at Bogan Lane inn. No one knows who she is or could be or when the haunting was started. The online postings about it go back to at least 2005.
It is not the only haunted inn in the street either as Pine Cottage Bed & Breakfast across the street has its own ghost stories as well. In this inn, there is a ghost story of a little girl called Lucy said to haunt the whole island. Although similar stories, they are often told separately and Lucy is often described very different, although both are looking for their parents. Check out he Ghost of Lucy of Mackinac Island Looking for her Parents
In addition to seeing the apparition of the little girl, guests and staff also talk about having difficulties with their electronics when staying at the inn. Lights in their room flicker and their television keeps turning on and off by itself. Something paranormal going on or simply old wiring?
There are also those claiming to hear strange voices when no one is there, whispering in the middle of the night, being woken up by something rattling the doorknobs, as if someone is trying to get in.
Who is Behind the Haunting?
When did this haunting start? Who is the ghost of the little girl and where is her home, really? As with most of seasonal open places there is always a reason to make up a ghost story as the summer tourists leaves and the halloween season sets in. But then again, all old houses tend to have their own ghost story, and as the season passes, we all have to acknowledge, Mackinac Island and its white painted houses are starting to get old and haunted.
Many legends are told of the Arch Rock on Mackinac Island and its origin. Thought to be a portal to the afterlife, many people tie the many haunted ghost stories from this little island to the legends behind this mysterious rock formation.
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.
The Arch Rock: A place of legend on Mackinac Island. The Arch Rock are said to have been a portal to the afterlife, where spirits on the other side could come and the living could go.
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 Arch Rock and it’s Legends
Many believe that many hauntings on Mackinac Island come from the stored energy the island holds. Some believe that the energy is stored inside of the many limestone and quartz the state park has. One of these places is the rock formation on the east coast of the Island called Arch Rock.
It is one of the more famous places to visit on the island, arching 140 feet above the water of Lake Huron and is more than fifty feet wide.
It is not only in recent times that people have begun talking about energy coming from the stones. Archaeologists have found evidence for the island being inhabited since AD 900, 700 years before any European settlers put their foot on the land.
The Legends of the Arch Rock
Over the years the rock formation took place in more than one legend. One tells of the Ottawa nation committing a shameful act once upon a time, so shameful that the Master of Life punished them for it. He sent a wind to earth, so powerful, the rocky hills trembled for a whole day, even blowing the sun away. The Ottawa nation could only watch as when the sun turned into the color of blood before falling into the island, carving a hole through it, making an arch. Ever since then, the Ottawa have kept away from the rock and not even the bravest of them all walked over it.
The Anishinaabek natives have long roots to the island and used to believe that the Arch Rock was a portal to the afterlife. According to their belief, it worked both ways. People would be able to cross over into the spirit world, and the spirit could return to the world of the living.
The Anishinaabe people believed the island to be the home of the Gitche Manitou, or the Great Spirit. This was said to be the first land to appear after the Great Flood, and was a gathering place for tribes who made offerings to Gitche Manitou and a burial place of tribal chiefs.
The Legend of She-Who-Walks-Like-The-Mist
One of the famous legends comes from a book by Dirk Gringhus’s, The Lore of the Great Turtle about an Ojibwe Chief and his daughter called, She-who-walks-like-the-mist, or ‘Mist Woman’.
Misty was a beautiful woman, always smiling as she went about her chores, although she rejected every suitor giving her gifts. One day, her smile faded, and she didn’t do her chores as she used to, only sitting down and looking miserable.
The chief wanted her married and angry that she didn’t care to make an effort. He asked her what’s the matter. She answered that she would only marry the Sky Person:
“Two moons ago…..a handsome brave appeared to me…..‘Oh, lovely one,’ he said. ‘Long have I watched you in the village wishing that you might be mine for all time. In my home, high above you, I am the son of a chief, Evening Star, and therefore, a Sky Person…..(I descended) to earth that I might ask you to join me in my sky home.’”
“You should marry no one at all then!” her father said and put her in his canoe and paddled out to the Island of Turtle Spirits we today know as Mackinac Island, already a holy place for the natives.
He took her to the rocky formation and said she had to stay there until she was ready to obey him. She didn’t fight or move, only cried, her tears turning into an arch as she mourned her loved one she didn’t believe would come. One night however, the stars shone so bright it was a ray of light through the arch and the Sky People came down for her. He picked her up and carried her home to live in the sky for all its time.
Ties with Freemasonry
Also when the Europeans arrived, there was a lot of mysticism over the place. The mysterious Freemasonry came to the Great Lakes region in the 1700s and built lodges around the area. Mackinac Island was home to St. John’s Lodge No. 15 (1782–1813), holding meetings at the newly constructed Fort Mackinac in the rooms in the Officers Stone Quarters.
What really happened when they arrived is unknown as there are few records of the lodge in existence. Was it only a boys and mens club for the military people stationed there? Or something else? The second Masonic Lodge was Mackinac Lodge No. 71, operating as a so-called moon lodge, with meetings on Monday evenings on or proceeding full moons until the 1860s.
The Haunting of Mackinac Island
For those believing in the paranormal, the Arch Rock is often said to be one of the sources of whatever strange things happening on the island. Truth is, going back to before the Europeans settled here, the whole island was considered somewhat holy to the local tribes.
This is were they came to make offerings to Gitche Manitou or the Great Spirit they believed created the island and whose home it was after the Great Flood receded. Today the island is considered to be the home of more spirits than living.
At the height of the witch hunts, seven Mackinac Island women were taken to trial for witchcraft. During the trial by water, all of them drowned and are now haunting the water that took their life. But how much of this elaborate ghost story is really true? And what lurks in the Drowning Pool said to be haunted by them?
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.
The Drowning Pool: Said to be haunted by witches, what is the truth beneath the tales of the haunted lagoon?
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 Drowning Pool
One of the most macabre stories comes from the island’s Drowning Pool, a small, seemingly innocuous body of water near the shore between Mission Point and downtown Mackinac with an ominous sounding name. Stories keep coming back about this water, told among people before finally reaching online, sometimes going viral on storytimes.
There is plenty of lore around this little lagoon. Natives were known to have used this place for rites and rituals in the 18th century, a young native girl died there after her love for a British soldier went unrequited. According to legend she is still lingering by the pool, looking for her long lost love. Perhaps most telling is the legend that during the 1700s or early 1800s, seven women accused of witchcraft were drowned here.
A lot of these legends would be hard to prove, but surely a huge witch trial like this would have been talked about more. Just how much of the legends are true, and is this little pool of water really haunted?
The Legend of the Seven Witches in the Drowning Pool
Back then, Fort Mackinac was a huge deal and there were a lot of brothels popping up around them. Seven of these women were said to entice the soldiers at the fort, the fur traders, as well as other’s husbands and luring them back to their house.
One of the big tests they used on accused witches back then was the trial by water, or witch swimming test. They tied them up and threw them into the water to see if they floated or not. According to the saying, the water would repel any witches and make them float, as an direct intervention of God to show they were guilty. There are also those tying the connection water has with Jesus and his baptism and rejecting the witches from the water. If the accused sank, they were innocent. In both cases it could be a sure way to die.
Indicium Aquae:Although not as often used as popular media will have you to believe, there were actual cases were the Trial by Water or indicium aquae’, was used to find witches. James I of England, stated in his writing in the Daemonologie (1597) “that God hath appointed … that the water shall refuse to receive them in her bosome, that have shaken off them the sacred Water of Baptisme, and wilfully refused the benefite thereof.” Here from: The ‘swimming’ of Mary Sutton (1615). The last time a suspected wizard being ‘swum’ by a mob, was in The Headingham witchcraft Case on March 15th 1864,
In this story, all women got rocks tied around their ankles and thrown into the lagoon. All seven women sank and drowned, proving their innocence, but taking their life.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories about witches
Ever since then, the Drowning Pool has been cursed by the lingering souls of the witches. Some say that they see their pale faces in the water under moonlight, or strange lights dancing over the water surface. In addition to the haunting of the Drowning Pool itself, the apparition and chilling feeling is also said to happen along or nearby Dennis O. Cawthorne Shoreline Trail.
What is the Truth Behind the Witch Trials?
But what is really true? The witch hunt was already pretty much over by the 1700s and such a big case like this would probably have garnered more sources than an abridged and vague story copy and pasted around the internet.
In regards to the brothel side to the story, there is not much evidence or documentation that there ever existed brothels on Mackinac Island, at least any official ones. Was there prostitution? Almost certainly. Were there seven women luring men back to their home for witchcraft? More unlikely.
But could the brothel mention just have been added as an afterthought to spruce the story up, or perhaps even the allegations? After all, not every retelling has this part with it.
Was the pond even there back then? In fact, some say the pool of water didn’t’ exist then, but is of a more modern origin. Formed in the 90s and perhaps even the 2000 when the people behind tourism and development on the island have molded the land into their liking. Like knocking down several buildings to make a golf course and bistros to cater to the tourist. This created deep ponds formed from the resort areas to the rocky shoreline of Lake Huron.
The Haunting of the Drowning Pool
Although there were no witches drowned there, could it be something else? What really is behind the stories of the sightings of the spirits lurking just below the surface of the Drowning Pool, only leaving us with the splashing sound of the deep murky water.
Sent away from their parents and culture, native american and métis children were taught how to be a christian american at the Mission House on Mackinac Island. What happened there? And where do the ghost stories come from?
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 House: In 1825, this mission house was built at the site by a building crew led by Martin Heydenburk, a fellow missionary who was a teacher and carpenter. Today the Mission House is believed to be haunted by the indigenous children who were sent to school here. //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 Haunting of the Mission House
Today the Mission House is housing the Mackinac Island State Park employees. It was also used as a hotel from 1847 until the great depression. Then, it used to belong to The Moral Re-Alignment movement, a religious group in the early 1940s up until the 1950s. Some would perhaps call it a cult even, as they were trying to mold the morality of the world to their own liking.
They built several buildings around Mission Point, a theater, library and even a private liberal arts college had a short lived stint. The college building, now where the Mission Point Resort is, with one of the island’s most famous ghost stories. So is the theater which is the building right next to the Mission House as well.
But the Mission House has a much longer story than that. Before any European set foot on the island, Mackinac Island was considered a holy place for the local natives where the Great Spirit resided. Ever since the French Jesuit missionaries came here in the 1600s, it was much used by missionaries.
The Mission House was built in 1825 by the Christian missionaries William and Amanda Ferry. William and Amanda Ferry and their associates came to Mackinac Island to transform the spiritual and temporal lives of people and especially the “heathen”. They believed that the Holy Spirit had called them to God’s service, and that God had directed them to Mackinac.
The Mission House was originally a boarding school for over 150 native American and Metis children per year. Here they were to learn English, crafts, liberal arts, about Christianity and other standards and ways of life based on New England and the American east coast way of life. The European one that is.
The background for these types of boarding schools was to assimilate the children into European society and culture, stripping them for their Indigenous identity and making them “good little christians.” A popular motto for these types of schools was “Kill the Indian, save the man.”
Native American Boarding Schools: Between 1869 and the 1960s, hundreds of thousands of Native American children were removed from their homes and families and placed in boarding schools operated by the federal government and the churches. By 1900 there were 20,000 children in Indian boarding schools, and by 1925 that number had more than tripled. Here a picture from Carlisle Indian Industrial School, Pennsylvania, c. 1900.
How was this type of school? Many of these types of schools for native children were awful, was this any different? According to some historians, it was an early version of this and the parents of the native children sent them there willingly and that they all lived together peacefully and in a friendly companionship. These type of schools often prohibited speaking their native tongue, but according to records Mission House translated the material into their language and trained them to be interpreters for
At least 16 deaths were counted of the children according to a guide who used to live in the Mission House. They were said to die mostly due to illnesses like tuberculosis and typhoid. Although reports done on these types of schools claim there were no deceased students at Mackinac Mission School. The school operated after their own accounts, successfully for a decade. But the deportation of the tribes west of the Mississippi River in the 1830s, made it difficult for them to recruit more students.
The official reason for William Ferry’s resignation in 1834 and them moving away was a nervous breakdown. But was this true? A reverend called Peter Doughtery investigated and spoke to a woman called Jane Schoolcraft about his treatment of the students. He had this to say about school:
These schools have never really had a formal investigation by the federal government until 2022. It concluded that they didn’t know much about what went on in the school. Most schools they did investigate though, had burial sites next to them where thousands of indigenous children were buried.
The Children Haunting the Mission House
What is the truth is difficult to say. Keeping records was more difficult back then, and especially the case of these types of Mission Schools have been shrouded in secrecy, even to this day. According to legend, it is said that the ghosts of these children sent to these schools only to die of some type of illness, are still haunting to this day.
They were said to have sent the infected children to be quarantined in the cellar under the Mission House and few made it out.
They are mostly said to roam on the first and second floor as the third one wasn’t built until 1845 when they turned the Mission House into a hotel. During the night they are said to play, child voices laughing and their steps hurrying over the floor. The sound of a ball being tossed as well as knocking over stuff in the hallway makes their presence known.
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.
An online magazine about the paranormal, haunted and macabre. We collect the ghost stories from all around the world as well as review horror and gothic media.
