The Most Haunted Places on Mackinac Island in Michigan

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.

Read the whole story: Fort Mackinac and the Ghosts of War

Fort Holmes and the Ghost of Lingering Soldiers

**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.

Read the whole story: Ghostly Soldiers at Fort Holmes on Mackinac Island

Post Cemetery and the Ghost of a Grieving Mother

**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.

Read the whole story: The Haunted Post Cemetery on Mackinac Island

Rifle Range Trail and the Hanging of James Brown

**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.

Read the whole story: The Soldier Ghost at Rifle Range Trail at Mackinac Island

The Grand Hotel Built on Top of Human Bones

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.

Read the whole story: The Luxurious Haunting at the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island

The Ghost of Lucy Roaming the Island

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.

Read the whole story: The Ghost of Lucy of Mackinac Island Looking for her Parents

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.

Read the whole story: The Ghost of a Heartbroken Student Haunting the Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island

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.

Read the whole story: The Native and Métis Children Haunting the Mission House at Mackinac Island

The Ghost of the Witches in the Drowning Pool

**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.

Read the whole story: The Witches of the Drowning Pool on Mackinac Island

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.

Read the whole story: The Ghost of Madeline La Framboise at Mackinac Island

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.

Read the whole story: Is Arch Rock One of the Reasons Mackinac Island is so Haunted?

The Inn at Stonecliffe and Murray Hotel

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.

Read the whole story: The Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island

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.

Read the whole story: The Little Girl Haunting Bogan Lane Inn at Mackinac Island

Skull Cave and the Spirits of those Buried there

**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.

Read the whole story: Skull Cave on Mackinac Island and the Spirits Haunting it