The Haunted State of Michigan

Most people don't put hauntings and ghostly happenings and Traverse City, Michigan in the same sentence. But for the locals that live here year-round, you'll find us hard-pressed to NOT find us chatting up the local bar scene without talking about the spirits. And we're not talking about the wine variety coming out of our local orchards.

The State of Michigan and its assortment of small communities have a history of leading our union's ghost sitings and paranormal lore. And here is why!

History is one factor in why Michigan is Haunted.

Most historians start mankind's history in the Great Lakes region with the recent tribes of Native Americans that came here hundreds of years ago plus those tribes' ancestors that came here thousands of years ago. Several tribes call the state home. The three largest are the Ojibwe (AKA Chippewa), The Odawa (Ottowa), and the Potawatomi (Bode'wadmi).

There are archeological sites in the state that indicate large stone and earth structures archeologists believed were created thousands of years ago for hunting purposes. Also, Michigan has several stone henges found throughout the state including one with a mastodon etched into one of the large boulders found at the bottom of Grand Traverse Bay.

With this well-established civilization that goes back thousands of years, the history of Michigan is filled with the tragic and deadly circumstances of its residents.

The Michigan Triangle

Start in Chicago, Illinois, and draw a line up to Marquette, Michigan, and then down to Detroit, Michigan before returning back to Chicago and you have the general geographic region that makes up the Michigan Triangle.

This area is full of shipwrecks, plane crashes, and strange occurrences all unfolding from unexplained circumstances. Plus, don't get us Michiganders started on the UFO sightings!

All of this adds up to incredible stories of maritime lore. Many ships have traveled miles of ocean only to meet their end in one of the 5 Great Lakes of Michigan.

Geology of Michigan

Water is everywhere in Michigan. Shaped by glaciers about 10,000 years ago, our water system is rather young and big. We are ranked on the list of the largest 15 lakes in the world and the only peninsulas of its kind in the entire world!

If a drop of water were to start its journey in our largest lake, Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in this large, watershed system, it would take over 500 years for the water to empty into the St. Lawrence River.

Water plays a very important part in Paranormal happenings. Many paranormal investigators correlate water with spiritual activity because of the conductivity of spiritual energy. Essentially, it serves as a battery storing up potential paranormal energy to facilitate manifestations by spirit.

Meaning that more people tend to see apparitions around water sources. And Michigan has 94,000 square miles, 6 quadrillion gallons of water in its 5 lakes. Also, it has 9,402 miles of shoreline. All of the statistics do not even include the numerous interior lakes. Residents and visitors to this part of the world find themselves no farther than a few miles from a freshwater source no matter where they are in the state. People love to gravitate toward areas like this. This means that now you have even more witnesses to the paranormal activity directly attributed to the tragic shipwrecks beneath that aqua, blue freshwater waves.

Lore and Urban legends

So now that we know that the history of its people, the energy of the Michigan Triangle, and the unique geography of the Great Lakes State all lead to the paranormal unfoldings. Which is why the state is full of urban legends and folklore.

1. The Legend of the Nain Rouge: The Nain Rouge is a red-eyed demon who is said to bring misfortune and disaster to Detroit. According to legend, the Nain Rouge first appeared in 1701 and has been seen throughout the city ever since. Some believe that the Nain Rouge is a harbinger of bad luck and should be avoided at all costs.

2. The Dogman: The Dogman is a humanoid creature with the head of a dog that is said to roam the woods of northern Michigan. The legend of the Dogman first appeared in the 1800s and has been the subject of numerous sightings and stories ever since.

3. The Melon Heads: The Melon Heads are a group of humanoid creatures with oversized heads who are said to live in the woods near Felt Mansion in Holland, Michigan. According to legend, the Melon Heads were once children who were experimented on by a mad scientist.

4. The Paulding Light: The Paulding Light is a mysterious light that appears in the woods near Watersmeet, Michigan. The origin of the light is unknown, but some believe that it is the ghost of a railroad brakeman who was killed in the area.

5. The Witch's Castle: The Witch's Castle is an abandoned house in the woods near Lake Michigan that is said to be haunted by the ghost of a witch. According to legend, the witch was burned at the stake in the 1800s and now haunts the area.

In Conclusion

The combination of all of the history, geographical, and lore of the State of Michigan plus a large number of visitors to the area to lay witness to paranormal unfoldings all contribute to the State of Michigan leading the way as one of the most haunted states in the United States of America.

If you would like to find paranormal experiences. First, book the Historical Ghost Lantern Tour in Haunted Traverse City, Michigan. I would be happy to share what ghostly happenings are occurring a stone's throw from the shores of Lake Michigan.

Next, check out my top 5 ghost tours in Michigan to hop on here.

Last, below are some great tours found on Trip Advisor. I do earn an affiliate commission if you do book one of these tours at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. These funds help me create blog posts and expand the ghost-hunting experiences that I write about. Happy Travels! ~ Desirae, owner & operator of Haunted Traverse Tours.