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Join Northern Michigan History in our 5 part series as we explore the most haunted places in northern Michigan. This is our last installment in the series and we have found our way to the Western Upper Peninsula. Strange lights, actresses that never leave the theater and chainsaws in cemeteries. The western end of the U.P. is not to be messed with! Keweenaw Peninsula Calumet Theater – Legend is that Shakespearean actress, Madame Helena Modjeska who died in 1909 in the theater and that she never left. Lake Breeze – Originally a warehouse built in 1850s by William Raley that… Read More »

Join Northern Michigan History in our 5 part series as we explore the most haunted places in northern Michigan. This is our 4th installment in the series is finding ghosts in the Central Upper Peninsula. We didn’t have to go far, there are plenty of strange happenings in the Marquette area and beyond! Marquette Old City Orphanage – This Catholic orphanage was originally known as the Holy Cross Orphanage and was built in 1915. The orphanage has a long history of abuse, both physical and mental by the nuns that ran it. The orphanage last resident was in 1967 and… Read More »

Join Northern Michigan History in our 5 part series as we explore the most haunted places in northern Michigan. This third part in our series visits the Eastern Upper Peninsula. This area includes a suicide that may have been a murder, witches, soldiers and a brothel. The Eastern Upper Peninsula did not disappoint! Mackinac Island Mission Point Resort – The resort is rumored to have a ghost that comes for an occasional visit. It is believed to be a college student name Harvey who died behind the resort in the late 60s. It was reported that he shot himself because… Read More »

Join Northern Michigan History in our 5 part series as we explore the most haunted places in northern Michigan. The first in our series looks at the Northwest Lower Peninsula. From restaurants, to theatres to asylums, there is not a shortage of ghosts in northwest Michigan. Petoskey Terrace Inn – In Petoskey’s historic Bay View area the 38 room Victorian resort has been the site of two death since it opened in 1911. There are a couple of rumors about who died. Some say it was two workers that had a beam fall on them during the construction. The other… Read More »

Join Northern Michigan History in our 5 part series as we explore the most haunted places in northern Michigan. The second part in our series looks at the Northeast Lower Peninsula. This area includes lighthouse, a ghost town and even a whole island that is home to a couple of ghosts.  Presque Isle Old Presque Isle Lighthouse on Lake Huron – The lighthouse was originally torn down and replaced with a home in 1939 by new owner Francis B Stebbins. In the 50s he decided to refurbish the tower and operate it as museum. He had a replica lantern room… Read More »

On October 8, 1871, there were a series of simultaneous forest fires in the Great Lakes region, collectively knows as the Great Fire of 1871. These fires burned the several cities, towns, and villages in Michigan. Holland, Manistee, and Port Huron suffered considerable damage. The Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin was the deadliest forest fire in recorded history, also destroying several towns in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The fire crossed the Menominee River and burned in Menominee County. Later that night the Great Chicago Fire erupted and burned for 2 days. It destroyed roughly 4 square miles killing approximately 300 people. 1871… Read More »

Last week we published an article about the Zeba Indian United Methodist Church and that it started in Sault Ste. Marie. This week we are going to talk about how it started. John Sunday and Rev. John Clark Before heading west to start the Missionary in Zeba John Sunday, a Methodist Native American Preacher from Canada, began mission work in the Native American settlement at the Sault Ste. Marie Rapids. In 1832 Rev. John Clark, heard of the movement at the ‘Soo’ and decided to work there. He would later follow John Sunday west. In the spring of 1833, Clark… Read More »

The Inland Waterway stretches across Cheboygan and Emmet Counties has been a popular recreation area for years. Fishing, paddling watercrafts and motorboats all travel the waterways. The route is a series of 3 rivers and 3 lakes. You can start at north end, the mouth of the Cheboygan River at Lake Huron and follow that to Mullet Lake. During your trip on the Cheboygan River you will encounter the Cheboygan River lock which will raise or lower your boat 15 feet. Mullet Lake will lead you through the Indian River and into Burt Lake. From there you will head down… Read More »

In the early 19th century Methodism was not practice west of Sault Ste. Marie. In 1832 Shaw-wun-dais (“sultry heat”) better known as John Sunday a Native American from Canada who become a missionary headed west to Kewawenon (Keweenaw Bay). He settled in the town of Zeba northeast of L’Anse. There he erected a log house to educate other natives about Christianity and the Methodism. John Sunday was a member of the Mississauga Tribe from central upper Canada. He was ordained in 1836 as a minister of the Methodist Church. Him and his wife Mary lost 10 children during the course… Read More »