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What goes bump in the night in the Motor City?

Well.....probably many things.....

But I'm referring to the ghosts, phantoms, and ghoulish creatures that may be lurking inside the abandoned factories, in the woods, and through the outskirts of town.

"The Spirits of Detroit" was written and directed by Derek Quint through Addovolt Productions and narrated by Chris Chavez.  It features original music compositions by Chad Nini and Kodjo Atiogbe.

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The following is from https://nbparanormal.wordpress.com

The Traverse City State Hospital

Constructed in 1885 and closed over 100 years later, the Traverse City State Hospital is perhaps the most eerie place in Grand Traverse County. Originally an asylum for the mentally unstable, during its active years the hospital also housed those afflicted with tuberculosis, typhoid, diphtheria, and polio. Although the Gothic-style buildings have undergone renovations since 2000, a visit to the grounds conjures up the ominous and oppressive feelings of its past. Underground tunnels and caged balconies add to the spooky visual stimuli and, located on the trails behind the buildings, there is said to be a portal to Hell under “The Hippy Tree”. As well as documented paranormal investigations, the State Hospital has several books dedicated to its disturbing history.

Old City Orphanage in Marquette

Formerly known as the Holy Cross Orphanage, the Old City Orphanage stands against the Marquette hills as a menacing reminder of the city’s past. Built in 1915 and abandoned in the mid-sixties, the Catholic orphanage remains a location of lengthy narrative and legend. According to occupants of the orphanage, the nuns were known to physically and mentally abuse the children and were fierce in their punishments. One account recalls a little girl playing outside during a blizzard and subsequently catching pneumonia. She died several days later. As a testament to her foolishness and a warning to the other children, the nuns put her body on display for all to view. The crying of children is said to be heard if passing the building on a quiet night.

 Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo

Over a century old and supposedly host to a legion of ghosts, Kalamazoo’s Henderson Castle is now a bed and breakfast that caters to the living… and the dead. The ghosts of the home’s original owners Frank and Mary Henderson, as well as those of a Spanish-American War veteran, a little girl, and a dog interact regularly with paranormal teams and guests alike. The apparently amiable spirits have favorite forms of communication, speaking through unplugged radios, tapping unsuspecting visitors on the shoulder, and sometimes appearing in full form, wearing period clothing.

 The Masonic Temple in Detroit

Built in 1912 by a wealthy gentleman named George D. Mason, the Detroit Masonic Temple has over 1,000 rooms, and several secret staircases, concealed passages, and hidden compartments in the floors. Mr. Mason went slightly overboard when financing the construction of the building, and eventually went bankrupt, whereupon his wife left him. Overwhelmingly depressed about his financial and personal circumstances, Mason jumped to his death from the roof of the temple. Security guards claim to see his ghost to this day, ascending the steps to the roof. The temple, abundant with cold spots, inexplicable shadows, and slamming doors, is known to intimidate visitors with the eerie feeling of being watched…

 Felt Mansion in Saugatuck

Felt Mansion, located on the Mitten’s west coast between Holland and Saugatuck, has worn several masks since its construction in 1928. The mansion was originally a gift to inventor Dorr Felt’s beloved wife Agnes, who died shortly after the Felt family moved in. After they left the home, it was transformed into a seminary, and then a police and drug enforcement agency office. It is presently being restored to its former glory. Homes with such rich history rarely remain quiet: many believe that the spirit of Agnes Felt wanders the house she was never able to enjoy in life. A shadowy figure waltzes around the ballroom frightening the mansion’s tourists, while heavy doors open and close of their own accord. There are even accounts of Agnes reprimanding guests whom she has deemed to be too offensive or crude in her presence.

Michigan Bell Telephone Co. in Grand Rapids

Shrouded in legend, the Michigan Bell Telephone Company stands on the grounds of what was once a lavish mansion in downtown Grand Rapids. Current employees often experience ghostly encounters due to the grisly history of this particular plot of land. It is said the Randall couple purchased the Judd-White House from its previous owners and hadn’t lived there for long before tragedy struck. Warren Randall, a railroad brakeman, lost his leg while on the job and had it replaced with a wooden prosthetic. This led to feelings of insecurity on Warren’s part, and he soon accused his wife Virginia of having an affair. Their marriage was no longer happy and arguments were often overheard from the street. After noticing a pungent odor emanating from the mansion, workers in the building next door contacted officials to investigate. The two were found dead in the house; Warren had allegedly beaten Virginia to death with his wooden leg before slitting his own throat. The ghosts of the couple argue to this day as witnessed by employees of the company, with some saying that the Randalls are responsible for eerie prank phone calls traced back to the building after hours.

 River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe

The largest and bloodiest encounters fought on Michigan soil, the Battles of River Raisin (also known as the Battles of Frenchtown) were devastating upsets for the United States during the War of 1812. After several days of combat and an eventual surrender to the British, Americans soldiers were lead away by their captors. The maimed soldiers were abandoned, and would later be massacred by Native Americans in a surprise attack. In this deadliest battle of the War of 1812, over half of the total of 1,000 American soldiers lost in the War were killed. Paranormal teams have held investigations at what is now known as the River Raisin National Battlefield Park and have utilized the Singapore Theory which employs the use of time-oriented objects, music, and other triggers to encourage the appearance of ghosts. Figures in doorways, windows, and on the field have been photographed, and supposed sounds of war and cries of agony recorded.

The Paulding Light

Paulding, Michigan, is a small town in the Upper Peninsula known for a mysterious light display that occurs along a stretch of Highway 45. Although numerous paranormal investigators and even the Ripley’s Believe It or Not team have examined the area, no explanations for the phenomenon have ever been found. Locals say the small spherical lights of white, red, and green are the ghosts of a railroad worker who died while trying to switch the tracks, or of a Native American man dancing along the power lines.

Pere Cheney

Located near Grayling, Pere Cheney was once a bustling nineteenth century sawmill village. Diseases like diphtheria and cholera ravaged the town and the population dwindled to double-digits before the town was eventually abandoned some time after 1912, when the Post Office closed. Legend has it that nothing but a strange moss grows in the village, and the cemetery, one of the very few remaining landmarks, may even hold the bones of a witch. Many visitors hear voices and witness orbs and, perhaps most frighteningly of all, there are reports of sightseers finding hand-prints on cars from children who died in the area.

Mackinac Island

Thought to be the most haunted place in the Awesome Mitten, Mackinac Island has tours devoted to its most ghost-ridden locales. From the Grand Hotel (built upon the first military post’s cemetery) to Fort Mackinac (explored by SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters) to Mission Point (haunted by the ghost of young man who shot himself after a heartbreak), Mackinac Island is a paranormal investigator’s dream destination. The occasionally bloody history and relative isolation of the island lends to its spooky atmosphere of this time of year.

Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, Presque Isle

This lighthouse is perched on Lake Huron and was active for 31 years before a turn of events left it seemingly haunted. There are tales of screams coming from the tower, which are rumored to belong to a keeper’s wife who had been locked up there. The real hauntings come from a different lighthouse keeper, George Parris, and his wife. These two moved into the keeper’s cottage in the 199’s to run the lighthouse, manage the museum, and give tours. After Parris passed, the permanently disabled light from the lighthouse continues to come on at dusk and turn off at dawn every day. This lighthouse and its grounds are open to the public mid-May through mid-October.

This theatre originally opened as an Opera House in 1900 before making a gradual transition to plays and films. It has two balconies that are fairly large and the theatre as a whole holds about 700 people. The original ghost story begins with an actress named Madame Helena Modjeska who preformed at this venue during her life. Sometime in the 1950s, an actress was onstage and forgot her lines. As the rumor goes, she looked up into one of the balconies and discovered Modjeska up there, mouthing the lines to her. Currently, theatre-goers have said they feel eery presences, sudden gusts of cold air, and hear music that does not seem to come from a source.

 The Tunnels of the Northville Psychiatric Hospital, Northville Township

Psychiatric hospitals have always been known for their paranormal activity. Nothing is more frightening than knowing thousands of people died unconventional deaths while locked up against their will. The Northville Psychiatric Hospital was built in 1952 and shut down for good in 2003. Being such a large psychiatric hospital with many buildings, this hospital was constructed with many tunnels leading to the various buildings. These tunnels were used for transporting patients during times of unfavorable weather (this is Michigan, you know). These tunnels are unable to be visited, something that is strictly enforced by the local law enforcement. However, those who have managed to get inside report feelings of being touched and breathed on by unknown sources. Mysterious noises such as footsteps and chains clanking have been reported as well.

 Bower’s Harbor Inn, Traverse City

Now known as the restaurant Mission Table, this building is famously haunted by a ghost named Genevive. Genevive’s husband was Inn owner JW Stickney, who had an elevator installed at the Inn for his overweight wife. Stickney also hired a nurse to care for Genevive, but ended up having an affair with this particular caretaker. When Stickney passed, he left all his financial wealth to the nurse, leaving only the Inn to Genevive. Genevive eventually hung herself in the elevator and continues to haunt the restaurant to this day. Staff members and customers see her in one of the bathrooms and often on the stairs. She also causes disturbances by slamming doors, turning lights on or off, and making pans fall. It is also rumored that she doesn’t take kindly to visiting nurses in the restaurant, so beware.

The Jewett House, Mason

This home was purchased by the Jewett family in the 1920s where it was converted into a funeral home. When the funeral home closed in 1990, it turned into a rental home for local residents. It is not uncommon for someone to move in, only to move out again very quickly due to the extreme amount of paranormal activity that occurs. Such reports include nightly whistling, footsteps on the second floor, hearing voices that do not belong to anyone, balls moving around without aid, and the smell of cigar smoke can be detected without rationale. So, if you are looking for a home to rent in the Mason area, might I suggest the Jewett House?

The Whitney Restaurant, Detroit

This house was originally constructed in the 1890s for private residence by David Whitney, Jr. It was restored in 1986 and is now used as a formal dining restaurant. Both Whitney and his wife died in this mansion and are believed to remain behind to haunt it. Tales of table settings being rearranged on their own and of a mysterious, elderly gentleman gazing out windows on the second floor can be attributed to paranormal activity. The elevator is especially active and will often move between floors without anyone in it. This restaurant is open to the public, so make your reservation to dine in today.

Bone Head’s BBQ, Willis

This building is believed to have been built in the mid-1860s and served many purposes before becoming the Bone Head’s BBQ restaurant that we all know and love: a post office, general store, coach shop, butcher shop, and ice house. The reason why this building is haunted is not widely known, but supernatural activity occurs so very often. It is not uncommon for lights to turn on by themselves, hours long after the restaurant has closed for the day. Many customers see a woman in a white dress on the staircase, and one little girl even saw an extra reflection in the mirror in the bathroom. Phantom footsteps and whispering have been overheard by employees and neighbors have even stated accounts of seeing someone cleaning windows on the third floor. Seeing how this is a public establishment, I highly recommend swinging in for a spooky dinner this month.

The Bruce Mansion, Brown City

The Bruce Mansion has a long history of owners who have tragically died either in the home or on the property. In one particular case, a man driving accidentally hit someone walking on the property and decided to bury him near the home. The driver of this car later hung himself inside the bell tower. In 1996, Barbara Millsap and her brother Bill Masiak become owners of the mansion. Masiak reported occurrences of doors forcefully opening and closing on their own. In 2009, the Waite family became owners of the home due to foreclosure. This family reports that many previous tenants have not left and often hear children’s voices that do not seem to have a physical source. Tours and ghost hunts used to be allowed at the mansion, however, the current property owners have decided not to continue with such activities.

 Eloise Asylum, Westland

The Eloise Asylum originally opened in the late 1830s and was then known as the Wayne County Poorhouse, which was home to the mentally ill. There are many reports of inadequate and unsafe treatment of the patients during the time the hospital was open and functioning. Currently, a fair amount of the buildings have been torn down, but a few remain. Workers and trespassers report hearing voices, and rumors of former patients walking the halls have been accounted. The playground built for worker’s children and the cemetery that holds over 7,000 patients are considered to be the most haunted areas of all, with many incidents of growls and moans being reported.

 The Southwest Michigan Tuberculosis Sanitarium, Kalamazoo

The once thriving Tuberculosis Sanitarium now sits abandoned on a hill overlooking Kalamazoo. It was shut down in 1969 and given to the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital until it closed for good in 1990. Locals in the surrounding neighborhoods report hearing screams and tortured cries coming from the abandoned buildings. There are even rumors of distant neighbors seeing figures walking by the broken windows in the daylight. This abandoned building is closed to the public, but walking alongside the fence might be worthwhile to catch a glimpse of an unknown entity.

Holly Hotel – Holly

Now a restaurant only, this establishment has long been known to be haunted. One of the ghosts here is said to be Mr. Hirst, former owner and most-often-seen apparition. He doesn’t like noise or renovations. He wears a frock coat and top hat and smokes cigars. He sometimes can be heard laughing or, more rarely, speaking. Another ghost who resides here is Nora Kane, a petite, pretty lady who loves music. Her portrait can be seen in the main lobby. Her flowery perfume is often detected by guests and her apparition is often seen in the bar and back hall. She is sometimes heard playing the piano or singing late at night. If that weren’t enough, there is also said to be a ghost in the kitchen who is very active. It’s a playful spirit who often giggles and moves items, especially the meat cleaver, and can be heard running up and down stairways. This is believed to be the spirit of a child. Many more ghosts have been reported here, including Leona, the Hirst family’s terrier, who can be heard barking or running in the halls. The ghost dog even brushes up against people’s legs.

White Horse Inn – Metamora

The White Horse Inn has a long history in the community and has been reputedly haunted by the original owner, Lorenzo Hoard, who lived from 1816-1888. Hoard bought the White Horse Inn around 1850 after coming to the area from upstate New York. He purchased an existing village store, once a stagecoach stop, and expanded and refitted it as the Hoard House, now the White Horse Inn. Current owners Tim and Lisa Wilkins bought the White Horse, now a restaurant, about eight years ago. From the beginning they became aware of the unusual occurrences that take place at the former boarding house and one-time stop on the Underground Railroad.

It is said that many drunken men were killed in a small fire that took place in the front section of the bar along with one bar maid. Evidently to this day when guests come and eat or stay at the inn they hear the screams and moans of the men and lady that tried to escape during the fire.

Cadillac House – Lexington

Haunted Hotel converted into a bar and restaurant. Very active poltergiest. Built in 1860. Investigated by several paranormal groups

Minnie Quay – Forster

A young girl named Minnie Quay is said to haunt the shores of this lake. When Minnie was around 15 years of age, she fell in love with a sailor. Unfortunately, Minnie’s parents disapproved and would not let her see him. The sailor later died at sea. Minnie was so upset upon hearing of his death that she dressed herself in all white and jumped off the pier into the cold waters of Lake Huron. Her body is buried in the nearby cemetery. People have claimed to see her ghost walking the beach, crying for her lost love.

Oscoda

The city of Oscoda, Michigan lies just north of Saginaw Bay on the eastern side of the state. It looks out over the waters of Lake Huron and has deep ties to the past. Nearby are many legends of death and spirits. Among those are the stories of Lake Solitude. This lake was once connected to Lake Huron, but now only a narrow creek allows the waters to join. Many believe that the passage was closed by the sinking of the Griffin, a ship of the explorer LaSalle, which sank here centuries ago. The ship is said to still be hidden beneath the lake and the ghosts of the ship’s crew are still haunting the nearby shores.

 Ghost Trestle – Lenawee County

If you take Gorman Rd. west towards Sand Creek, you will come to a gravel road leading north. A mile or so up this road you will come to narrow one lane trestle bridge. The road goes under this. Legend has it that at one time there was a farm house built near the tracks. Late one night a fire broke out in the barn. While the father ran to the barn to try to get the horses out, his wife and young son went to the tracks to wave down one of the many trains that would use that right of way. They were too close to the tracks however and both were struck by the train as it went past. The father was killed in the barn. The father protects wife and son to this day, he will communicate but not allowing communcation with them.

McCourtie Park in Hillsdale County

McCourtie Park is located in Somerset, Mi, right off of U.S 12. McCourtie Park got its nickname ‘The Bridge Park” from the key attractions of the park: 17 bridges that span the stream meandering through the park. Each bridge is its own unique design and no two bridges are exactly alike. Visitors to McCourtie Park can wander the 42 acre estate crossing the stream on the bridges or can set and enjoy nature including the variety of birds attracted to the park by the elaborate bird houses on the grounds. It isn’t however the number of bridges or the natural setting that makes McCourtie Park so unique. It is rather the bridge construction. While the bridges appear to be built from rough trees, planed lumber, heavy rope, and thatch the bridges are in reality nothing but steel rods and concrete. There is no wood at all used on any of the 17 bridges in the park. McCourtie Park, the ‘Bridge Park,’ is named for the once owner of the property William H. L. McCourtie. McCourtie first came familiar with cement by W. F. Cowham of Jackson, Michigan in the late 1800s. Shortly after that McCourtie went to Dallas, Texas where he made a sizable amount of money by speculating in oil. In the 1920s McCourtie returned to his family estate in Somerset Center which was at that time named “Aiden Lair”. You might catch a glimpse of a woman dressed in a long blue gown moving quietly across a bridge. Or is she wearing black? Ghost hunters disagree on the color of her dress, but the suggestion of a gentle ghostly presence is just one of the unique features of this roadside park .

 The War of 1812 Battlefied – Monroe

The War of 1812 was often called the second War of American Independence, which lasted 3 years. The British tried to retake the colonies, and even burned down the White House at one point, much to their shame and embarrassment today. Americans fought for their right to remain a free country with the right of not having the British shanghai Americans off merchant ships for their own military. The American goal of freeing Canada didn’t happen, and the fears of the fur trading companies came true. As a result of the war, the flow of settlers to the Michigan area continued, the education of the Indians continued and the fur trading industry as they knew it irrevocably changed.

Battlefields always have entities haunting the area, because of the nature of war; people are killed who are not ready to die yet. More American casualties occurred here than in any other single battle in 1812, because of the total victory of the British and the unauthorized killing of the wounded by the Indians. Besides the usual casualty entities, wounded men painfully killed by the Indians are added to the mix, with the total effect of creating a dream come true for paranormal investigators.

 Maybury State Park – Northville

The Maybury Sanatorium operated on the site of the current state park from 1919-1969. At one time it served people who were diagnosed with tuberculosis at a time when there was no real cure for the disease. Northville Township was relatively sparsely populated back then—development was decades away from the fringes of western Wayne County. By the late 1960s, low populations led to the hospital’s closure and was sold to the state of Michigan for $3 million in 1971. In 1975 Maybury State park opened on the site of the former facility after all buildings had been demolished.

Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse –  Thunder Bay Island

This uninhabited island on Lake Huron is haunted by a lighthouse keeper named Morgan. It is not known how or why his spirit dwells the lighthouse and island, but those who pass by the island claim to see and feel his presence walking the shoreline.
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More comprehensive haunted places can be found @ http://www.hauntedplaces.org/detroit-mi/