This story is to be re-enacted on "The Discovery Channel", on a series called; "A Haunting" sometime this fall.
The Story Introduction
This is a true story about a haunted house I lived in about 30 years ago. In Standish, Mi. I was only 22 yrs old when I moved into this, very innocent looking, but very haunted house. After moving in, sometime later I had opened doors I could not close. I was to find out I had awoken the spirits that inhabited a, Native American Indian grave site under the house. My life turned into a nightmare that would escalate into a battle between good & evil for many months to come. I then called upon a professional "White Witch", to help me combat the spirits of darkness that were hounding my life nightly. When you read the whole story behind "The House On Church Street", I believe you will draw the same conclusion, there was a very strong force drawing me into the world of the supernatural and drawing me to my "My Destiny.....!"
The History Behind "The House On Church Street"
Many years ago, my dad purchased an old house that was estimated to be about 100 years old. While digging underneath the house in preparation to level it with jacks, he stumbled upon some bones. After a little thought and some dismay, he determined that the bones appeared to be in human form. He was very upset and dumbfounded by this discovery. Still in shock and disbelief, he turned the bones over to an unknown official to be tested. Later, he was told that the bones had been from the body of a Native American and that there could be more bones under the house. They believed that my dad may have discovered a Native American burial ground. At that time no one seemed concerned, as Michigan was known to have Native American burial sites state-wide. My dad did not wish to disturb the burial ground any more than he already had. He placed the bones back under the house and buried them in the same spot he had found them. He did not continue to investigate, hoping he had not disturbed any Spirits that were at rest or protecting the burial ground. It was a well known fact that many burial grounds in the state of Michigan were thought to have had curses placed on them by the Native Americans years ago for protection against intruders. While researching for my book years later, I searched for a reason for the horrifying intensity of my encounter with the supernatural. I began to collect as much data as I could find. At the local area Pinconning Library, I discovered an interesting book about the area’s Native American villages. The Arenac County historian at the time was Calvin Ennes, the author of the document titled History of Arenac County, Michigan. The document is a 200-year genealogy of the Arenac County glossary of several Native Americans. This placed several tribes somewhere within the towns of Sterling and Augres and the city of Standish over many hundred years, although their exact location was unknown. The water shoreline at that time would have brought some of their villages into the city of Standish today.
This story is now a published book that is sold nation wide over the internet through many book dealers, as well as in your local book stores; Walden’s, Barnes & Nobles, B-Dalton books and many others. This book is now selling in the top 100-180 best sellers in the country.
Story submitted by: Randy Ervin
The Glowing Tombstones of Forest Hill Cemetery ~ Evart,MI. ~ Osceola county
When Jim Crees,Evart Review newspaper editor, investigated the glowing tombstones in July,1998 he could not find any obvious source for the lights that could be easily seen in the cemetery at night. Certain tombstones would shine with a "phosphoresent shimmer"! The reporter's weeks of checking,observation,triangulation,charting of angles and other tests have yet to come up with a reasonable explanation for the phenomenon. Back in the late 1800's,when the Flint and Pere Marquette railroad was under construction, a man named Guido Bandura (according to the Tustin Times and the Evart Review) was employed as the cook for the crew of rail workers. He lit lanterns along the path from the railbed to the cook's shanty for the men to find their way when returning from town. During a scuffle in town his son,Marco was pushed into the Muskegon River. Upon hearing this,Guido dove in after Marco and neither were seen again. In a 1933 edition of the Evart Review the now familiar Ghost lights were mentioned,as local residents believed then that Guido continued his practice of lighting the way for the rail crew. Could this tale explain the phenomenon occuring to this day in Forest Hill Cemetery? You decide!!
Info courtesy of:
White Gables Bed and Breakfast, Evart,MI. 49631
&
The Shadowlands ghosts and hauntings
Contributed by Dave at Michigan Hauntings Investigations
Oak Hill Cemetery ~ Battle Creek, Michigan ~ Calhoun County
Home of Crying Mary. The tale of the statue of the Virgin Mary has been told here for more than 60 years. It is said that every Sunday night in the cemetery, around midnight, the statue can be seen crying. Legend or fact? This tale just won't go away. You decide!
Contributed by Dave at Michigan Hauntings Investigations
Huron High School ~ Ann Arbor, Michigan ~ Washtenaw County
In the late 70's, a student named Mary was said to fall to her death from the catwalk above the stage floor of the Huron High School theater. She can still be seen walking the catwalk in her light pink dress! A wall in the prop room where the senior thespians spray paint their names is Marys name, 17 feet above the floor and upside down! Some people just can't give up the spotlight!
Contributed by Dave at Michigan Hauntings Investigations
Historical White Horse Inn ~ Metamore, Michigan
The White Horse Inn was established in 1850 by Lorenzo Hoard (1816-1888) in the sleepy town of Metamora, which was then described as "a beautiful little town in the spring and summer, being blessed with an abundance of large, shady maple trees." Lorenzo purchased the existing village store, once a stagecoach stop. The stagecoach period ended around 1910.
Soon the village store was expanded and refitted it as the Hoard House. The Hoard House functioned as an inn and restaurant charging 50 cents to overnight guests.
The late Gilbert Olds bought the inn about 1917 for $2,200 and kept it until 1922 or 1923. He was remembered by the villagers for going around without wearing shoes.
Frank Peters, owned the inn during most of the Prohibition Era. He made the White Horse a financial success by promoting breakfast specials. It was Mr. Peters who changed the name from the Hoard House to the White Horse.
The "big event" of daily life during that period was when the passenger train's whistle would blow. Once the villagers heard that 6:10pm whistle the town would seem to "come alive". Everyone would go to the train depot to see who would board and also come off the train, watch them unload milk cans and they would follow the mail up to the Post Office and sit around visiting and waiting for their mail to be distributed.
After the mail, they would go down to the White Horse Inn, sit in the captain's chairs and talk until bedtime.
The History of the White Horse includes the names of some of the earliest pioneers. Daniel Ammerman built the Inn in 1850. After several changes of ownership, it passed to the Hoard family. By 1858 Hoard was paying $50 a year in taxes on the Inn.
About 1872, the Michigan Central Railroad built its line through Metamora and Hoard received a franchise to feed and house overnight passengers. By 1874, Metamora had 271 residents.
The Hoard House was listed in the 1876 Atlas of Lapeer County as having "good accommodations for travelers. Feed and stabling for horses."
Lorenzo Hoard died in 1888. Family managed the Hoard House until it was sold in 1906 to William Detter and Samuel Miller. This partnership presented the sale of liquor to their customers.
Since 1906 the White Horse Inn has passed through over a dozen owners hands. All committed in keeping the first building erected in Metamora in tact. A portion of the town's early wooden sidewalk still remains as part of the Tavern room floor. Today it is owned by restaurateur Tim Wilkins who added Historic to the Inn's title. Trading his years of experience in the metropolitan Detroit restaurant industry for the challenge of maintaining a 155 year old local tradition. It is still family run. At his side is his wife Lisa and daughters Jennifer and Ashley. Over the years, the building has been enlarged and modernized while maintaining it's country and historic charm. The Wilkins Family believes that with 155 years of changes, some things remain the same: our commitment to the community, good food, a lot of it, and often returning friends.
Ghost Lorenzo Makes Frequent Appearances Since Tim & Lisa Wilkins purchased the Historic White Horse Inn two years ago, the restaurant has been full of activity, not only with business but also with the paranormal. Tim Wilkins explains, “When we bought the restaurant local residents and staff kept asking me ‘Have you met Lorenzo?’ I have to say for the first 6 months, I was skeptical. I tried to explain occurrences away, because I have never been much of a supernatural believer. At least not until now.”
Although, the restaurant has had the reputation for being haunted for a long time it was in Wilkins first year of ownership that Tim not only believes the White Horse is haunted, but also accepts it. “Lorenzo is a friendly ghost. He lives peacefully upstairs and visits when we have entertainment and when customers are the liveliest. We think he likes to dance.”
The White Horse Inn is a two -story building. The upstairs level has a number of private party rooms and offices and downstairs is the restaurant and tavern. A pair of antique riding boots that are rumored to be Lorenzo’s, are always positioned at the top of the stairs. It is believed that Lorenzo puts on his riding boots every once in a while to walk the halls and roam the village. Not only are the boots found moved from their home position, but staff also has reported hearing footsteps in empty rooms. It is also common for upstairs doors that are shut at closing to be found open in the morning.
Lorenzo also turns up once in a while as an image in an antique mirror at the end of a long dark hallway. At the end of this hallway is a storage room. So as you are walking to the room, you see yourself walking towards the mirror. It has been reported by staff to not only see a friendly image in the mirror standing behind them, but also the feeling that they are not alone.
Lorenzo is known to have fun and play games. At times, the lights will flicker for no apparent reason. Tim explains, “This is a 156-year old building. When we are hit with bad weather, our power is not affected. But on a sunny day or calm starry evening our lights will flicker. It doesn’t make any sense to me, but we have fun with Lorenzo. Typically when unusual things happen around here staff and customers will welcome his presence with a friendly “Hey Lorenzo!”
Lorenzo Hoard (1816-1888) bought the White Horse Inn in 1850. It was a time of horse drawn transportation, farmers bring produce to town to be ground or shipped and women bringing their butter and eggs to be traded or sold to the merchants. Lorenzo purchased an existing village store, once a stagecoach stop, and expanded and refitted it as the Hoard House, now known as the White Horse Inn. The Hoard House functioned as an inn and restaurant charging 50 cents to overnight guests. Over the 156 years a number of White Horse owners have come and gone, Lorenzo has decided to stay. Wilkins added, “ I think he enjoys being around the energy of the staff and customers. I like to believe he stays around to ensure that I maintain the historical charm of White Horse Inn and the Village of Metamora. Lorenzo likes to keep an eye on me.”
Over the years the building has been enlarged and modernized while maintaining it’s historical country charm. Wilkins adds, “With 156 years of changes, we would like to think that some things remain the same: our commitment to the community, great food (a lot of it), and returning friends”.
The Historic White Horse Inn is located at the corner of Oak and High Street (Dryden Road) in downtown Metamora, one mile east of Lapeer off (M-24) and seven miles west of Rochester Road. Live entertainment every Saturday night beginning at 7:30pm. Hours are Monday thru Thursday from 11:30am to 9:00pm. Friday and Saturday 11:30am to 10:00pm. Sunday dinner is served from 11:30am to 8pm. Dinner reservations are recommended. Private party rooms are available. Off premise custom catering to homes and businesses is also offered. For more information call the Historic White Horse Inn at (810) 678-2150.
This story brought to our attention by Carol Yunkes. Full story courtesy of Historic White Horse Inn.
Butler Cemetery is neglected and in poor condition, overgrown with weeds and choked with grass and fallen tree limbs. A wire fence that runs around it is grown over with vines and a rusty gate is broken at the entrance. There are no structures nearby, save for a deserted house, so it is easy to imagine why this cemetery has gotten such a reputation as being haunted. Are the stories here simply imagination at work... or something supernatural?
A witness reported a few years ago that he encountered a woman in white crossing the road in front of the cemetery. He swerved to avoid her and she vanished right in front of his eyes. A year later, he saw the same woman again, but this time she was in the graveyard itself. He claimed to see her standing next to a tall monument and nearby was another apparition. This ghost was that of a man wearing some sort of uniform. He stopped his car for a closer look and the two figures faded away. Thinking that someone might be playing a trick on him, he quickly searched the area for other people and automobiles, but found nothing.
The stories of ghosts at Butler still continue today and researchers have pointed out that there has been an inordinate number of auto accidents along that stretch of road near the cemetery... perhaps these drivers were swerving to avoid a woman in white who wanders across the road?
Butler Cemetery is located outside of Westland and along Henry Ruff Road, just down the street from the old grounds of the Eloise Mental Asylum.
Pine Cottage on Mackinac Island has proven to be a popular spot for tourists with it's fourty-two rooms and three floors... but it also apperently has a lot of room for ghosts. On a rainy night in 1942, tragedy struck at Pine Cottage. A woman who lived in the house was brutally murdered and the case was never solved. Could it be her ghost that haunts this place... or are there others?
Bob Hughey came to Mackinac Island many years ago and opened a restaurant called Little Bob's. After World War II, he returned to the island, married and expanded his business, purchasing Pine Cottage in 1962. It was that spring when they realized they were sharing the house with "something" else. Strange footsteps began to be heard that had no explanation, followed by doors opening and closing. Searches revealed that no one was there.
Things took a more frightening turn thaat year when Bob walked into a room on the first floor. Suddenly from out of the closet, a woman rushed madly at him... she bumped into him, almost knocking him down, and then disappeared out of the window. She was not your average woman, though, not even for a ghost... for she had only been visible from the waist up!!!
That was just the beginning, though. The strange sightings continued of many different spirits, from men standing next to beds at night to a little girl that had been reported crying in the attic window. Both staff members and visitors have talked of hearing the footsteps and other strange sounds and have reported things turning up missing and having their covers pulled from their beds at night.
In 1995, the Hugheys moved to St. Ignace, Michigan and have opened a new restaurant. So far, the ghosts haven't followed them.
As for the new owners of Pine Cottage... Ask them if you visit for they surely have their own stories to tell.
Pine Cottage is located about halfway along Bogan's Lane, two blocks away from Lake Huron.