Haunted Grand Rapids

[Allison Slater]

I spent the night in a field across the street from the Ada Witch about a month ago... never even realised it. My friends kept saying something was creepy, but I wasn't really spooked. What actually happened was we knew there was an awesome vista over there, and when we got ready to leave, we got stuck in the snow and mud. (~2AM) We walked around a bit, unknowingly walked right up to the cemetary before we turned around. A friend asked if it was the Ada Witch area, I said 'no that's a few mies away I think'. Checked on the net when I got home and that's when I realised just how close I was. ^^

[Rhino6885]

Yeah...a few buddies and I have ventured out to that cemetery a few times late at night, but never saw anything. We parked right out front, and walked as far back as we could, but nothing. The second time we went out there, we ran into a group of teenagers who frequent the site. As we walked back together, they would stop and point out figures and movements that they supposedly saw in the darkness. It was enough to scare my friends, but I never saw or heard a thing.

On another note, I walked by Redux (or Argo's...always mix them up) the other day and saw a book about ghosts in Grand Rapids. I asked the woman how much it was, and she said $55...for a thin paperback book!! Apparently, there is a huge demand and only a few copies in circulation. Has anybody seen this?

[GRDadof3]

I personally live only a few miles from Friske Rd - in Algoma - where Hell's Bridge is supposedly at. Today, with the flood water so high - apparently not the best day to go find it - LOL

All I saw was a tiny little metal walk bridge, not like a real bridge, but either way - I couldn't get to it due to the water level. Tons of briar bushes out there though - and MUD! LOL

Nothing creepy at all. - But then, I do not think that was the right bridge, either.

I did stop by the Overlook at the Rockford Dam, where it is stated a small boy drown. Upon going to the overlook, my brother and myself both became instantly nauseaus. I was fine when I got away from that area. There was a gigantic swan to distract me a few moments later, but whenever we got to the overlook area, it was sickening. Very Wierd.

My mom, brother, boyfriend and myself plan on investigating all the "haunted" areas in our area, which pretty much covers most of West Michigan.

The Boyfriend and I live in Rockford, and Mom and Kev live in Ionia.

That metal walking bridge is the bridge. Apparently just upstream from the bridge on that little tributary is where old man Friske dumped his family's bodies in after he killed them. Supposedly at midnight you can hear kids crying and a creepy laugh. Who knows. I was there twice during the day and it creeped me out.

[cnordstrom]

I lived in a house in Eastown a few years back. The place was about 110 years old at the time, and had been converted into two rental units, upstairs and downstairs. At first, I lived in the upper unit, and I saw a lot of things that I simply couldn't explain; the toilet paper unrolled and rolled back up, a ball went from a completely stopped position to suddenly bouncing across the floor on its own, TVs/stereos turned on by themselves, etc. What was interesting was that my dog never seemed freaked out by the things, and in fact I often saw him staring down the hall wagging his tail at "something". I got the feeling that whatever was there just wanted attention, so I started talking to him when I came home. The activities slowed down/stopped.

After a couple of years, I moved into the lower unit, and my sister moved into my old place. She had no idea that I had seen things move. One morning, she called me and said that she woke up in the middle of the night and saw an old man dressed in white standing at the end of the hallway. She stared at him for a bit and realized that he was floating about a foot above the floor. When she screamed, he disappeared. Later, she told me that she had seen other things, too, including all of the windows in the kitchen unlatching and opening on their own.

I really miss that old place!

[bearmanor man]

I own a house that is haunted... When we were working on it, the long time resident neighbor across the street told us that it was haunted. I didn't think much about it until one of my tenants started telling me some messed up stories. Things like- a cold hand pushing her forward out of her chair, and a person sitting in the middle of her room wearing her blanket (turn around, look back, blanket is lying on the floor...) Then I asked the upstairs tenants if they had any weird experiences, and they said little things would happen, just mischievous type stuff. Nobody told any of these tenants that there were neighborhood roomers about this house... I'm not going there alone anymore!

[joeDowntown]

I'm such a wuss I'd have been out of the house that night had some invisible, cold hand pushed me out of my chair.

I own a house that is haunted... When we were working on it, the long time resident neighbor across the street told us that it was haunted. I didn't think much about it until one of my tenants started telling me some messed up stories. Things like- a cold hand pushing her forward out of her chair, and a person sitting in the middle of her room wearing her blanket (turn around, look back, blanket is lying on the floor...) Then I asked the upstairs tenants if they had any weird experiences, and they said little things would happen, just mischievous type stuff. Nobody told any of these tenants that there were neighborhood roomers about this house... I'm not going there alone anymore!

[bearmanor man]

I'm such a wuss I'd have been out of the house that night had some invisible, cold hand pushed me out of my chair.

They moved out after 1 month (although not specifically because of the ghosts...) Actually I have never been able to have a tenant complete their year lease there- I think the ghost makes people irresponsible

[bearmanor man]

I own a house that is haunted... When we were working on it, the long time resident neighbor across the street told us that it was haunted. I didn't think much about it until one of my tenants started telling me some messed up stories. Things like- a cold hand pushing her forward out of her chair, and a person sitting in the middle of her room wearing her blanket (turn around, look back, blanket is lying on the floor...) Then I asked the upstairs tenants if they had any weird experiences, and they said little things would happen, just mischievous type stuff. Nobody told any of these tenants that there were neighborhood roomers about this house... I'm not going there alone anymore!

I have completely new tenants in this house now. Last week, the upstairs people informed me that they see ghosts- no lead in or prompting by me. This is turning into multiple, independent verifications that this house is haunted. I'm thinking about heading over to the local history section of the library to see if there ever was a grisly murder in the home, or if it is built on an old Indian burial ground....

[Rhino6885]

I have completely new tenants in this house now. Last week, the upstairs people informed me that they see ghosts- no lead in or prompting by me. This is turning into multiple, independent verifications that this house is haunted. I'm thinking about heading over to the local history section of the library to see if there ever was a grisly murder in the home, or if it is built on an old Indian burial ground....

That is crazy man...

I was always the "there has to be a reasonable explanation" type, but I've been hearing a lot of this stuff in the past year or so. Really makes you think...

[joeDowntown]

That is crazy! I'd probably sell it just so I didn't have to hear the creepy stories anymore!

Joe

[starrfish]

Or you could have curious people over on Halloween (or any other day, it doesn't seem like they're bound by the calendar) to observe the ghosties! Who doesn't love a good freak out?!!

*fish

[Rhino6885]

Maybe you could let us have the next retail task force meeting there??? Next Weds, 2 a.m.? Fish, Joe?

[starrfish]

I'd totally give it a try! I wonder though if the ghosts and strange events only happen when you're not looking for them to happen?

*fish

[bearmanor man]

I'd totally give it a try! I wonder though if the ghosts and strange events only happen when you're not looking for them to happen?

*fish

I've got to say that I have never seen or felt anything strange there, and since the first reports I have definitely had an eye out... I think the events happen infrequently enough that you tend to have your guard down. (I have never been there at the stroke of midnight...)

More stories about the place are starting to surface. I won't bore you with the details. I have never had this on any other rental property that I own. Does anybody else own a property in this area (fairmount square)? Any paranormal activity?

[Rizzo]

Can you turn the place into a B&B? People pay to get haunted on their special occasions!

[Rhino6885]

Does anybody else own a property in this area (fairmount square)? Any paranormal activity?

I do I do! However, I've never seen anything out of the norm.

[GR Jackson]

I used to live in fairmount square. There was one night where I was awakened by the sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor, or something shaking violently in the next room. I got up and checked, and my step son's bed had moved from the corner to the middle of the room. It was too heavy for him to do. My sister in law who lived downstairs heard it all as well. She also has seen some other stuff in that house that came out after that incident.

[Rhino6885]

Not a ghost story, but interesting nonetheless.

My father used to be in law enforcement. He was sent to raid a house on Wellington--in the late 70's. They broke the door down to find that the owner and the drugs were long gone. They went through the house, room by room, just like the cops in the movies. His partner thought he heard something coming from a closet in one of the bedrooms. He walked over to the closet door, grabbed the handle, and slowly opened the door.

........building up tension.............

As he opened the door, he heard a quiet click. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the closet, he saw it--a double barrel shotgun, held up with tape, pointed right at his face. A string was attached from the doorknob to the trigger, but the gun failed to go off.

Whew...

[GR Jackson]

Not a ghost story, but interesting nonetheless.

My father used to be in law enforcement. He was sent to raid a house on Wellington--in the late 70's. They broke the door down to find that the owner and the drugs were long gone. They went through the house, room by room, just like the cops in the movies. His partner thought he heard something coming from a closet in one of the bedrooms. He walked over to the closet door, grabbed the handle, and slowly opened the door.

........building up tension.............

As he opened the door, he heard a quiet click. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the closet, he saw it--a double barrel shotgun, held up with tape, pointed right at his face. A string was attached from the doorknob to the trigger, but the gun failed to go off.

Whew...

My goodness, I would totally poop in my pants. I have yet to poop in my pants over ghost activity, but that would make me totally poop myself.

[wingbert]

There is a book titled "Grand Rapids Ghost Stories" I have a copy, but don't have a clue where it is. I remebmer the Ada witch story, and I think some Heritage Hill stories. I'm sure you can pick it up at Schuler Books.

Hey, well I was perusing this thread from the beginning and came across the post above. It got me thinking about a book I owned. After some digging I found it. I think I might have purchased it at Schulers on 28th street in the early to mid 1990s. I don't know if I'd call it terrifying, but it's definitely a good read - especially since all the stories are about places around GR. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons (curious trespassers, ghost hunters, et al.) all locations are kept pretty vague. All you get is things like "a small house in NE Grand Rapids" or "a building on Madison SE". Bummer.

Stories:

Terror in the Night

We Were Not Alone

The Ada Witch

The Best Dressed Ghost in Town

The Man Who Hanged Himself in the Corner

Murder Most Foul

The Helpful Haunt of Allendale

Helen - a Blithe Spirit

Behind the Sealed Door

The Indian Ghost in the Basement

Russell's Farewell

One Last Goodbye

The Restless Spirit in the Clock

The Mysterious "Mrs. Smith"

The Uninvited Guest

The Ghost at the Foot of the Bed

A Ton of Ice

The Poltergeist of Madison Avenue

Things That Go "Whoosh" in the Night

[bearmanor man]

Hey, well I was perusing this thread from the beginning and came across the post above. It got me thinking about a book I owned. After some digging I found it. I think I might have purchased it at Schulers on 28th street in the early to mid 1990s. I don't know if I'd call it terrifying, but it's definitely a good read - especially since all the stories are about places around GR. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons (curious trespassers, ghost hunters, et al.) all locations are kept pretty vague. All you get is things like "a small house in NE Grand Rapids" or "a building on Madison SE". Bummer.

Stories:

Terror in the Night

We Were Not Alone

The Ada Witch

The Best Dressed Ghost in Town

The Man Who Hanged Himself in the Corner

Murder Most Foul

The Helpful Haunt of Allendale

Helen - a Blithe Spirit

Behind the Sealed Door

The Indian Ghost in the Basement

Russell's Farewell

One Last Goodbye

The Restless Spirit in the Clock

The Mysterious "Mrs. Smith"

The Uninvited Guest

The Ghost at the Foot of the Bed

A Ton of Ice

The Poltergeist of Madison Avenue

Things That Go "Whoosh" in the Night

Nice! I will look for that. I'm especially curious about the mysterious "Mrs. Smith"...

[wingbert]

Nice! I will look for that. I'm especially curious about the mysterious "Mrs. Smith"...

Ah, well that's a good story. Here's how it starts, "Mary Alice Fairchild knows the identity of the ghost that haunts her large Heritage Hill house, but she doesn't dare divulge it!

Not only does the ghost belong to one of Grand Rapids' leading families, but the ghost herself might be upset at Mary Alice's impropriety and come back to haunt the house again after a twelve year absence"

As it states later in the story, "Mrs. Smith kept the rules and regulations of her Victorian upbringing until the very end." As the story goes, she apparently continued to attempt to enforce these rules on the later inhabitants of the house.

Good stuff!

[NorthCoast]

The girl I was dating in high school went to Chicago on a school organized trip. They were at the Field Museum (I believe, maybe Art, but I think Field) and they took a picture next to glass case which was holding a Tutankhamen like mummy head dress. When she got the pictures back, there was a eerily strange green aura on the outside of the glass just opposite the head dress. It looked a heck of a lot like a ghostly face. Not Grand Rapids but creepy none the less.

When I was at Western I heard a story about the ghost of a girl who haunted Moore Hall. Moore is a building on campus just east of the Knauss-Dunbar-Freidman building complex (for those familiar with the area). Its current use is as classroom and office space but it originally was a women's dorm. Urban legend has it that there was a fire in the building in which the girl was killed. Furthermore, I heard a story of some people who were at a local eatery there and met a girl dressed in clothes that were clearly not current in style. They got to talking to her and when they asked her what dorm she lived in she said Moore Hall, which had been closed for some time at this point, and then dissapeared.

I don't know how scary it is but WMU also has at least two people buried on the campus, both former staff members. Dwight B. Waldo, the university's first president, is buried under is former office in the front of East Hall. If you are standing on the front steps, the plaque can be seen just to the left of the porch. Former president Paul V. Sangren is apparently buried beneath the Paul V. Sangren sign in front of the building.

[GR Jackson]

The girl I was dating in high school went to Chicago on a school organized trip. They were at the Field Museum (I believe, maybe Art, but I think Field) and they took a picture next to glass case which was holding a Tutankhamen like mummy head dress. When she got the pictures back, there was a eerily strange green aura on the outside of the glass just opposite the head dress. It looked a heck of a lot like a ghostly face. Not Grand Rapids but creepy none the less.

Do you think it is the mummy's curse?

[NorthCoast]

Do you think it is the mummy's curse?

I told her that she should send it to the National Enquirer