Friday, July 6, 2012

Haunted Adrian, Michigan

I was born and raised in Adrian, Michigan and spent my childhood there. I moved to Orlando, FL in search of work during the recession of the late '70s when I was eighteen. After our daughter was born, my wife and I, both Michigan natives, decided to return to Adrian with our new family in 1989. The home we happened to move into turned out to be haunted... but that's a story for another time. What I'd like to do in this post is introduce you to the hauntings that were rumored in Adrian.


Here is an article that pertains to the two most famous hauntings:

A quiet little college community -- a rural farming area -- a thriving small city-- Adrian, Michigan has it all. There are many reasons people choose to live, visit or work in Lenawee County. Some love it here so much, that they choose to never leave -- long after they have passed away.
Below are two of the most haunted places in Adrian, Michigan, and some of the real-life experiences visitors have had when visiting these areas.





Ghost Trestle-
One of the creepiest, haunted locations in Adrian is an old, rural train trestle just on the outskirts of the city. Ghost Trestle is located in rural, southeast Lenawee County on Bailey Rd -- just a few miles off highway M-52 near Gier Rd or you can reach the location by traveling west on Carleton Rd until you reach Bailey. The area is generally low-traveled except for people that live nearby. Many teenagers love to go there to get spooked, including 16 year old Courtney and her friends. Courtney heard about the legend of Ghost Trestle and about the family that died near there many years ago. Legend has it, that a barn and house on the nearby property caught fire back in the late 1800's. A man went into the barn to try to put out the fire. Meanwhile his wife who was carrying their infant child in her arms went to the nearby train tracks to flag down a train for help. The mother slipped and fell into the path of the oncoming train -- killing both her and her infant child. The man later perished in the fire. To this day, it is said that you are able to go to the trestle and be able to hear the women and child screaming late at night. It is said that this is a paranormal hot spot underneath the trestle in which you can communicate with the dead. It is also well known to be a portal to the "other side".
I have personally traveled under the trestle before and there is no denying that it is very eerie and creepy. There is a ton of graffiti under the trestle and when a train goes barreling over head it puts my mood in an uneasy state. Courtney recounts the night she and some her friends drove under ghost trestle. "We stopped under the trestle to look around from inside our car, to my amazement, my vehicle -- for no reason, stalled and would not restart for almost 5 minutes. I have never had that problem before. Let's just say it scared us all out of our wits." explained Courtney. Coincidence? Maybe. Or the area ghosts were not happy with the teenage visitors.
I have tried to take pictures of Ghost Trestle and each time my camera would not function properly, even though I had new batteries in the camera.
There is also small entry ways on either side of the Trestle. They could be homes to wild animals or unwanted visitors, so caution should be taken if you dare to check out the tunnels or cubbies underneath the trestle. This is a great place to visit if you are a believer in ghosts and paranormal activity. It is mainly public property so you do not need to ask permission to view the area. Ghost Trestle is a "must-visit" if you are researching Lenawee County's most haunted places.




Siena Heights University-

Another haunted location in Adrian, Michigan is Siena Heights University, Home of the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
Siena Heights, a catholic domination, was founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters in 1919. Shortly thereafter, construction began on the grounds.
Not only is Siena Heights University one of the most sought after private universities in Michigan, it is also rumored to have a large amount of paranormal activity in and around the vicinity.
History dates back to when the dorms were first built in the early 1900's. There was a terrible accident on the grounds where a large beam fell and two young volunteers perished. This area is said to have a large amount of paranormal activity.
In the oldest section of the dormitory is room 211. This room has had several reports of strange phenomena that has taken place. The main door to the room has been reported to open and shut on its own even when locked. Part of the room is shared with an old laundry chute that has been dry walled over and covered up. The most disturbing piece of information about this haunted location is that there is a mysterious location where two points of light will appear on the wall shaped similar to eyes. Many theories were tested to see if it was a reflection off of a nearby street light and with everything else covered and shades drawn, the lights will still appear. If an object is placed in between the lights -- they grow brighter. Many employees and residents attempted to paint over this surface of the wall, but the lights still appeared. If a picture was hung over the light, the picture would fall.
While it may be difficult to get into the dormitory to further investigate, just visiting the property grounds lends an eerie feeling.


I have visited both the Adrian Dominican Motherhouse and Siena Heights University. The property is old and the grounds feel sacred. While very peaceful throughout, I did often sense the grounds are protected -- almost haunted. It feels at times like you are being watched by someone or something. I think the property has a history of undocumented events that have taken place on it, but the commune and sister house remains very private to this day. The property also houses a large cemetery which is an eternal home to the Adrian Dominican sisters who have died there since the 1900's.
Adrian, Michigan is a great location to spend the day and evening while visiting some of the most haunted locations in the state. If you are ever in Adrian, be sure to check out Ghost Trestle and Siena Heights University -- you never know who will be there, waiting to greet you.


Check out my two short stories, now published on Amazon Kindle:


TRAILER PARK FROM HELL




LIFE'S A BITCH. A WEREBITCH.