A collection of chilling tales from the most haunted places in Western Michigan. Western Michigan is home to some of the state's most picturesque places - and also some of its most chilling tales. Ghost story researcher and enthusiast Amberrose Hammond exposes the mysterious and spirit-ridden world of many beloved Michigan destinations as she skillfully weaves narratives of a world unseen by most. From the lingering spirit forever working in the Grand Theatre and the band of melon-headed children prowling the Saugatuck State Park to the lights of the Lake Forest Cemetery staircase waiting to reveal one's place in the afterlife, these tales are sure to give pause to anyone daring enough to experience these hauntingly beautiful spots...after dark. Amberrose Hammond earned a BA in English from Grand Valley State University in 2005. In 2006, her pursuits into strange history led her to design and develop Michigan's Otherside, a website on the unusual and mysterious worlds of Michigan, past and present. She published her first book with The History Press in 2009 titled, "Ghosts & Legends of Michigan's West Coast," and her second book, "Wicked Ottawa County, Michigan," in 2011. Ghosts and Legends of Michigan's West Coast By Amberrose Hammond The History Press Copyright © 2009 Amberrose Hammond All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-59629-663-3 Contents Acknowledgements, Introduction, The Ghost of the Grand Theatre, The Legend of the Melon Heads, The Shoe Tree Legend, Haunted Lake Forest Cemetery, Haunted Nunica Cemetery, The Ghosts of Bower's Harbor Inn, The Ghost Lovers of Castle Park, Grand Traverse Lighthouse, The Legend of Dogman, The Old Traverse City State Hospital, The Ghost of Charles Hackley, The Felt Mansion, The Lost Souls of the Alpena, The Strange Tales of the Beaver Islands, The Ghosts of the Ironsides, Legends and Ghosts of Mouth Cemetery, The Missing Bodies of the Cursed Chicora, A Possession in Muskegon County, The Murder and Ghost of Kate Koopman, In Closing, Bibliography, About the Author, CHAPTER 1 THE GHOST OF THE GRAND THEATRE Sometimes work is the only thing people know. Their jobs become their lives, and in the case of John Buchanan, former custodian of the old Grand Theatre in Grand Haven, it became an afterlife as well. Many believe that John haunted the building when it was up and running as a movie theatre and maybe continues to do so to this day. The Grand Theatre opened its doors on January 23, 1928, at a time when motion pictures were just starting to become popular. Vaudeville shows were still traveling the nation, and the word "Hollywood" was fresh to the ears. The Grand Theatre stage was equipped for plays and traveling shows, complete with dressing rooms behind the stage and in the basement. Traveling troupes and even the old "freak shows" entertained the people of Grand Haven, and from those old vaudeville troupes, the first rumors of ghosts in the dark corners of the building started to surface. The original L-shaped theatre was built for about $380,000 and was inspired by Italian design, with its stucco roof and ornate tile work on the front lobby roof. The theatre boasted 833 seats for filmgoers. Frank Fisher was a longtime manager of the Grand for over twenty years from the 1940s to the 1960s. Having been on the vaudeville circuit with his wife for many years, Frank knew many of the actors who were appearing in the movies of his time and was able to bring a little bit of Hollywood to Grand Haven. Many decades later, the 1990s brought about the dawn of the multiscreen theatre, and it became difficult for a single-screen movie house to compete. In 1996, Amy Lake and husband, D.T. LaVercombe, bought the theatre and hoped to do something exciting with the place, but as rumor circulated about a multi-screen theatre coming into Grand Haven, the end looked like it was near. The husband-and-wife duo tried to breathe life into the building one last time by getting a liquor license. They offered beer and wine with dinner during the movie, later renovating the old seating to add tables to create a dinner-and-a-movie experience. While it was a fun idea, it wasn't enough, and the pair sold the building to local businessman Steve Loftis. Many ideas bounced around about making a fine arts center or a fancy hotel out of the building, but in the end, the theatre portion of the Grand met its end with a wrecking ball to make room for high-end condominiums. It was a sad day as people poked around the rubble of the building, picking up a brick or two as souvenirs of times gone by. Petie Oom, a lifelong resident of Grand Haven, remembers growing up and hanging out as a kid in the Grand. It was one of the places in town where she spent plenty of time, watching movies and getting into trouble. One day, Petie decided to be mischievous and write her name on a chair in the theatre. The manager, Frank Fisher, promptly kicked her out, knowing exactly