Michigan has many strange things in the surrounding waters, and many haunted lighthouses on it shores. Allegedly, the spirits of the patrons and keepers still linger around the lighthouses. Regardless, the South Manitou Island Lighthouse hauntings are familiar occurrences in the Mitten state.

About the South Manitou Island Lighthouse Hauntings

The lighthouse was built in 1872 to help sailors navigate the Manitou Islands. It is located on the island in Lake Michigan, which is west of Leland, MI, in Leelanau County. The lighthouse has gone through quite an evolution in its time. From a “Lewis lamp” to the more modern Fresnel lens, the lighthouse has gone from a practical building to a more appealing coastal fixture. 

The Hauntings

Surrounding the South Manitou Island Lighthouse hauntings are a litany of deaths and disasters. There are also two cemeteries on the island, a ghost-filled forest, and the skeletal remains of an unknown person who had been buried in the sand. Furthermore, the wreck of the SS Francisco Morazan is off the coast of the island. It is a curious wreckage–curious enough to draw the attention of a child who died trying to explore it. 

Another story includes the drowning of “keeper A.A. Sheridan and his wife, Julia, and their infant in a boating mishap in March 1878.” From these drownings, the stories of their ghosts haunting the lighthouse have persisted for many years. Legend says that ghostly voices echo in the causeway between the house and lighthouse on the island. 

But there are other stories around the island that elude to a darker history, aside from your run-of-the-mill haunting. As stated by some reports, cholera-stricken passengers allegedly landed on the island at some point in history, where the sailors “buried them in a mass grave–some reportedly still alive.” This may just be a matter of legend, which stands in contrast to the wreckage of the Three Brothers, submerged in the water nearby. 

Conclusion

I have visited many of the lighthouses on the east coast of Michigan. I have found them all to be pleasant and historic in nature. Most have been kept pretty well through history. A fresh coat of paint does wonders to keep something from looking so dark and forlorn. The ghosts of the island, and lighthouses themselves, have many stories of hauntings surrounding them. Perhaps this is due to the isolated locations. No matter, even when on the beautiful coasts of Michigan, one can’t really help but wonder what’s lurking around these lakeside towers when night falls