The very thought of an asylum conjures up disturbing images of lobotomies, patients wasting away in decrepit cell-like rooms, and the criminally insane mixing dangerously close to those who pose no threat. It also has us thinking about the thousands of unfortunate souls who had no chance of ever leaving. Instead, they were left to die, their ghosts forever remaining to haunt the halls of their earthly prisons. Here are some abandoned asylums in Michigan with stories that can keep you up at night with fear.

1. Traverse City State Hospital, Traverse City
zenmasterdod/Flickr
Perhaps the creepiest place in the Traverse City area, this state hospital originally opened as an insane asylum in 1885. Patients with tuberculosis, typhoid, diphtheria, and polio were also treated in this facility which was appropriately designed in the Gothic style.
Underground tunnels were constructed beneath the hospital to transport sick patients, without exposing them to the elements.
Joseph Erlewein/Flickr
Rumor has it that there is a portal to Hell under what is known as the "Hippy Tree." If you're looking for scary places in Michigan, this is the place to visit!
830 Cottageview Dr, Traverse City, MI 49684, USA
Joseph Erlewein/Flickr
Today, guided tours are available on the grounds. Just try to walk through these eerie halls and not feel uneasy. You can book a tour of Traverse City State Hospital.

See what it’s like to explore the tunnels underneath this asylum:

2. Eloise Asylum, Westland
30712 Michigan Ave, Westland, MI 48186, USA
Don...The UpNorth Memories Guy... Harrison/Flickr
Also known as the Wayne County Infirmary, Psychiatric, and General Hospital Complex, this once sprawling asylum served the invalid and mentally ill for more than 150 years. Abandoned in the 70s, the facility remained a spooky oddity for thrill-seeking teens, where it was said that discarded medical waste and even human bodies remained. The place has since been razed and turned into a golf course.

Check out a paranormal investigation of the Eloise Asylum:

3. Kalamazoo Sanitarium, Kalamazoo
C Rodenbarger/Flickr

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1491 Blakeslee St, Kalamazoo, MI 49006, USA
C Rodenbarger/Flickr
In its heyday, this facility, also known as the Southwest Michigan Tuberculosis Sanitarium, was considered a state-of-the-art facility for treating patients suffering from TB. As the deadly threat of tuberculosis subsided in the 1960s, the place became the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital. Neighbors of this building have said they've heard the wailing of souls of those who spent their last years confined to the institution.

Take a look at the history of this old asylum:

4. Michigan State Sanitarium, Howell
Don...The UpNorth Memories Guy... Harrison/Flickr
Another former institute for treating tuberculosis patients, this sanitarium opened in 1907. Like the Kalamazoo facility, it also switched to treating the mentally disabled, changed hands a couple of times, and then was shuttered for good in 1982. Years later, the property was torn down to make way for upscale housing, however, the area was said to be haunted.
303 W Allegan St, Lansing, MI 48933, USA
Don...The UpNorth Memories Guy... Harrison/Flickr
Pictured here is the former Boys Cottage. The sanitarium housed all ages from children to adults.
5. Northville Hospital, Northville
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
This facility opened in 1952 and was considered one of the finest facilities in the country for treating psychiatric patients. But that reputation did not last, as reports became public decades later that patients were forced to sleep in hallways, were left with nothing to do but chain smoke and watch television all day, and were even subjected to attacks by staff members and other patients.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
These were the seats in the former auditorium.
Northville, MI, USA
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
Though aged markedly by the weather, this sprawling facility stayed quite intact until it was demolished in 2018.

These are some of the more prominent sanitariums, state hospitals, and asylums in Michigan with haunting pasts. Which of these do you find most creepy? Have you taken a guided tour through any abandoned asylums in Michigan? Tell us in the comments!

And if you have an insatiable appetite for all things spooky, be sure to take a road trip to check out these haunted cemeteries in Michigan!

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Abandoned Places In Michigan

Melissa Mahoney | March 15, 2021

Are there any ghost towns in Michigan?

Ghost towns in Michigan include:

  • Fayette
  • Bell

Michigan is home to several well-known ghost towns like Fayette in the Upper Peninsula. Once thriving with residents and the iron-ore industry, this town was pretty much abandoned by the turn of the century The site is now a state park visitors can explore and see the equipment used in the iron-ore production and several buildings that were left behind. With the Besser Natural Area lies a tiny ghost town that sits among the trees. This was the town of Bell which began in the 1880s and was abandoned once its post office closed in 1911. There’s a trail you can hike along that will lead you to the ruins.

What are the creepiest cemeteries in Michigan?

The creepiest cemeteries in Michigan include:

  • Reynolds Cemetery
  • William Ganong Cemetery

Cemeteries have long been considered creepy places especially the ones associated with ghostly tales and urban legends. There are many haunted cemeteries in Michigan and older ones, in particular, seem to have more paranormal activity than newer ones. Reynolds Cemetery in Jackson has reported sightings of two spirits, a father and daughter who were murdered back in 1883 along with two others. To this day, the grisly murder has gone unsolved and the ghosts are said to appear every year on one night in November. You can really get creeped out at the William Ganong Cemetery, also known as Butler Cemetery, in Westland where people have reported seeing floating orbs and glowing eyes. Creepy! 

Can I tour any abandoned places in Michigan?

Abandoned places you can tour in Michigan include:

  • Eloise Asylum
  • Jackson Prison

While abandoned places can be thrilling to visit, some are not safe to do so and may even have no trespassing signs posted. There are several around Michigan you can visit and even take a guided tour which is a great way to safely view an abandoned location and learn its history. Eloise Asylum, a former psychiatric hospital in Westland, is a hotbed of paranormal activity and has offered ghost tours and paranormal investigations. This historic Jackson Prison is another place that has offered guided tours. (Check the websites for updates on future tours.)

 

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