Water, water, everywhere…Michigan is known for it! But there’s a lot more to our state than meets the eye. You’ve heard the legend of Atlantis, a once-booming island civilization that ultimately sunk to its demise in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. But did you know that Michigan has its own Atlantis, tucked away under a lake between Ann Arbor and Detroit? It’s true: there’s an old city under Belleville Lake in Michigan, and this eerie underwater ghost town is a hidden gem of the strangest sort. However, few people know it even exists.

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What a sad and eerie history uncovered right here in Michigan! The next time you’re near the shores of Belleville Lake, make a quick stop at the Rawsonville historical marker and pay tribute to the Mitten State’s very own Atlantis. This underwater ghost town in Michigan is definitely one of our most unique historic places.

Did you know about this city under Belleville Lake?

Not all of Michigan’s coolest ghost towns are underwater, though. We have quite a few hiding in nearly every corner of the state! Take a ghost town road trip to uncover a number of them at once, or discover them one by one – take your pick!

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More to Explore

City Under Belleville Lake

Where are some abandoned places in Michigan?

Michigan is home to some awesomely spooky abandoned places! For example, there's the world-famous Michigan Central Station, in Detroit, which has long seemed to be an icon for the ongoing urban decay of the city.

The Southwest Michigan Tuberculosis Sanitarium, in Kalamazoo, is another iconic abandoned Michigan treasure, with as many ghost stories as there once were patients.

If you look hard enough, you'll find abandoned places all over the state - from derelict homesteads to eerie, rotting institutions, Michigan is a haven for lovers of urban exploration. Check this list out for some more ideas.

What are the best creepy places in Michigan?

Michigan is home to a lot of creepy, unexplainable, and hair-raising places. For example, the beautiful Landmark Inn, in Marquette, is as haunted as it is lovely. It's still one of the most frequently visited places in Michigan, despite the ghost stories, and to this day, guests can still stay there. Among the spirits thought to roam the halls is a woman known to most only as the "Lilac Lady", who allegedly committed suicide at the Inn in the early 1900s. We would definitely argue that the Landmark Inn will always be one of the best creepy places in all of Michigan!

Where can I find some hidden places in Michigan?

Luckily for us, the Mitten State is full of lots of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. For example, Turnip Rock is a strange, turnip-shaped island lingering off the shore of Lake Huron, and it's as fun to visit as it is to photograph if you're fascinated by unique geological features.

There are also things like the St. Ignace Mystery Spot, which may or may not be some kind of strange vortex where nothing is as it seems (or, it's just a place where your brain tries its best to make sense of bizarre, inconsistent input).

And the "bottle house" in Kaleva, which is a house built of over 60,000 glass bottles. No matter where you look - if you want to, you'll find all kinds of weird and hidden goodies all over Michigan.

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