Strange and Unknown Things!
Haunted cemeteries, floating orbs of light, Sasquatch, singing sands, and even Jimmy Hoffa all have ties to the UP!
The Haunted Kitchie Cemetery
The Kitchie cemetery is about 9 miles east of Two Rivers Motel and Cabins just off of M28.
The welcome sign indicates that the very small Kitchie Cemetery was established in 1889, but the most recent date found on a grave stone is 1901. It has only 19 marked graves - with 11 of them being children under the age of eight (no one here died of old age). There are several children of soldiers buried here. Of the 19 marked graves, one is unknown and the other 18 have 18 different surnames, none of which is Kitchie.
While there are plenty of rumors as to why it is here, we have yet to hear a solid explanation. Is it an old family graveyard? Is it all that's left of a town named Kitchie that no longer exists? A children's graveyard?
Now for the interesting stuff. People have reported many different strange things here - disembodied screams that come from nowhere - the sound of chainsaws - floating orbs that come out of the woods and surround vehicles when visiting the graveyard are just a few.
The only reported ghost activity in the cemetery is an unknown woman who can be seen crying near the children’s graves which are in the back left corner.
There have been reports of the sound of horses walking down the road leading to the cemetery.
The Paulding Light
The Paulding Light, also known as Dogs Meadow Light, is about 25 south and west of Two Rivers Motel and Cabins just off of US-45 on Robbins Pond Road.
The first recorded sighting of the Paulding Light was in 1966 when a group of teenagers reported the light to a local sheriff. Hundreds of locals and tourists claim to have seen the light, which varies from white to red to green to blue.
Although stories related to the light vary, the most popular legend involves the death of a railroad brakeman. The legend states that the valley once contained railroad tracks and the light is the lantern of the brakeman who was killed while attempting to stop an oncoming train from colliding with railway cars stopped on the tracks. Another story claims the light is the ghost of a slain mail courier, while another says that it is the ghost of an Indian dancing on the power lines that run through the valley.
Several investigations have tried to prove where the light comes from, and they seem to indicate that it is due to car headlights on the north–south stretch of US 45, approximately five miles (8.0 km) north of the observation area. BUT - if you talk to the locals that have seen the light, they talk about it coming right up to you and swirling around at times - which could not be explained away by headlights.
The "Rock Cut" or the "Million Dollar Railroad"
Very close to Mount Arvon in the forests of the Huron Mountains, there is a huge 1,000-foot gash in the solid rock. It was created in the 1890s to run the Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad from Champion to an ore dock near Skanee.
A group of investors in the Detroit area spent about 2 million dollars and employed 1500 men building a railroad and ore dock. The Rock Cut is a place where they dynamited an almost-impenetrable wall of rock and workers carried away the debris in wheelbarrows.
Around 1893, this slab of the Iron Range & Huron Bay Railroad was finally completed, much to the relief of the men. However, their relief turned to dismay when they learned the Champion Mine stopped producing ore.
Here’s where two stories come into play. I don’t know which one is true. The local legend says that the locomotive made it downhill to the bay, returned and could not climb up the steep 8% grade near the Rock Cut. Other sources say that the trains never even ran at all. It was a failed venture. The company spent $2 million in four years and went bankrupt.
Can you imagine being one of those workers? The railroad they toiled so hard to complete WOULD NEVER BE USED. Shortly after, the railroad was sold for about $100,000 and the tracks were removed and used downstate.
If you look closely, Tim is in this picture - it should give you some indication as to the height of this 1,000-foot gash in the rock.
It is not an easy feat to find the Rock Cut, and it is not recommended to visit in the Spring, as it will be too wet and muddy from the snow melt. Here are the coordinates - 46.73186681031113, -88.17414289753174
The Singing Sands of Bete Grise (Bay-de-gree)
A little further away (about 115 miles) is the signing sands of Bete Grise beach! If you are headed up to Copper Harbor, this might make your list of places to stop at.
When you press down with the palm of your hand on the sand on Bete Grise beach, it actually makes a singing sound and striking it quickly with your hand makes a barking sound!. If the sand is removed from the beach to another location, the phenomenon can’t be replicated.
It’s said that the sound the sand makes is the voice of a Native American maid crying out to her lost lover who died at sea, in Lake Superior. Scientists say the sand sings when perfect conditions are met, such as size of the grains, humidity, and the makeup of the sand. However, they don’t completely understand what creates the phenomenon.
Jimmy Hoffa
Did you know that Jimmy Hoffa had a vacation home about 10 miles south of Two Rivers Motel and Cabins?
That's right! Tepee Lake is just south of Kenton off of FFH16, and Jimmy Hoffa used to have a vacation home there - and it is still owned by the Hoffa family! Some of the locals can tell you stories about when he would come and vacation here. After Jimmy disappeared, the FBI searched the Tepee Lake area to see if any clues could be found as to his where-abouts.
Sasquatch
Whether you believe in Sasquatch (Bigfoot) or not, quit a few people in the UP have reported hearing their calls, seeing structures that they built, and even claim to have caught them on trail cams. My advice - just keep your eyes open and your camera ready to take some pictures! Whether you catch a moose or a Bigfoot, either will be a great tale to tell.