Weird Michigan: Your Travel Guide to Michigan's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets

Weird Travel Guides

by Linda S. Godfrey, Mark Moran (Foreword), Mark Sceurman (Foreword)

Is it weird that the Wolverine State may never have had any wolverines in it? We think so, and that suits us fine. The weirder the better, we say, and Michigan falls perfectly into that category. Oh, sure, big-time heroes like Charles Lindbergh and Madonna hail from here, and so does President Gerald Ford, but do they compare to superhero Captain Jackson, who strolls around town in a purple cape doing good deeds? Well, yes, maybe they do, but the captain, in our opinion, is more representative of our fine state. Because, let's face it, Michigan has a great big quantity of . . . weirdness. That's how we were able to entice best-selling author Linda Godfrey to swim over from Wisconsin, grab a notebook, and track down all kinds of serious weirdness for you, Motown flowing through her headphones the whole time.

Just turn the pages and see what she found. Read about the guru of toilet paper, the Devil's Soup Bowl, a bottle house and a bottle tower, our own Bigfoot, a pickle barrel house, the world's fastest cow, a fire breather and an eyeball smoker, the Outhouse Classic, UFOs of every size and shape, crop circles, and brown goo. Just don't, no matter how tired you are, even think about sitting in the Witch's Chair.

It's a great state. Especially since we have lots of lake monsters and all our residents live no more than six miles from an inland lake—at least that's what our state's official Web site says. But Linda will take you way beyond what the governor's office will tell you—to say nothing of what your history teacher left out of the lesson plans. We think you'll agree that Weird Michigan , a brand-new entry in the best-selling Weird U.S. series, is a trip no self-respecting Michigander (or Michiganian, if you prefer—and that's pretty odd, don't you think?) would ever want to miss.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History, Paranormal, Humor, Ghosts, Coffee Table Books

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2005

Reviews

[Jeremy Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adore odd-ball books, especially those which discuss local oddities such as this one. Whether believable or absurd, the accounts and facts listed in this book captured my imagination. After reading this book, I couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer weirdness of my state.

[Rachael Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not going to lie. I really, really enjoyed this book. I actually read it with a Google window open in front of me so I could look things up, even if it was just a town on a map. The whole book really made me feel like I needed to let my freak flag fly. There were just so many cool and/or weird things in there. I caught myself telling Hubby about a bigfoot sighting that happened just a town away in 1992 and things like this lead to whole discussions.

There’s everything in this book. You’ve got your hauntings, your cemeteries, cool old buildings, tourist traps. There are ancient mysteries and strange “natural” phenomenon. Some of it is super campy but it was completely engrossing for me.

Before I return this one to the library I plan to write a list of things I want to see. Someday it will be summer and a few little road trips could be a blast.

[Stacey]

There was entirely too much material from the UP. I believe that the author was from Wisconsin and didn't feel like traveling to the Detroit area for a lot of her research. There are much better stories to tell than the ones she did. However, she did get some right and I have been there to prove it.

[Cindy Koch-Krol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in a really weird state! I loved this book so much that I decided to buy some other ones for states that I plan to go to in the next year. I really want to go see some more of the things that I've read about. Interesting day spent reading lots of little blurbs about things in Michigan, from the Paulding lights, to the melon heads, to the guy who had himself crowned king of Beaver Island. It's interesting!

[Heather Bridson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so I had to have this when I saw it on the shelf at a local thrift store. I love so much that is in it! Living in Michigan I have heard the stories of a lot of these, and it was fun learning new ones! I love the photo used for Building 50, and so many more! A Great book for all those with strange interests such as myself. It only took so long to read because we had some family emergencies, and I just wasn't reading much for a while.

[Lara Giesbers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting, and serves as a great way to get a "most unlikely places" tour of Michigan. From ancient sacred grounds, to spooky abandoned buildings and everything in between, Weird Michigan gives you the good, bad, and crazy of Michigan. A fun thing to do is to check out some of these places as you read about them. You can learn a lot about Michigan's history that's just outside your place of residence. Happy hunting!

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertainingly written collect of history, legend, folklore, notable individuals and general local color from the state of Michigan. It was fun and interesting to read, made more so by actually knowing some of the people and places featured. I recommend it, especially to anyone with ties to Michigan.

[SusanwithaGoodBook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some of the stories and others were really stupid and boring. I should have researched this series a little more before I bought these books. The UFOs and Ghosts are just stupid. The roadside stuff and building histories were interesting. (Same review for all of the Weirds I've read so far.)

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned some new legends on my home state. This needs an updated version as some of the weird things list websites that no longer exist. Wish it included more paranormal pictures like all the ghost sightings just show the place but no evidence.

[Valerie Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting local lore; I'm a sucker for these and I was looking for some fun things to see on the way to or around Detroit later this year. This Michigan volume relies too much on "local Native American legend," which it's like, lol, sure.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has a lot of cool info! I really enjoyed it.
Enjoy!

[Marysue Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun read if you love Michigan

[jimtown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Believe it or not, this book was a lot of fun to read. It also made me wonder, for the first time since the mid 70s about my fearlessness in wandering Michigan alone. The pages of Weird Michigan are filled with pictures and stories of the bizarre, odd, eerie and unexplained things that inhabit or have inhabited Michigan. The book is organized into twelve sections, such as Bizarre Beasts, Unexplained Phenomena, Roadside Oddities and Cemetery Safari. Some of the most interesting or unusual stories were documented by Linda and her Weird gang of author helpers as they toured Michigan in their Weirdmobile. There are many versions of some stories as well as many stories that they werent able to tell, but that are still out there waiting on the next unsuspecting person to happen upon them.

As I read about the spirits, the abandonments and the creative artists, I could think of several places Ive seen that would fit right into this book. Ive also seen and photographed a wolverine in Michigan, seen a UFO and a cougar, all things discussed in Weird Michigan. Ive not seen any spirits but have photographed and documented several strange phenomenon. Ive also heard some strange stories. So many strange things have happened, that it makes it easy to overlook the little incidences, such as men in black and lights in the sky.

The author hails from Wisconsin and she had previously written Weird Wisconsin, which I think will be on my list of books to read soon.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love reading these books. despite the fact that for the most part, they're all the same just in different states (every state has its gravity roads, its abandoned mental hospitals, its ghost lights, its bigfoots, and its ufos), i still get a huge kick out of them, and tend to fly through them when i do read them.

there's just something about them that appeals to the kid in me that once wanted to be a cryptozoologist.

that said, while i really liked this one, i didn't LOVE it the way i have others. maybe, after reading eight other books in the series, i'm just becoming desensitized to the charms of the "weird" (oh, please say it isn't so...), or maybe this one just wasn't put together quite as well as the others. oh well. i guess we'll see when it comes time to read the next one...

[AquaMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cool one. Many of the myths, legends, and places featured here I've never heard of. Others, I've visited. One (Blood Road) is just 10 minute drive from my home. Although I should add that the local Lapeer County stories I heard about that road were very different than the ones featured in the book. Actually, when M-24 was under severe construction that resulted in a 9-5 parking lot a few years back, Blood Road was a major part of my "scenic route" home. It's a very pretty drive with the southern half of the heavily wooded road being only one lane. Nothing supernatural, though, aside from the name. The oddest thing that ever happened to me there was a close encounter with a stray dog at the intersection of Blood and Brauer (note: I didn't hit the dog). Still, this book is something to consider when planning my next vacation.

[Kattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I had higher hopes for this book than what I got. This book has lots of ghost stories, some roadside attractions, but mostly stories that have been passed around about various...pasts. You eventually get tired of the ghost stories, geological findings, and there are a few too many wolfmen for my tastes. The only reason I haven't abandoned it totally is because the stories are fairly short. So I've been skipping around, opening the book and flipping through to things I haven't read yet.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really think this book deserves about a 2.5. I enjoyed it, but not enough for three stars. I am interested in seeing much more of MI, but this book is not one I will turn to to find out where to go or what to see. What it really needs is a cross-reference guide, a few maps, and a more logical, i.e. geographical, organization of material. It also could use some good editing! As a new Michigander, I need all of the help I can get to find put about my new homeland, but I do not think this is the book to do that (although it is a good supplement).

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who likes reading about the paranormal, supernatural, eccentric, or simply bizarre, this is a fun read... I really enjoyed it, probably due largely to the fact that I am a native Michigander (Michiganian?), but I think it would also be interesting to anyone who's planning a trip to Michigan or has been to Michigan in the past. If one has no interest in the odd or unique, or Michigan, then this probably isn't the book for that person.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

my husband thought that it was funny to give this to me for Christmas. I'm from Michigan - actually, it's a beautiful book, although I believe some of these stories (ostensibly with newspaper sources) are cut out of whole cloth, just flat out made up. But many of the sites are legit, as I can attest. Just fun!

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

One doesn't so much read this book as one skims through it. There are "Weird" books for almost anyplace in the USA, and a few overseas, and it's a guilty pleasure to find familiar places that have "mysterious" or just plain goofiness attached.

I didn't know the Kalamazoo Civic Theater had a resident ghost until I found its entry in Ms. Godfrey's opus. Fun and very lightweight.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contains lots of interesting myths, legends, and stories about my state. I've always been entertained by ghost tales or events of unexplainable origin, so naturally, this book was something I would like to read. Occasionally, I'll open it back up and read up on some things. There are probably countless more stories that could have been featured in this, but there is only room for so much!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really interesting. I loved it. I have been to a few of the places. I think Michiganders would get the most out of this book because they are closer to the places. One of the stories was close to me thought because I had family members injured in the Bath School Disaster.

[Videoclimber(AKA)MTsLilSis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was just not as interesting to me as some of the other "Weird" books. This had a lot more strange and a lot less scary. Seriously, "The Rolling Muff" Come on now! Uh...okay...Thought Michigan would be much more interesting. I was not impressed!

[Tyler Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book. It has many different storys of the legends of the state of Michigan and the experiments some people have had with the legends. I recommend this book for people that like horror books.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm too much of a skeptic to have enjoyed most of this book, though having said that, being a Michigander myself I've had first-hand experience with a couple of the subjects in the stories included within its pages.
I found the final chapter on abandoned buildings most interesting.

[Kirsten Karlen · Rating 3 out of 5]

We were given 2 of the Weird... books, and they are really interesting to flip thru - good coffee table books. Not as much funny stuff in each state as much as just...weird. :)

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME!

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, if not exactly what I was hoping for. (I really wanted some places to visit on mini road trips.) But it's been interesting, even for this skeptic.

[Juicy_Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to skin through but Frankenmuth or Bronners (the biggest Christmas store on earth) is not mentioned at all! How in the world did they miss that!?

[Katie]

Hooray for gravity hills.