By Wayne Thomas
Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters
In the late 1800s, Bay City was considered the “Lumbering Capital of the World.” In her book “Haunted Bay City, Michigan,” Nicole Beauchamp describes a six-block red-light district known as ‘Hell’s Half Mile,” which was characterized by violence, gambling, and, prostitution. This scene would recur each spring when between five to ten thousand rowdy lumberjacks would come to town. Apparently it was not uncommon to see bodies of murder victims floating down the Saginaw River. According to Beauchamp the brutal beginnings of brawling, boozing, and brothels, left a paranormal imprint on the Bay City area. Theoretically a brutal tortured existence can lead to unrest in the afterlife. Reported ghost activity includes a “sinister Victorian lady” who scares visitors on the upper level of Bay City Antique Center and a little ghost girl roaming Sage Library.
Chapter one in Beauchamp’s book, titled “The Gray Ghost,” outlines the historical significance of the USS Edson that is now docked on the Saginaw River. Visitors to the Edson tell of various paranormal experiences that have included the barking of a canine spirit and pictures of Paul, a former caretaker who loved his job so much that his spirit still strolls the decks, playing pranks on patrons. The Gray Ghost/USS Edson was featured in a 1963 “Twilight Zone” episode called, “The Thirty-Fathom Grave” where they used video from inside the ship.
Beauchamp’s chapter titles are cleverly worded and the text is full of supernatural insights and historical highlights of locations like Tummy Ache Candy Store and Sage Library, the oldest public library in Michigan. In 2009, Beauchamp founded the Tri-City Ghost Hunters Society, a paranormal research team. Equal to the group’s passion for the paranormal is its support for historical preservation, giving thousands of dollars to fully renovate antiquated buildings.
As the big trees disappeared from the surrounding Saginaw Bay area so did the thousands of seasonal roughneck lumberjacks that created Hell’s Half Mile and gave birth to the haunted history of Bay City, Michigan.
You can learn more about Nicole Beauchamp and Tri-City Ghost Hunters Society on Grand Rapids Ghost Hunter Podcast episode #32, which features Beauchamp as a special guest.
