Considered to be Michigan’s haunted lighthouse, and one of the most haunted locations in the area of the Great Lakes, the Seul Choix Lighthouse remains to be an interest point among paranormal investigators everywhere. The area in which this particular lighthouse is erected has been deemed as “treacherous” among those that sail through the waters. Throughout history, it has been established that over two dozen ships have wrecked in the waters just below where the lighthouse stands. Of those tragedies, an estimated five hundred individuals lost their lives. In this guide on haunted places to go, you will learn about this haunted lighthouse and the paranormal events that are said to occur here.
The Seul Choix Lighthouse is stationed at the northern point of Lake Michigan. It is located near the city called “Gulliver”. Pronounced “Sis-Shwa”, the name is French and is interpreted to mean “Only Choice”. It is said that a group of sailors who were of French descent stumbled upon the location where the lighthouse now stands when traveling during a turbulent storm. Upon finding the location, they quickly named it “Seul Choix” as it provided them with an ample refuge until the storm passed. This story was passed from one person to another in the area and in the year of 1892, a lighthouse was constructed in the same area that provided refuge to those French based sailors.
There are many stories that surround this supposedly haunted lighthouse. Many of them include a lighthouse keeper that served the structure from the year of 1902 to the year of 1910. In 1910, it is said that he passed away while in the bedroom that is located upstairs. His name was Joseph Willie Townsend. He and his wife resided in the house while he watched over the lighthouse in life. He was known to enjoy smoking cigars in life. Unfortunately, his wife was not a huge fan of the smell and smoke associated with the cigars and informed him that he could not smoke them in the house. However, one of the paranormal experiences that many have had is encountering the smell of burning cigars within the structure while unable to determine a rational cause for this. It is believed that Townsend purposely smokes in the house in the afterlife as his wife cannot forbid it now.
Several years after Townsend passed away, a number of individuals went down to the basement of the haunted lighthouse. They discovered several pieces that formed together to create a large kitchen table. The pieces were assembled so that the table would be whole again. Since the table has been reassembled, there have been many eyewitness accounts to strange and unusual occurrences. Examples of these occurrences include the chairs that belong with the table being moved and rearranged, utensils such as forks and knives, being moved and laid in specific ways. It is believed that Mr. Townsend has everything to do with this as the forks, specifically, are often laid with the tines in the down position – a way that Mr. Townsend was known to lay his fork before and after use.
Many individuals have witnessed what they believe to be the ghost of Joseph Townsend. One particular story documents an individual associated with an alarm company. The owners of the haunted lighthouse decided that they would like an alarm installed in order to ensure that trespassers and other individuals remained outside of the structure when they were not authorized. A man came in, and did measurements and an inspection. He left the lighthouse, locking the door behind him. While sitting in his vehicle, working with the numbers on an estimate, he happened to look up and saw a man staring back at him that he knew was not in the lighthouse when he locked it up. Needless to say, that inspector never revisited the structure.
If you want to visit a haunted lighthouse in the State of Michigan, you are sure to enjoy the Seul Choix Lighthouse. Here, you have learned of a few of the stories surrounding this structure. If you are interested in learning more, or experiencing more, a firsthand visit is in place. When it comes to hauntings of the Great Lakes, this lighthouse is considered to be one of the most popular haunted places to go! Simply go to 672 North West Gulliver Lake Road in Gulliver Michigan, or call 906-283-3183 to schedule your visit to this haunted lighthouse.
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