both the Ghost Hunters’ website and on YouTube. John told me the footage has been turned over to SyFy’s Fact or Faked for further investigation—but he was there that night and assured me that there was nothing “fake” about it. Not that I thought there might be. The Ghost Hunters may be believers in the paranormal, but they will always look for logical explanations first.
John said he and his teammates have been on investigations pretty much every weekend since September and have a lot more planned for the coming year, including visits to the Mansfield State Prison, Yankee Air Museum, and, of course, their annual visit to Whitefish Point. Also included in their busy schedule are a number of educational talks at local libraries, as well as a special event just for children who are interested in learning more about the paranormal.
John told me that he and his team always put children first, and any request for an investigation where kids are involved will always get top priority. “It’s about letting people know they don’t have to be afraid, especially in their own home or business,” he said. The sentiment is echoed by every other member of the team. That desire to ease people’s fears is what drives these folks to give up their weekends and free time, because none of them are paid for what they do—yet they give up countless hours and spend no small amount of money on equipment. Having talked to them at length the day we met and speaking to John again on the phone, it was easy to see why the Motor City Ghost Hunters are so well respected.
John is a licensed mechanical contractor with certification in microbial pest management. In other words, he’s pretty good at figuring out if what seems to be a ghostly phenomenon is “real” or if it can easily be explained away as something related to the structure of a building. Like many of his teammates, he has been interested in the paranormal for most of his life.
One of the other members I met at Whitefish Point was Chass. Like John, she’s married with children and has experienced a number of things in her life that couldn’t be easily or scientifically explained. Chass joined the team after the Motor City Ghost Hunters conducted an investigation in her home.
I also met lead investigator and case manager Kellie, who describes herself as both a “true believer” and a bit of a skeptic. Her educational background is in social science.
Of course, with more than two dozen team members, it would be impossible to mention them all, or even the half dozen or so I was fortunate to meet at Whitefish Point. What I can say is that I look forward to seeing them again; I’ve been invited to join them on an investigation and have every intention of accepting that invitation as soon as time allows.
CHAPTER 6
Battle Alley Arcade Antiques Mall
HOLLY
HOLLY IS PERHAPS BEST KNOWN as the home of the Michigan Renaissance Festival, a favorite autumn destination for Michiganders of all ages, and for the Mt. Holly Ski and Snowboard Resort, one of Lower Michigan’s most popular winter retreats. Another reason to visit the village of Holly is the annual Dickens Festival, held each December along the town’s historic downtown district. The festival brings Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to life by recreating a truly old-fashioned Christmas with carolers, a tree-lighting ceremony, and, of course, a visit from Father Christmas (or simply “Santa” to most American children). But if you’re a paranormal investigator or, like me, just an amateur ghosthunter in search of a few good stories, you will find a lot more than the spirits of Christmas past haunting the quiet 160-year-old village. Holly is said by some to be one of the most haunted little towns in Michigan—which meant I was really looking forward to my visit. I took my husband along with me for this trip too, although I think he was more interested in preventing me from shopping too much than he was in any ghost stories.
Our first stop was the Battle Alley Antiques Arcade, located next door to the historic Holly Hotel. Since it was pretty close to the holiday season, I had called ahead and made an appointment with the antiques shop owner, Patricia Kenny. Pat graciously agreed to show me around and talk to me about the arcade’s history and resident spirits, as long as I came up on a weekday. That worked for us, and I told Pat I would be there on Monday.
When my husband got home from work that afternoon, we made some hot cocoa for the road, bundled up, and were on our way. Holly isn’t far from us, less than an hour, and it was a nice day for a drive and maybe a little holiday shopping—or at least pointing out to my husband all the things I might like to find in my stocking this year! Street parking in downtown Holly proved to be a bit sparse, but my husband found us a spot a short distance from the antiques arcade. We enjoyed a short walk through the historic district, where all of the stores were decked with evergreen garland and red velvet bows for the upcoming holiday season.
I had been curious about how the street named Battle Alley got its name. We found a plaque in downtown Holly that told us the story: Holly hasn’t always been the peaceful little village it is today; it started out as a railroad town, filled with migrant workers and their families, as well as the occasional farmer who would come in for supplies. Despite the fact that Oakland County, in which Holly is situated, was a “dry” county at the turn of the 20th century, the village of Holly maintained a number of saloons and speakeasies in its downtown district. In 1880, a skirmish broke out between some of the migrant railway workers who had settled in Holly and a troupe of travelling circus performers. The fight was said to have left so many people injured that the street on which the brawl took place was dubbed “Battle Alley,” and the name stuck, even into modern times.
Apparently, the drunk and disorderly conduct continued, because in 1908 the Holly prohibition committee called in the infamous Kansas saloon smasher, Carry A. Nation, to put an end to the town’s alcohol problems. After taking her trademark axe to the liquor shelves of the Holly Hotel’s saloon, however, Ms. Nation found herself under arrest. Her conduct may not have been drunken, but town officials decided it was most certainly disorderly!
In 1975, Holly established the Carry Nation Festival to celebrate Ms. Nation’s visit to the village. It may not be as well known as the Renaissance or Dickens Festivals, but the Carry Nation Festival commemorates an important chapter of Holly’s history. In addition to the usual festival traditions—a parade, pageant, and reenactment of Ms. Nation’s visit to the village—many of the downtown pubs offer guests special menus and reduced prices on drinks. Clearly, the residents of Holly have a good sense of humor about their colorful past.
In short order, my husband and I reached our destination, a two-story white brick storefront. Stepping into the Battle Alley Antiques Arcade was more like stepping out onto a Victorian-era street than it was like stepping into an antiques shop. Rather than the usual setup of booths or row after row of display cases, visitors find actual small “shops” lining each side of a long walkway. More than 20 antiques dealers call the arcade home; you can find everything from old vinyl records to antique furniture, vintage clothes, jewelry, and dolls.
“Swaying lights” at the Battle Alley Arcade.
My husband and I were greeted by Patricia Kenny and her brother John, who run the antiques arcade. After making our introductions, Pat invited me to step into a quieter corner of the shop so we could talk. She was candid about her shop’s ghosts. “What would you like to know?” she asked right off the bat.
As usual, I didn’t have any prepared questions. I prefer to invite people to talk to me about their experiences, anything they’ve seen or heard themselves, or anything guests or customers have reported. I asked Pat to tell me about the shop’s ghosts.
“We’re
