subject: Harbor Lights | Home Lighting Decor [print this page] The Osceola Inn is located in the historic downtown section of Reed City in Michigan. In the 1800s Reed City was a growing village located by the Hersey River and at a railroad junction making it a great place for people to do business. There were logging and petroleum industries. Reed City grew and became incorporated as a city in 1875. Businesses began setting up shops in 1870. The King Brothers started The King Hotel and Saloon which they ran until it was sold in the early 1900s. After which it was renamed The Osceola Hotel and changed to The Osceola Inn in the 1940s.
The West Michigan Ghost Hunters Society has given the report of the following entities found at The Osceola Inn:
- a couple Josephine and Andrew stayed at the hotel in the early 1900s. Their room was on the 3rd floor. Apparently Andrew would beat Josephine but be as it may she still can't leave him even today.
- The 2nd floor is haunted by Peter who was a frequent visitor during the 1940s. He was a gambler who failed miserably. When push came to shove he killed himself in his room.
- On the 1st floor in the bar you may meet Audrey. She lived at the hotel with her children and died here of an unknown illness.
- Besides Peter the 2nd floor also offers Louisa who died when she fell from the 2nd floor stairway.
- And there is also a man who died of a heart attack while sleeping in this room.
There are other entities as well but have not been specifically identified. Paranormal investigators have done various investigations at The Osceola Inn and are planning to do even more. One of the most interesting things picked up was the barking of a ghost dog and a female ghost voice saying "Shanta!" and then slapping her leg as if calling the dog. Tim a paranormal investigator has seen a female apparition in white go across the lobby area and disappear into a wall. His brother Harold Harte also saw a face of a woman in a window in one of the rooms on the 2nd floor.
So take a trip, come and visit who knows who you might meet.
On a hill in the Heritage Hill section of Grand Rapids, Michigan is a private residence called The Phillips Mansion. It is a two story antebellum mansion built in Georgian Revival style. Four large pillars in the front make it look grand. Built in 1864 the house had eight rooms and the kitchen was in a shed in the back. In 1880 James T. Phillips owner of the Grand Rapids Clock and Mantel Company bought the mansion. The Phillps family lived there for 32 years. Afterwards it was bought by Dr, John F. Burleson in 1912 who lived there until a mysterious fire in 1934 drove them out. One of his daughters was a spiritualist who held seances there. During the 1940s the mansion became a nursing home for elderly women for about 12 years. In 1952 the place was transformed into apartments but in 1973 when two women renting an apartment on the second floor had some scary experiences with entities the mansion was again sold into private hands. Ward Paul and Chuck Schwander restored it to its original glory.
At least three ghosts have made their presence known. In 1972 Miss Schwander and her roommate felt that the mansion would be a nice, quiet place to live and rented a two bedroom 2nd floor apartment. Awaking one night Miss Schwander was startled to see near the room's ceiling a large head of a young, blond man smiling at her. He slowly moved across the ceiling and then disappeared. Another night she was awakened by a bright and blinding light like a giant floodlight. Terrified she ran to her roommate but when they returned the light was gone. Both women stayed there until 1973 when early one morning Miss Schwander felt a strong presence near her. She turned her head and saw lying next to her a very, old wrinkled woman who looked as if she had been sick for quite awhile. The entity looked like a real person but was deathly white. She was breathing noisily through her mouth and her face was contorted in agony. Screaming Miss Schwander again ran to get her roommate. Returning they only saw the impression of the old woman's head on the pillow. This sent the roommate's packing and informing people of their experiences.
Because of the publicity about the haunting the mansion was sold to two men who weren't bothered by the idea of ghosts. They found it amusing to be living among the entities and restored the mansion tearing out the apartment partitions. Shortly after moving in Chuck sleeping in one of the upstairs bedrooms awoke and heard footsteps on the staircase going from the first floor to the second. The step became louder and louder and stopped outside his bedroom door. When he opened the door no one was there.
Ward felt someone jerk his big toe while lying in bed reading. After renovation things started jumping. There were thumping, vibrations and moving objects and furniture with no rational explanations. Guest who have stayed the night have been kept awake by banging, heavy male footsteps and the sound of furniture being dragged across the floor in the attic.
Over the years guests have seen glowing images floating around the bedrooms. Each room is equipped with a large whistle and a huge glass of water which supposedly will keep ghosts at bay. Ghosts are said to be afraid of water. Vibrations have shaken pictures off of walls and contents of waste baskets have been thrown all over the room. One night when the furnace failed Ward and Chuck slept in the living room in sleeping bags by the fireplace and were kept awake by an unseen presence walking around them all night. During a dinner party one night there was the sound of a shattering explosion bringing all the guests quickly up the stairs but nothing appeared disturbed. They however did see a misty apparition float up the stairs after them and disappear at the top of the staircase. Three years after moving in Ward and Chuck were in the living room when an older gentleman appeared to them standing next to the fireplace. He was dressed in an Edwardian-style brown tweed coat and was in solid form. When Ward went toward him he melted into the air. Some evenings after this entities first appearance Ward saw him again while standing on the 2nd floor landing. He saw the gentleman in the entry hall dressed in his brown tweed suit with a cane under his arm and a bowler hat on his head. The gentleman looked u pat Ward tipped his hat and smiled pleasantly and then walked straight through the front door. The gentleman has been identified as James T. Phillips who loved the mansion and died there in 1912.
Being such a large house the upkeep of the mansion wasn't cheap and Ward and Chuck rented a large 2nd floor room to a friend Rick who was an art student. He used the room as a bedroom and art studio. There was a presence in this room that resented having someone there but eventually excepted them. One night after Rick had turned off the lights and gotten into bed something slammed his door shut. When he got up to look at the door he found it open by 3 inches and there was no draft that could have reopened the door. Working on his art projects he would be disturbed by loud noises coming from the attic. Once Rick lost patience and shouted Shut up!" A second later his red paint cup rose quickly in the air and dumped its contents on his head. While wiping the paint off his painting board arose by itself and whacked him on the back. It appeared that an unseen presence was upset about Rick's rude behavior. Afterwards he controlled his temper.
