Inside the Now-Demolished Poltergeist House in Southern Michigan
One of Michigan's most famous ghost stories still creeps me out…and the house in question is now gone forever.
I first heard about this haunting when I was reading the newspaper in late 1961. It sounds like something that a reporter made up for the Halloween season, but no…this paranormal activity was for real.
On October 30, 1961, Vic Lincoln and his family heard heavy footsteps and pounding coming from the basement steps. As the days wore on, more weird stuff took place: more thuds and pounding, moaning and groaning, dishes and other kitchen items flying off the shelves, windows breaking, Christmas tree bulbs kept flying out of their sockets, and knives flying on their own. One knife ended up slicing the leg of Beatrice Lincoln, which she showed to the newspaper reporter.
But that isn't all:
A can of shaving cream flew through a window by itself
Beds unmade themselves
Books moved from their shelves to other rooms
Footsteps were heard pacing on the porch
Furniture overturned
Garbage littered on the floor
Gas burners came on by themselves
Lights coming on by themselves
Water faucets turning on by themselves
The Jackson poltergeist story spread throughout the country. Vic was quoted in the Jackson Citizen Patriot as saying, "I've never believed in ghosts, but now I don't know." Of course, a ‘professional’ investigation was held, and as expected, their conclusion was anything else but a result of something paranormal. They blamed the occurrences on house settling and old mining shafts.
It’s been said that the house’s original structure was built in 1837 – but I found from a realtor that it was built in 1920. That's still plenty of time for centuries-old spirits to hang around. In 2021, the house was demolished…not just the house, but the garage, and all the trees on the property…Everything gone. Now that whole lot is barren. Someone must feel that there was something strange on that property, otherwise why would even the trees be removed? Is there something wrong with the whole property?
Even though the house is now gone, you can see what the house looked like on the inside once it was unoccupied in the gallery below.
Haunted Maltby Street House, Jackson (Now Demolished)