Pere Cheney - Part 1

Hey Hanklorian's - We have not had a 2 Parter in a hot minute. But, this one has to be. And, I'll tell you why BEFORE I get into the story.

Ya girl Hank had a birthday recently. And, I could not give any gift ideas to anyone because I am a little spoiled (okay, MAYBE a whole lot - but that is neither here nor there) So, my gift was to visit a haunted cemetery and ghost town. And, that my friends is the way to my spooky heart.

So, here is the back ground:

Pere Cheney is located about 15 minutes outside of Grayling, Michigan in Roscommon. This town was also known as Cheney or just Center Plains. This town is pronounced "Pair-a-shane-e"

Cheney was settled by Lumberjacks and was established as a town in 1874 by George Cheney. The village quickly gained a land grant from the Michigan Central Railroad Co. as a railroad went (and still does) through the town. So, it was a perfect spot to make a stop along the railroad. Once the grant was received the town started to boom.

The village had a general store, 2 saw mills, a hotel and even a post office. By the late 1870's the population was over 1,500 Citizens. As the town was building, and growing tragedy struck. Diphtheria spread through the town. This infection wiped out most of the towns population. If this disease wasn't bad enough, soon after, a fire broke out leaving the village damaged. It is thought that the unmanned sawmills caused the fires. As if things couldn't get worse for this village, disease spread AGAIN through this village. By 1901 there were barely 25 people left. In 1917 there were less than 20 people left. The village was put up for auction.

Right before the town was put up for auction the remaining 20 or so people packed all their belongings up and literally walked the 15 or so miles to Grayling to flee the witches wrath. After the auction some of the residents returned, only to burn the remainder of the town down to rid the rest of the town of the disease left.

Some reports say that both diphtheria and small pox spread through the town during both disease outbreaks. While others say it was just diphtheria.

Many of the towns people blamed the tragedies that fell upon this town on a witch that was banished to the woods. Once she was banished from the town it is believed that she cursed the town.

It is said that after all the tragedy hit this town, the witch was found in the woods. She was hung by a tree in the cemetery and then her body was buried nearby.

All that remains in this town is a creepy little cemetery. Most people call this town a literal ghost town. Which it might even be less than that. There are only about 90 graves in this cemetery, and it is rumored that one of the graves in this cemetery is the witches.

Those who have visited the cemetery say they have seen apparitions, figures, glowing orbs, lights and heard voices. There have been reports of hearing children laughs and leaving with children's handprints on their vehicles.

There is a rumor that goes around that says the only viable vegetation that grows is a light green moss.

Another one of the stories as to why so much tragedy hit this town was that the town was built on an ancient burial ground. And, anyone knows that when this happens NOTHING good happens. POLTERGIST anyone?!? This story cannot really be validated as ancient Indian burial grounds weren't really marked. Or, the pale skinned folk really didn't care where they were and just built over top of it.

And, another story that almost makes a little bit of sense is a women gets pregnant out of wed-lock. The towns people find out and flip out. They kick her out of town...permanently...basically banish her to the woods. And, out of hurt and desperation this young pregnant woman curses the town.

But, then there is the theory that the witch and the out of marriage pregnant lady are the same chick. It was just easier to call her a witch then say that this woman was okay with having sex and not having a husband....because the towns people would not have allowed her to be burried her in the same cemetery as their normal towns people...but who really knows.

There are no signs for the town as they were stolen years ago...SAD. And, it make the ghost town hella hard to find.

Part 2 will be up SOOONNN - which will have my personal experience and photos.

xoxo

HANK