Mission Point Resort – Haunted Resort in Mackinac Island, Michigan

Mission Point Resort sprawls across 18 acres of pristine Mackinac Island waterfront, its sprawling complex of connected buildings and manicured grounds concealing a dark history as a religious retreat, school, and site of tragic deaths that left restless spirits wandering its endless corridors, appearing in guest rooms, and manifesting throughout the property with such frequency that staff openly acknowledge their ghostly residents. Originally established as a Moral Re-Armament center where psychological manipulation and intense religious indoctrination allegedly drove vulnerable individuals to mental breakdowns and at least one suicide, the property has transformed into an upscale resort where guests come for relaxation but often leave with stories of paranormal encounters, making it one of Michigan’s most actively haunted hotels where the boundary between vacation destination and spiritual waystation seems dangerously permeable.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1954-1956 (original Moral Re-Armament buildings), with significant expansions in 1970s-1980s

Original Purpose: Mackinac College campus and Moral Re-Armament International headquarters, serving as a religious/philosophical retreat center and educational facility promoting the organization’s controversial ideology

Significant Events: During the Moral Re-Armament era (1950s-1970s), the facility operated as an intense religious compound where participants underwent psychological conditioning, public confession sessions, and emotional manipulation that former members describe as cult-like indoctrination, creating profound psychological trauma that allegedly imprinted paranormally on the buildings. In 1966, a young man named Harvey attending an MRA conference allegedly jumped or fell to his death from an upper floor window after a particularly intense confession and repentance session, his death officially ruled suicide though circumstances remain murky, and staff immediately reported his presence lingering in the building where he died. Throughout the 1960s-70s, participants and staff reported numerous nervous breakdowns, psychological crises, and at least two additional suspected suicides linked to the intense pressure and emotional manipulation characteristic of MRA programming, each tragedy adding layers of disturbed energy to the complex. The property’s conversion to Mission Point Resort in 1988 brought attempts to rebrand and distance from the controversial religious past, but renovation workers reported disturbing encounters including voices, apparitions, and feelings of being watched, suggesting the buildings’ residents resisted or couldn’t comprehend the transformation. Since opening as a resort, thousands of guests have reported paranormal activity ranging from benign (footsteps, voices, doors) to disturbing (apparitions, physical touches, oppressive atmospheres), with the resort initially attempting to suppress reports before eventually embracing the haunted reputation as staff realized denial was futile when phenomena occurred so consistently across decades.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The most pervasive phenomena include footsteps pacing endlessly through hallways particularly on the fourth floor and in older wing sections, occurring at all hours but intensifying after midnight when the resort quiets. Doors throughout the property open and close on their own, with guests reporting being locked out of rooms by invisible forces, finding their door open upon returning when they specifically remember closing and locking it, and watching doors open slowly as if someone is entering though no one appears.

Guests consistently report being touched by invisible hands—shoulders tapped to get attention, hair stroked, blankets pulled off beds during sleep—and hearing voices in empty hallways having full conversations, whispering, or calling names despite no living people being present. Apparitions appear in period clothing from the 1950s-70s, seen in hallways, standing in guest rooms, and appearing in mirrors, while electronics malfunction with lights flickering, televisions turning on and off independently, and alarm clocks resetting to times with potential significance (3:00 AM, 12:00 midnight) despite being properly set.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Harvey – The Suicide Victim: The spirit of the young man who died falling from an upper floor window in 1966 remains trapped at the location of his tragic death, appearing most frequently in the Straits Wing fourth floor near the window where he fell. He manifests as a young man in 1960s clothing appearing distressed and confused, sometimes seen standing at windows gazing down, other times pacing hallways as if agitated, his presence accompanied by overwhelming sadness and the sensation that something terrible is about to happen.

Multiple guests report encountering Harvey’s spirit, describing him approaching them asking “Can you help me?” or “Do you know where I am?” before vanishing, suggesting consciousness trapped in confusion unable to move beyond the moment of death. Several witnesses report seeing him at the window where he fell, experiencing his final moments empathically—the despair, the decision or accident, the terror of falling—and one psychic medium documented that Harvey’s spirit doesn’t understand he’s dead, repeatedly reliving the conference and his psychological breakdown in an endless loop from which he cannot escape.

The Tea Room Lady: A female spirit in 1950s-era formal attire appears throughout the resort but particularly in the Tea Room dining area and adjacent hallways, identified by longtime staff as possibly a Moral Re-Armament instructor or administrator based on her clothing and demeanor. She manifests as a stern, matronly woman with hair in a tight bun, often seen carrying papers or clipboard, walking with purpose as if still conducting business, her presence accompanied by the scent of strong perfume and the feeling of being judged or watched critically.

Guests and staff report this spirit as somewhat threatening, with multiple witnesses describing feeling intimidated by her disapproving presence, experiencing sudden anxiety or guilt when she appears, and one server documented that the Tea Room Lady’s spirit seems to inspect table settings and service, with silverware mysteriously rearranging to “proper” formal placement overnight and the sensation that an invisible supervisor is critiquing performance during service.

The Children on the Lawn: Multiple child spirits appear on the resort grounds, particularly near the lakefront and in areas that once served as play spaces during the property’s school years. These entities manifest as children in 1960s-70s clothing playing games, running, laughing, their presence marked by childish voices, the sound of running footsteps on grass, and brief glimpses of figures that vanish when approached.

Staff members report these child spirits as innocent and playful rather than threatening, though their presence can be startling particularly at dawn or dusk when they appear most frequently, and several employees document speaking to children who seemed solid and real before vanishing mid-conversation, leaving witnesses questioning whether they experienced paranormal encounters or interacted with living children who impossibly disappeared.

The Man in the Suit: A male spirit in formal 1950s business attire appears throughout the resort but particularly in administrative areas, hallways, and near the main building entrance. He manifests as a distinguished gentleman with slicked-back hair, appearing to be conducting inspections or meetings, sometimes carrying a briefcase or papers, his presence accompanied by the smell of old-fashioned cologne and pipe tobacco.

Multiple witnesses describe him as a purposeful presence still engaged in whatever administrative or leadership role he held during the Moral Re-Armament era, with staff reporting seeing him in their peripheral vision walking halls with authority before vanishing when viewed directly, and one night manager documented encountering this spirit in a hallway, greeting him as a late-arriving guest, and having the figure walk directly through a locked door without opening it, revealing his non-corporeal nature.

The Woman Who Cries: A deeply disturbing presence manifests in specific guest rooms (particularly rooms 401, 418, and 426) as the sound of a woman crying softly, sobbing uncontrollably, or whimpering in distress. This entity rarely appears visually but her audio presence is remarkably consistent, with dozens of guests reporting identical experiences of waking to crying sounds, investigating to find their room empty, yet the weeping continues from corners, closets, or seemingly the walls themselves.

Staff theorize this may be a former MRA participant who experienced psychological breakdown, with the crying representing residual emotional trauma that imprinted on specific rooms where she suffered, and several guests have reported that speaking compassionately to the unseen crying woman—offering comfort, acknowledging her pain—produces temporary cessation of the sounds as if she hears and is briefly comforted before the trauma reasserts itself and crying resumes.

The Shadow Figure on Four: The fourth floor of the Straits Wing harbors a distinctly threatening entity that manifests as a tall shadow figure without clear features, appearing in hallways typically late at night, seeming to watch or follow guests and staff. Unlike the identifiable spirits with human origins, this presence feels alien and hostile, with witnesses describing immediate primal fear, difficulty breathing, and overwhelming urges to flee when encountering it.

Multiple employees refuse to work fourth floor night shifts alone after encounters with this entity, reporting being followed by heavy footsteps, feeling breath on their necks, experiencing phantom touches, and one housekeeper documented being pushed violently into a linen closet by invisible hands, the door slamming shut and jamming, trapping her for 20 minutes until rescue, an experience she attributes to the shadow figure’s malevolent nature and one that ended her employment.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

Fourth Floor Straits Wing – Room 418 and Surrounding Hallway: This area where Harvey allegedly died and where the shadow figure appears most frequently generates the most intense, disturbing, and consistently reported paranormal activity in the entire resort, with guests in room 418 and adjacent rooms experiencing phenomena so profound that many request immediate room changes or check out early despite losing deposits. Every guest occupying room 418 reports at least minor unexplained events—doors opening, items moving, electronic malfunctions—while approximately 40% experience major phenomena including full apparitions, physical touches, voices, and overwhelming emotional distress including sudden crushing sadness, anxiety attacks, and irrational fear that seems externally imposed rather than internally generated, while the hallway outside produces consistent reports of footsteps pacing endlessly, shadow figures appearing and disappearing, temperature drops creating freezing conditions, the overwhelming sensation of being watched by multiple unseen entities, and several guests documenting that walking this hallway late at night produces such intense fear—described as “primordial terror” disproportionate to any rational threat—that they run to their rooms or refuse to traverse it alone, with staff acknowledging room 418’s reputation internally though management officially maintains no rooms are “more haunted” than others, yet housekeepers report finding this room in disarray suggesting violent activity when guests claim to have left it neat, objects appearing moved or thrown, and the persistent smell of despair—a distinctive scent witnesses consistently describe as “sadness that you can smell”—that no cleaning products eliminate, making this the single room guests specifically request to avoid when informed about the resort’s paranormal reputation.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes – operates as full-service resort hotel open to paying guests year-round (seasonal closures winter months)

Entry Fee: No day-visit fee; overnight stays range from $159-$599+ per night depending on season and room type; public areas accessible to non-guests during business hours

Tour Availability: No official paranormal tours offered by the resort; historical tours occasionally available focusing on Moral Re-Armament history and architecture ($15 per person, inquire at front desk); several independent Mackinac Island tour companies include Mission Point in their ghost tour itineraries as exterior stop with history and stories

Photography Allowed? Yes in public areas; guest rooms at occupants’ discretion; resort requests respectful photography that doesn’t disturb other guests

Visiting Hours: Resort operates 24/7 for guests; public areas including lobby, grounds, and dining facilities accessible during business hours (typically 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM); overnight accommodation provides full access to all guest areas

Best Time to Visit

May through October provides optimal visiting conditions as the resort operates fully with all amenities, though paranormal activity occurs year-round with some staff suggesting October through early November produces the most intense phenomena. Overnight stays obviously provide the most opportunity for paranormal encounters, with activity intensifying between 11:00 PM and 4:00 AM when the resort quiets and spirits manifest more readily.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Guest Amanda Richardson documented her 2016 stay in room 418 when she woke at 2:30 AM to find a young man standing at her window staring out, initially assuming her husband had gotten up before realizing her husband was asleep beside her and the figure was translucent with 1960s-era clothing, matching descriptions of Harvey, who turned toward her with an expression of profound sadness before vanishing, leaving her shaken but also heartbroken for whatever suffering kept his spirit trapped.

In 2018, front desk manager Timothy Chen captured audio evidence when a motion-activated recorder left in the fourth floor hallway overnight (placed to investigate persistent complaints) recorded over 2 hours of footsteps pacing, doors opening and closing, male and female voices having conversations in languages including English and what linguistic experts identified as possibly German (MRA drew international participants), and most disturbingly, a male voice saying “I can’t do this anymore” followed by what sounds like a window opening and a scream fading as if someone is falling, audio that matches the circumstances of Harvey’s death despite no living people being present during the recording.

Resort housekeeper Maria Gonzales, employed since 2010, documented her most profound encounter in 2019 when cleaning room 426 mid-morning with the room confirmed vacant, she heard crying coming from the bathroom, investigated to find it empty, yet the sobbing continued, seeming to come from the walls themselves, and when she spoke aloud offering comfort—”I’m sorry you’re hurting, I hope you find peace”—the crying stopped immediately and she felt overwhelming gratitude radiating from the space, as if an unseen presence heard and appreciated the compassion, an experience that transformed her understanding of the resort’s hauntings from frightening to heartbreaking.

Local Legends & Myths

The Suicide Pact: Dark legend claims that Harvey wasn’t the only MRA participant who died by suicide but rather one of three young people who made a death pact after being psychologically broken by the organization’s methods, with two others dying off-property, and Harvey’s spirit searches for his co-conspirators, explaining why he seems confused and asks questions of guests, unable to understand why his companions aren’t present.

The Cult Leader’s Curse: Local folklore insists that a high-ranking Moral Re-Armament leader cursed the property before the organization’s departure, declaring that anyone who profits from the land would face spiritual torment, explaining the resort’s haunted reputation as deliberate spiritual contamination rather than residual trauma from suffering participants.

The Hidden Confession Rooms: Persistent rumor claims sealed rooms exist in the oldest buildings where the most intense MRA confession sessions occurred, spaces where psychological torture was so profound that the walls themselves absorbed the trauma, and these rooms remain sealed because opening them would release concentrated malevolent energy that currently remains contained.

The Anniversary Manifestation: Legend states that on the exact anniversary of Harvey’s death, his full apparition appears in room 418, walks to the window, and guests watching will see him fall from the window outside before vanishing, replaying his death in complete detail for those present to witness.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

Northern Michigan Paranormal Society has investigated Mission Point Resort over 30 times since 2010 with resort permission during off-season closures, accumulating extensive evidence including hundreds of EVPs featuring voices identifying themselves, answering questions about their MRA experiences, and expressing confusion about the property’s transformation to a resort. Their thermal imaging captured human-shaped heat signatures moving through hallways when confirmed no living people occupied those areas, and audio recordings documented footsteps, doors, voices, and most remarkably, what appears to be a full MRA meeting occurring in the Tea Room at 3:00 AM including multiple voices, someone leading a group discussion, and sounds of chairs moving, all captured when the building was locked, empty, and investigators were positioned elsewhere.

The Travel Channel’s “Kindred Spirits” investigated the resort in 2019, focusing on Harvey’s story and room 418, where medium Amy Bruni claimed to make contact with Harvey’s spirit who communicated through EVP responses that he felt pressured by the MRA environment, experienced what he called “breaking,” and his fall was suicide driven by psychological collapse, though he expressed he didn’t understand at the time that death would be permanent and now cannot escape. The investigation captured compelling video of objects moving in room 418, dramatic temperature drops, and what appears to be a shadow figure in the hallway matching witness descriptions of the threatening entity, with investigators declaring the fourth floor Straits Wing among the most authentically haunted locations they’d documented.

Dr. Patricia Morrison, a psychologist researching connections between cultic manipulation and paranormal hauntings, conducted a study (2015-2017) involving interviews with former MRA participants, current resort staff, and guest testimonies, documenting patterns suggesting that locations of intense psychological/emotional trauma produce more active hauntings than locations of physical violence alone. Her research at Mission Point supported her hypothesis that Harvey’s suicide combined with the psychological suffering of hundreds of participants created layered hauntings where individual spirits (Harvey, crying woman) coexist with residual recordings of trauma (group sessions, confessions), explaining why some phenomena seem intelligent while others appear as emotional replays devoid of awareness.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

**Guests experiencing disturbing paranormal activity should immediately contact front desk staff who are trained to handle such reports professionally and can offer room changes, though management emphasizes that experiences are subjective and the resort makes no guarantees about paranormal encounters or lack thereof.

**The fourth floor Straits Wing, while accessible to guests who book those rooms, has a documented history of disturbing guests, and those with anxiety disorders, PTSD, or sensitivity to paranormal activity should request accommodations in other buildings or floors, with staff willing to discuss options discreetly though they cannot legally refuse to rent available rooms based on paranormal claims.

**The resort grounds extend to Lake Huron shoreline where cliffs, rocks, and water present drowning and injury risks, particularly for children, with several accidents occurring over the years unrelated to paranormal activity but demonstrating that the beautiful setting contains genuine physical dangers requiring supervision and caution.

**Mackinac Island’s unique car-free environment means emergency services arrive via horse-drawn ambulance, bike, or boat, creating response delays compared to mainland facilities, requiring guests with serious medical conditions to carefully consider whether the remote island location suits their health needs.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

Room 418’s Mirror: The large mirror in room 418’s bathroom allegedly shows reflections that don’t match reality, with multiple guests photographing the mirror showing figures behind them not present in the room, seeing themselves wearing 1960s clothing momentarily, and one guest documenting that speaking to Harvey through the mirror produced a visible response—condensation forming words “HELP ME” on the glass surface despite no humidity source.

MRA-Era Furniture: Original furniture pieces from the Moral Re-Armament period, preserved in some guest rooms and public spaces, allegedly retain emotional imprints causing guests to experience intense emotions—sadness, anxiety, guilt—when touching them, with one antique writing desk producing reports of automatic writing where guests find themselves writing confessional material they don’t consciously remember composing.

The Tea Room China: Original china service from MRA era, still occasionally used for special events, allegedly causes food to taste bitter regardless of actual flavor, with multiple guests reporting that meals served on these specific dishes seem unpalatable despite being properly prepared, suggesting the dishware absorbed the joyless atmosphere of MRA communal dining where participants ate in strict silence while being observed for violations of conduct.

Harvey’s Window Frame: The actual window frame from which Harvey fell, replaced during renovation but kept in storage, allegedly produces overwhelming suicidal ideation in anyone who touches it, with one maintenance worker requiring psychiatric intervention after handling the frame during storage reorganization, developing intrusive thoughts about jumping from heights that resolved only after the frame was moved to off-site storage and the worker underwent counseling.