While we were vacationing in northern Michigan earlier this month, we attended Fort Fright at Colonial Michilimackinac. It was an absolute blast. We went to hear about the legends and superstitions of those who lived at the fort in centuries past, but we ended up enjoying the scary attractions as well. I’ve been wanting to go for years, and we finally had the chance. I thought my wife was indulging me, but she had such a good time as well, we may go back next year. Here are some photos.

Spooky green lighting in the turrets gave a nice atmosphere.



At numerous spots throughout the fort, we stopped at campfires and listened to reenactors tell us about the scary legends. They warned us to stay on the lighted paths because it was dangerous to stray from the lanterns.



Three of the creatures who haunt the fort. In the first turret is the loop garou or the werewolf. The middle photo is of a skeletal soldier. And finally, the genuinely creepy white lady, who spent the entire evening walking the parameter of the fort with her lantern.

At the church, we learned about how some of the questionable ways in which bodies were dealt with after death led to the rise of some of the spooky legends.

The Mackinac Bridge just outside the fort looking as beautiful as ever.

Finally, this is me with one of the reenactors. Jim had worked at the fort all while my family was growing up and we saw him many times. A few years back, he had retired, and we thought that a Mackinac institution had left us. We were delighted to see him again at Fort Fright. He told us that the staff at the fort had not allowed him to stay in retirement. By popular demand, he returned to work on a part-time basis. He kept telling us, “I failed at retirement.” It was so good to see him again!