There are several spots on Mackinac Island that are considered haunted, none with the spooky history of 'The Drowning Pool'.

The story of the drowning pool has never been verified, but local history tells it like this:

During the island's early days as a European settlement in the late 1700s in to the early 1800s, several women who worked as prostitutes on the island, were accused of witchcraft. Folklore puts the number at seven.

To prove if they were witches or not, the women were sunk in a local lagoon off Mission Point, the idea being if they were witches they would save themselves, and then be burned at the stake, if they weren't witches, they would drown and God would have their immortal souls. (Which is a pretty messed up idea).

All seven of the women were innocent, because they all drowned in the lagoon, which was then dubbed The Drowning Pool. Legend has it, the restless souls of the women haunt the area to this day.

I want to make it clear that none of this has ever been proven as historical fact. But witch hunts did occur with alarming regularity throughout the early colonies and states.

A web series, Matt's Rad Show, spent some time on the island investigating the claims, and even took some underwater footage of the pool. Here's what they found.

SPOILER ALERT: Not much, but underwater cameras are spooky in their own right.

 

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