Michigan’s Own Local Lore

Melon heads, a six foot tall humanoid figure that flies in the sky, and killer clowns—you can find all of these cryptids right here in Michigan.

Let’s start with our most familiar local lore: the melonheads. Melonheads are described as small humanoids with bulbous heads. Rumor has it they were first spotted near the Felt Mansion in Holland, Michigan, and now live in underground tunnels. The story is that these children (i.e. the melonheads) were sent to an asylum near the Felt Mansion. The doctor there was said to conduct evil experiments on the children, and the children killed him before fleeing to the nearby woods. 

graphic by bella alimenti

Another Michigan legend is the Mothman. The first sightings of him were in the Point Pleasant area in November 1966 through December 1967. The Mothman is described as a flying man with a large wing span and red eyes. The story spread across the United States. Michigan’s sightings have occured about a dozen times, with reports that he flew over the coast of Lake Michigan.

Another cryptid that has been seen in Michigan is the 2016 killer clowns. Most know of these clowns because most have lived through its occurrence. 

A CNN article by AJ Willingham said that the first sightings were in the 80s with school children reporting they were being chased and lured by clowns in the woods. With the clowns coming back in 2016 it created waves of different stories and hysteria. Similar reports were made by children, though many people think that most of the reports were hoaxes. Plenty were. As word spread about the clowns, rumors were mixed with fear; people's interest in a good story was more important than the truth. 

“I remember when the killer clowns were big, it was just another internet fad looking back on it.” said Edward Hurst, 10. 

These silly clowns had serious consequences: according to a Detroit Metro Times article, “A look back at the chaos caused by the “creepy clowns” in Michigan,” by Matt Durr, two 18 year old women were arrested for chasing two 14 year old girls down a street. The police described the women as “two idiots” in a news release, and others only continued to be arrested for clown related incidents, some even turning violent.

Now 2021 begs the question where are all these Michigan spectacles now? Have the clowns gone into hibernation in the street drains of Michigan? Will the Mothman come back? Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.