Hey everyone! Welcome back to a (spooky) Culture Canvas.
Are you dressing up for Halloween? If so, I would love to see your costumes! You can send photos to mwalker@bridgedetroit.com and I can feature them in next week’s newsletter. As for me, I’m dressing up as ’90s cartoon character, Daria. I love Daria’s dry sense of humor and the funny situations she always seems to get roped into despite not wanting to be around her classmates or family members.
Speaking of spooky things, the Detroit Public Library is hosting an event tonight featuring Bay City resident Nicole Beauchamp. The paranormal author, investigator and haunted collector will showcase some of the most haunted artifacts she’s ever collected, telling the backstory behind them.
In addition to being an author, Beauchamp, 35, also works as a licensed massage therapist and is the founder of the Tri-City Ghost Hunters Society, which investigates haunted places around the world. Her first book, “Haunted Bay City, Michigan,” was released in September 2020. Beauchamp has since released “Haunted Detroit” and “Haunted Bars and Pubs of Michigan.” Her latest book, “Haunted French Quarter Hotels,” will be out next year, followed by “Haunted Mid-Michigan” in 2026.
I talked to Beauchamp about tonight’s event and her favorite haunted places in Detroit.
Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
BridgeDetroit: How did Tri-City Ghost Hunters Society get started?
Beauchamp: We ventured down to Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit and started going to ghost hunts there for about five years, almost every weekend. We’ve since expanded from doing state haunts to different haunts around the country and then the world. Currently, the group consists of my mother, Ellen (Beauchamp), myself and my girlfriend, Alishia Stagray.
We investigated here in Bay City, the Historic Masonic Temple, but we’ve been to the Winchester Mystery House (in San Jose, California); the Bourbon Orleans Hotel in New Orleans; the Lizzie Borden House (in Fall River, Massachusetts); and to the Paris Catacombs; Tower of London; and the Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast, Northern Ireland. We also investigated the Cairndhu House and Mount Masonic Hall in Northern Ireland — all of those were very active locations.
BridgeDetroit: Why the focus on haunted objects for the library event?
Beauchamp: I’ve been doing a haunted artifact traveling exhibit for a while. When the library in Detroit reached out to me about hosting my exhibit there, I was really excited. I don’t often see stuff like that in Detroit. They have a great population of people interested in the paranormal, but unfortunately, there’s not that many paranormal events. The Detroit Public Library is supposed to be extremely haunted, so it’s cool to have the haunted exhibit in a haunted location.
BridgeDetroit: What are some of the objects you’re going to display?
Beauchamp: I have a collection of human bones that have paranormal activity associated with them. A lot of people find those really intriguing because of the nature of what they are. I also have an autopsy table from Charity Hospital in New Orleans, I have a key from an old insane asylum in England. I have a Victorian mourning piece that’s basically hair from someone who passed that sits in a card box. I even have a little vial of human brains.
BridgeDetroit: Where did the human brains come from?
Beauchamp: It was a very weird gift. I have friends that are into the same things I am. A friend actually gift that to me; he collects retired medical sources and other medical things and he runs a shop out of Niles.
BridgeDetroit: What are some of your favorite haunted places in the city?
Beauchamp: I definitely love The Whitney. Elmwood Cemetery is absolutely gorgeous and I always visit the Veiled Lady monument when I go. In addition to that, my friend used to own the former (Detroit Police Department) sixth precinct in Detroit and I enjoy driving by there and seeing if there’s any (paranormal) activity to honor his memory because I know something that he always wanted to do was offer ghost tours. Historic Fort Wayne is an amazing place and I always recommend anyone to check it out and go there because it’s just full of history and it’s a very immersive experience. I feel like when you step onto the grounds, it’s like stepping back in time.
BridgeDetroit: Why do you stay in the paranormal industry?
Beauchamp: I have a lot of opportunities to connect with all different types of people and through this journey, I’ve made a lot of friends across the world. I love getting to talk to people and listen to their shared experiences. It’s an unconventional way of making friends because you’re bonding over something that most people don’t bond over.
It’s nice to have a platform where I am able to connect with not only so many people, but also to bring awareness to historic structures across the state. A lot of the events that I do, the money is going back into the community. I would say, especially in Michigan, we really need to do a lot of events to be able to restore some of these structures so that they’re standing for generations to come. I feel like my demographic and younger generations tend to be very neglectful of our history in the state.
BridgeDetroit: What are your plans for Halloween?
Beauchamp: Halloween is my one day off, so I’m probably just going to go out to a bar or something and just be really chill. I’m gonna (dress up as) a doctor. I already have the scrubs so I can save a little money.
As always, have a great week (and a great Halloween if you celebrate)!
Cheers,
Micah
313 Scene
- BridgeDetroit and Detroit PBS partnered on a story about the Malcolm X house in Inkster, where the civil rights leader lived with his brother in the early 1950s. The house has long sat vacant and nearly faced demolition, but Inkster resident Aaron Sims and his team at nonprofit Project We Hope, Dream and Believe have been repairing and restoring it since 2019. They plan to open the house as a museum next year.
- Rapper Tyler The Creator is planning a Detroit stop at Little Caesars Arena July 3, 2025, for his “Chromakopia” world tour. The tour will also feature special guests Lil Yachty and Paris Texas. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at 313Presents.com, Chromakopia.com and Ticketmaster.com.
- Former WJBK-TV (Fox 2 Detroit) reporter Erika Erickson, who left broadcast journalism in 2021 for health reasons, came back to Detroit TV news this week. Erickson began her new role as a general assignment reporter at WDIV-TV (Local 4 News) on Monday. (Detroit Free Press)
What’s Going on in the D?
- “MJ: The Musical” continues its run at the Fisher Theatre through Sunday. Created by Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, the play centers around the making of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Performances run Tuesday-Sunday, with tickets starting at $49.
- Halloween in the D returns this year at several police precincts, recreation centers and fire stations. Most events will take place Thursday between 4 and 7 p.m.
- The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit’s Conner Creek Corps Community Center will host a Trunk or Treat event for children in need. The event will take place 4-8 p.m. Thursday at the Detroit Police Department 5th Precinct, 3500 Conner Street. The organization is also partnering with 97.9 WJLB to distribute children and adult-sized coats.
- Detroit Shipping Company is having a “Highly Casual Halloween” event 6-9 p.m. Thursday. Costumes are encouraged but not necessary.
- Motor City Wine is hosting a “Tainted Love” 80s Halloween party at 7 p.m. Thursday. DJs Michael Fotias, John Beltran and David A-P will play their favorite hits of the decade.
- The Redford Theatre is keeping the spooky vibes going Friday and Saturday with screenings of the 1975 cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Known for lively audience participation, the screenings will include prop bags packed with everything attendees need to join in on the fun. The Friday showing takes place at 8 p.m. and Saturday will have two showings at 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tickets are $25.
- The city of Detroit is having its Fall Fest 1-5 p.m. Saturday at Farwell Recreation Center, 2711 Outer Drive East. Carnival rides, a petting zoo, rock climbing, a coat giveaway and more will be part of the free event. The recreation center is also an early voting site.
Before you go, here’s the Broadway cast of “MJ: The Musical” doing the “Thriller” dance during a 2022 show!
