Most People Have No Idea There's An Underwater Ghost Town Hiding In Michigan

Water, water, everywhere…Michigan is known for it! But there’s a lot more to our state than meets the eye. You’ve heard the legend of Atlantis, a once-booming island civilization that ultimately sunk to its demise in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. But did you know that Michigan has its own Atlantis, tucked away under a lake between Ann Arbor and Detroit? It’s true: there’s an old city under Belleville Lake in Michigan, and this eerie underwater ghost town is a hidden gem of the strangest sort. However, few people know it even exists.

Dwight Burdette/Wikimedia

It began to boom in the 1830s with the creation of several mills, production companies, and general stores. At its peak, Rawsonville was home to three saloons, two copper shops, and a stove factory.

Dwight Burdette/Wikimedia

Its failed attempt to create a successful railroad service made it an economic dead zone, and businesses closed one by one as residents left the village.

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Wikimedia Commons/Dwight Burdette

In 1925, the Detroit Edison company began constructing the French Landing hydroelectric dam on the Huron River and, just like that, the once-thriving village of Rawsonville was completely submerged, and landed at its final underwater resting place.

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What a sad and eerie history uncovered right here in Michigan! The next time you’re near the shores of Belleville Lake, make a quick stop at the Rawsonville historical marker and pay tribute to the Mitten State’s very own Atlantis. This underwater ghost town in Michigan is definitely one of our most unique historic places.

Did you know about this city under Belleville Lake?

Not all of Michigan’s coolest ghost towns are underwater, though. We have quite a few hiding in nearly every corner of the state! Take a ghost town road trip to uncover a number of them at once, or discover them one by one – take your pick!