Traverse City: The Hippie Tree/Traverse City State Hospital

Figure 1.1

The Hippie Tree is located on the property of the Traverse City State Hospital and is a popular recreational spot for locals. While little is known about it's creation, the Hippie Tree is said to have been struck by lightning and fell over. However, it continues to live, sprawled out on its side.

Figure 1.2

There are several stories about the tree. One of the most common is the tree is a portal to Hell that can be opened by walking around it a certain way.

Others claim it's haunted by the spirits of angry patients and a young boy who was murdered there.

Video 1

So, IS IT actually haunted?

Multiple vlogs such as this showing the Hippie Tree's colors can be found on the internet, but as for the dark stories told about this tree, one must decide for themselves.

Figure 2

Traverse City State Hospital

As the folklore of the Hippie Tree's lives on, they are intertwined with the Traverse City State Hosiptal's own urban legends.

Spanning 104 years in operation, the hospital was opened in 1885 closed in 1989. During that time, it housed thousands of patients.

Taken from the Hospital's Board Of Trustee's Report in 1886, descriptions of patients' history and death are shown in detail. Usually due to other medical conditions, a few suicides were reported.

Figure 3

In the early 2000s, the abandoned hospital was renovated into shops and restaurants, but there are multiple accounts of former patients and staff members describing their experiences at the hospital when it was still operating.

One of many personal stories, former patient Ronny Larson recounted his time at the hospital as a 12-year-old in 1965.

Sources:
Figure 1.1-1.2 Title: "FASCINATION AND HEEBIE-JEEBIES"Creator: Brianna Rice Subject: "The Hippie Tree"Description: "Colorful graffiti on the Hippie Tree"Coverage: "Traverse City, Michigan"Resource type: "Image"Format: "JPEG"Language: English Source: "https://www.archivesofadventure.com/traverse-city-state-hospital/"
Video 1 Title: "Hippie Tree - Spring 2012"Creator: "MJ Artrup"Subject: "Exploration of the Hippie Tree"Description: "Austin, Matt and I visit the Hippie Tree at the T.C. State Hospital grounds"Coverage: "Traverse City, Michigan"Resource type: "MovingImage"Format: "Video"Language: "English"Source: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv_SMWF_WMQ"
Figure 2Title: "Report of Medical Superintendent"Creator: "Traverse City State Hospital" Subject: "Deaths at the Traverse City State Hospital" Description: "Detailed descriptions of causes of patients' deaths in the Report of the Traverse City State Hospital"Coverage: "Traverse City, Michigan" Resource type: "Text" Format: "JPEG"Language: "English" Source: "Report of the Traverse City State Hospital"
Figure 3Title: "Traverse City State Hospital Sign"Creator: "Ronny Larson"Subject: "Traverse City State Hospital personal experiences"Description: "Ronny Larson's personal experience as a patient at the Traverse City State Hospital at age 12"Coverage: "Traverse City, Michigan" Resource type: "Image"Format: "JPEG"Language: "English" Source: "http://www.hall-18.com/tcsh/stone-sign.gif"

Google Sites

Report abuse