Photo Friday #018: The St. Ignace Mystery Spot

Anyone who has ever driven on US-2 five miles west of St. Ignace has seen the famous Mystery Spot sign. There’s no missing it, and there’s no missing which direction to go to find the Mystery Spot.

According to their website the story of the Mystery Spot goes as follows:

In the early 1950’s, 3 surveyors named Clarence, Fred and McCray came from California to explore the Upper Peninsula. They stumbled across an area of land where their surveying equipment didn’t seem to work properly. For instance, no matter how many times they tried to level their tripod, through the use of a plum-bob or level, the plum-bob would always be drawn far to the east, even as the level was reading level. As they continued their research of this land, they noticed a constant feeling of being light-headed. Later, realizing their queasiness and problems with the surveying equipment only occurred in an area about 300 feet in diameter, they felt they had discovered a “Mystery Spot”.

– mysteryspotstignace.com

During the last few weeks as we head into tourist season we took a poll asking “Have you been to the Mystery Spot in St. Ignace?” A couple of us at Yooper Steez have never been to the Mystery Spot, despite driving past it dozens and dozens of times. Bugsy claims that he and his brother begged their parents to take them there each time they drove by. But they have still never made it. So, have you been to the Mystery Spot? The results are in.

Of the readers at Yooper Steez, it was almost split down the middle. Essentially, half of the voters on Yooper Steez have been to the Mystery Spot, and the other half have not.

Perhaps you’re still wondering what the Mystery Spot is if you haven’t been there. One suggestion is checking out photos on Flickr to give you a good idea. When visiting the Mystery Spot don’t be fooled if you start to feel light-headed. Many people report the feeling after the visual illusion of gravity changing.

There are also other Mystery Spots in the United States, including one by the exact same name in Santa Cruz, California.

If you didn’t have a chance to vote while the poll was live, feel free to comment below, or let us know in general what you think of this famous Upper Peninsula roadside attraction.

And once again, with one poll closing, another poll has opened. Check out the latest poll.

Thanks again to James M. Phelps for another great photo.