Terri contacted me a few weeks back, then I ended up meeting her at a party. She agreed to come on Haunted Michigan and talk about her experiences with the paranormal. She started by talking about her group and how long she’s been investigating.
To watch the entire interview, scroll to the bottom of the story…..
Terri Houlton: The group has been around for a while, with many experienced members. I’ve been with them since 2019. We investigate everything from residential locations to museums and libraries—places like Eloise, for example. My first ghost-hunting experience was actually in the basement of Eloise in 2019, and it was a wild night.
Screams Captured At Eloise…Click Here
Meltdown: We’ll definitely get into that in a bit. You’ve been doing this for five years, so did you start the group, or did you join it?
Terri Houlton: I joined the group. There are people in the group who have been doing this much longer, and I’ve learned a lot from them.
Meltdown: I’m sure. So, where are you based? Southeast Michigan?
Terri Houlton: Yep, southeast Michigan.
Meltdown: You mentioned Eloise earlier. How many times have you investigated there?
Terri Houlton: Oh wow, probably around 40 or 50 times over the past couple of years.
Meltdown: No kidding! I assume you’ve done investigations with both large and small groups?
Terri Houlton: Yes, I’ve done both. I was even a tour guide there for a couple of years.
Haunted Michigan With Terri Houlton
Meltdown: As a tour guide, you must have experienced a lot. I saw a Facebook live session from there recently, where they talked about hearing footsteps. What was your experience like at Eloise?
Terri Houlton: Definitely. One of the first things I heard during my first investigation was footsteps in high heels. It was in the basement, and everyone else was outside taking a break. Suddenly, I heard these distinct steps in the hallway, and I wasn’t near a staircase or anything like that. I looked at my companion, and she confirmed she heard it too. That same night, I was pushed into a closet, discovered a portal, and even saw a woman floating over a chair.
Meltdown: A portal? A floating woman? You can’t just breeze past that! Tell me more.
Terri Houlton: (laughs) Yeah, so I was using my dowsing rods in a small janitor’s closet, and suddenly my rod started spinning, which signifies a portal. I pointed it out to the others, and they confirmed what they were seeing. That same night, a gentleman took pictures of the floating woman, and while I couldn’t capture anything on my phone, I took a picture of his screen. There seemed to be a special connection between him and the entity because when we handed him the dowsing rods, they started answering his questions.
Meltdown: I’ve always been a bit skeptical about dowsing rods, but maybe I’ll have to try them myself. They seem to work well for you.
Terri Houlton: They do. I’ve seen them work for others too, and I’d be happy to teach you how to use them.
Meltdown: I might take you up on that. So, besides Eloise, what other places in Michigan have you investigated?
Terri Houlton: Our group investigates homes, museums, and historical sites. We’ve had paranormal activity at places like the Wayne Museum and the Westland Historical Society’s Octagon House. There’s even a small Eloise museum that’s quite active.
Meltdown: Interesting. Have you ventured outside of Michigan?
Terri Houlton: Yes, one of the most intense weekends was in New York, where we investigated Wildwood Sanatorium and the Hinsdale House. That’s where I saw my first shadow figure, and we encountered strange activity with mirrors. My husband took a picture where his eyes were looking in a different direction than where he was actually looking—it was surreal.
Meltdown: That sounds wild! Where is the Hinsdale House?
Terri Houlton: It’s in Hinsdale, New York, in a very remote, wooded area. The house is built on Seneca Indian land, and I experienced drumming sounds while exploring the area.
Meltdown: Wow! Let’s shift back to Michigan for a second. You mentioned earlier that you were shoved into a closet at Eloise. Can you explain what happened?
Terri Houlton: That was my first night at Eloise. I was in the basement in what used to be the pottery closet. Suddenly, I felt a force push me into the closet, and I stumbled forward, even though I was walking very slowly. There were others around, and they witnessed it too.
Meltdown: Was that the most intense physical contact you’ve experienced?
Terri Houlton: Yes, definitely the hardest. I’ve felt touches before, but this one was stronger.
Meltdown: And no scratches or anything like that?
Terri Houlton: No scratches, but I’ve had moments where the bed I was sitting on kept shaking violently.
Meltdown: That must have been intense! Did you stay on the bed while it was shaking?
Terri Houlton: Yes, I stayed on it. I asked the person next to me if they were shaking the bed, but they weren’t. It was definitely something paranormal.
Meltdown: I was at Eloise in August, and I still can’t explain the screams I heard there. Have you experienced anything like that?
Terri Houlton: Yes, we’ve captured strange sounds on video, including metal-on-metal noises from an empty closet. I asked around, but no one was near the area at the time. It’s a very active place.
Meltdown: What about investigations in other parts of Michigan or even the U.P.?
Terri Houlton: I haven’t been up to the U.P. yet, but I’d love to go. I’ve done investigations in Ohio, like an old sheriff’s station where we encountered shadow figures and lots of activity.
Great Lakes Ghost Hunters Terri Houlton On Haunted Michigan
Meltdown: When you investigate homes, do families reach out to you directly?
Terri Houlton: Yes, families reach out to us. One of the more intense cases involved a young boy who seemed possessed. There were scratches on the walls and strange things happening. At one point, this two-year-old pulled a grilling fork from under the couch—something he shouldn’t have been able to reach.
Meltdown: That’s crazy! Did you hear from the family after the investigation?
Terri Houlton: We did, but I think they were trying to stir up activity on their own without following the proper precautions, which made things worse.
Meltdown: That’s intense. So, what other places have you investigated?
Terri Houlton: I hosted an investigation at a downtown church and schoolhouse, which had a lot of activity. I’ve also spent time at the Monroe Horror Museum, which has a ton of paranormal energy, especially with all the Ouija boards they have now.
Meltdown: I know Nate at the Monroe Horror Museum, and I’ve heard about some of the wild things happening there. Monroe seems like a hotspot for paranormal activity, right?
Terri Houlton: Absolutely! There was another house in Monroe that had so much going on, we didn’t even get to the bottom of it.
Meltdown: So, who else is in your group?
Terri Houlton: Brenda, Ryan, Tim, and Jeff have all been with the group for a while. We also have a psychic named Carrie who lives in Indiana.
Meltdown: You mentioned that you’ll be working at the haunted house at Eloise this season. How’s that going?
Terri Houlton: I’m in charge of the “scary hair” for the characters, so it’s a lot of fun. It’s always busy during haunt season.
Meltdown: That sounds awesome! Terri, thanks so much for your time. Maybe I’ll see you at Eloise, and I’d love to have you back with some of your team members.
Terri Houlton: I’d love that! I’ll send you some pictures too.
Meltdown: That would be great! Thanks again, Terri.
Photos courtesy of terri houlton
Lady over the chair basement of Eloise.
From Terri – I put my phone in the elevator on the 5th floor at Eloise and when I zoomed in I saw this.
