WARNING: Michigan Ghost Town: Pompeii is Hiding a STRANGE Secret!

The town of Pompeii is located just north of Michigan's capital Lansing. It was once a bustling railroad town in the late 1800s, but today it's a ghost town with only a few remnants of its past glory. However, the town's fate was sealed when the railroad that once brought in visitors and commerce closed down in the 1960s. Today, the abandoned buildings and overgrown streets serve as a haunting reminder of Pompeii's past. While a few people still live in the area, it's largely been forgotten by the rest of the world. We also discovered a fascinating secret, tune in and find out!
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[@Mattybot3000]

There is an abandoned Free Mason lodge above the old Farmer PEET meat market in Chesaning, MI. I only know because my uncle was helping a community manager restore the bottom half of the building into a community center. 140 N. Saginaw St, you can see there is a door that leads up to the top level. They removed the Free Mason insignia on the door but there is a stone about it with their writings. We explored the inside, there was a ceremony room, rooms with long closets for their robes, a dining room that converted to a basketball court, and a kitchen. There was a locked room in the attic, my uncle tried getting me to go but I was too spooked. 😆

[@Mattybot3000]

The door is on the right side of the old PEET meat market, now called PEET Community Center.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks!

[@DeidraMorrissey52980]

New sub here..originally from Flint Mi, now a resident of Gladwin Mi. I love learning about my state so ty for the video! Keep up the good work! ❤

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for your sub and comments it means a lot to us!

[@bryanlosen3262]

The railroad still goes through pompeii but it hasn't been the grand trunk in decades. It is now the great lake central and it services the grain elevators in middleton.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for your reply

[@trainencounters586]

And the Grand Trunk Western itself is now gone; Canadian National absorbed it.

[@wildeyedwanderer7148]

We passed the road going into Pompeii hundreds of times when we went to visit my grandpa. I always wanted to learn more about it so thank you!

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching, and the comment. 😃

[@maharj1]

My family is from the area and my grandparents owned the grocery store for over 20yrs. It was named "MAHAR'S." They were both involved in the IOOF.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the comment!

[@Giles29]

Interesting about the IOOF lodge - a lot of fraternal organization lodge houses I have seen were above grocery stores

[@PopofZero]

Good point, thanks for watching

[@moreorles2746]

"they didnt have spell check back then", love this

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for reply

[@laurabrooks7655]

I was a realtor for a while and tried to sell a house there once. As you can imagine, it didn't sell. We did several open houses during which my partner and I read and napped without a single visitor.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching.

[@Arthurian.]

​@@PopofZeroyour response is so lame dude

[@PopofZero]

Sorry you fel that way

[@Arthurian.]

@@PopofZero just this one, otherwise your video is cool

[@PopofZero]

Thank you

[@chehystpewpur4754]

ive known of this place for a while but never planned to visit. but one of the shots in the first min of the video i have been there. turns out i drove through it many times and its alot closer to where i live than i thought.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the comment 👍

[@marcellabrisboy7915]

I live in middleton and before we bought our house there was no houses for sale at the time but after we bought out a cpl went up for sale and sold. Interesting to see the video as i have passed through pompeii more times than i can even remember.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@belial989]

I can't tell you how many times I've traveled 127, well before they created the highway between Ithaca and Lansing, and had zero clue this place existed. Wild. Good content.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks, we appreciate your kind words! ❤️

[@tomloewe8474]

If you're interested in visiting other ghost towns in Michigan, you might want to take a ride up to the Thumb on the eastern part of the lower peninsula - they've got several towns that have populations of 100 or less - and some of them have great backstories. For example, Pinnebog (pronounced "pin-uh-bawg" - or as some old timers say, "pin-eh-Pog").The name is (I believe) Ojibwa and it was once a logging town. Or visit Huron City (a former Chautauqua-type community on the northeastern shore of Lake Huron with a very rich history) ; or Parisville (the first Polish-American farming settlement the US). Grindstone City is also quite interesting historically - it was a "quarry town" that still features several buildings made of the local limestone from which it takes its name. True ghost towns in the Thumb - that is, towns that used to be, but are no longer - would include Port Crescent (an old lumber port near present-day Port Austin). Most of Port Crescent's remaining buildings were moved to Port Austin in the early 20th century when the State decided to use the land for a park, but the graveyard is still intact as is the old sawmill chimney which is located in Port Crescent State Park - the beach is fabulous! And then there's the old Ora Labora site (which was a religious community - the name means "Pray and Work") located near the little town of Bay Port, where they manufactured some of the original brick that you can still see in the the older 19th century buildings that dot the farmland of the Thumb. I could go on, because this just scratches the surface. Finally, outside the Thumb, let me suggest Hell, Michigan - you can always go to Hell for fun and have a drink at the Dam Site Inn. Keep up the good work. Michigan always has good stories to tell.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the comment 👍

[@rivjoy]

There was a series of books written in late 60's- early 70's called The Ghost Towns of Michigan. Michigan seems to be home for a huge number of ghost towns. Defining ghost towns as towns that existed and are no longer or somewhat abandoned. In northern lower MI lumbering towns were abandoned after the trees were all cut, or burned down then not rebuilt. The UP had mining towns, mines close towns disappear. Another common way towns disappear is the railroad ignores them and goes through a town a few miles away, without the railroad people and business leave. There is another type of ghost town that isn't talked about much and that is the shanty town that would spring up on the outskirts of cities. With higher income jobs and the invention of the bulldozer these disappeared in the early 20th. century.

[@rivjoy]

When I was a child in the 60s my dad took us out to Grindstone city. At that time the ground was littered with grind stones of every size, I don't know if they were rejects or just unsold. I don't believe there are any remaining now.

[@nickfay2359]

Fayette is another..I've been there

[@lindaroyal8161]

​@@rivjoy- I went there as a kid also, with my grandparents. I remember all the grind stones. I actually have one, it didn't come from Michigan, found it at an unauthorized dumping place, rural area of Tampa, still have.

[@user-ug8bk5su2i]

Loved the video. We live in a ghost town in NE Michigan where the railroad used to end. 😄

[@PopofZero]

Thanks, we have more ghost town videos on our page

[@adventuresinmichiganwlisa9852]

New sub to yr channel.. Michigander here myself. Love learning more of my state

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the sub! We will do the same! We are looking forward to seeing your content.

[@AsiaBlessed26]

Same.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching and subscribing.

[@mitchalderman1776]

Michigan is a corporation nothing else

[@jefvandemark]

As someone who grew up there i just want to say It's pronounced pom pea eye

[@2Old2Care]

Thank you! That was driving me nuts😂

[@PopofZero]

Watch and listen to the whole video, it's pronounced correctly later on in the video.

[@user-yf1xy2od1t]

grew up in perrinton !!! back in 60,s-80,s !!!

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for your reply! 👍

[@ZeroRugrats67]

My ex bro and sis in law lived there. It’s a quiet little place.

[@lindaroyal8161]

Interesting channel, just found it today. I was born and grew up in Michigan, Rochester. Left in the amearly 80's for Florida. But Michigan is my home state and proud of it.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for your comment!

[@lisavleslie]

Also, maybe a better description of a ghost town (for individuals upset at the terminology you used) is a town whose economic activity that supported it (usually industrial or agricultural) has failed or ended for any reason and resulted in a substantial loss of residency.

[@PopofZero]

Thank you

[@aaronmoinet4727]

Elderly Instruments in Old Town Lansing is an old IOOF building.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the comment.

[@jillwiegand4257]

Neat and informative video! New sub here❤

[@PopofZero]

Thanks, and welcome! ❤️

[@rogerrabbit5014]

People live next to Pompeii, like within a block…

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@ladyrwolf]

Cool video. I always wondered the history of that place.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@charleshall6357]

The downtown Buffalo wild wings is in a building that has oddfellows on facade in detroit,same exact color brick

[@PopofZero]

That's weird, that fir the comment.

[@HighHolyOne]

The corrected pronunciation of Pompeiī is the actual Latin pronunciation, Pom-pee-eye. Good for her.

[@PopofZero]

If you watch and listen to the whole video, it is pronounced correctly.

[@supremepizza3710]

The numbers of ghost towns now evaporated in time is phenomenal... lived in one such. A town moved some three times due to fire and railroad... The narrow rail still exists beneath the sod among Native American artifacts. As if they resided together... Though later massacred in 1914. As of recent history came across a city and or town totally abandon in my travels in modern time. A victim of Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. As a child of the 1950's I remember these still flourishing... to the Mason and Odd Fellow Lodge being center of town. Today little remain but empty buildings and few holdouts. To some as one of two I resided which no longer exist except name on a map, nothing is there though were some ancient buildings few years ago.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@oZARDOZo]

Nice job. From a fellow Michigander.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the comment, we have more videos on Michigan topics over at our page.

[@user-kj3id6nx8c]

I’m legit only a few minutes from this town I’m gonna have to check it out!!!! Thank you!!!!

[@PopofZero]

You're welcome.

[@danperry3116]

I grew up 6 miles from there. My step mother was born and raised a mile out of town. Not really a ghost town just a little town where most of the businesses closed up after the big box stores opened up.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for your reply.

[@JeffBey-sd5lc]

Very interesting but I couldn't take the repetitive music, it was like being on hold!....HELP!

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching. You're not on hold anymore. 😀

[@miapdx503]

The railroad was called the Grand Trunk Railroad? Now a rock group from the seventies makes sense...Grand Funk Railroad! It only took about fifty years. 😏

[@PopofZero]

Good band, they're from our hometown.

[@user-jn9gv9ve6e]

if you go to flint( i believe it is on fenton rd) there is an overpass that says grand trunk railroad. i was raised there and went under that overpass hundreds of times. i don't know if it is still there. that's where they got the name for the band since they are all from around flint.

[@PopofZero]

You are correct, and if you look, the bands names are on the bridge also.

[@user-jn9gv9ve6e]

@@PopofZero mark farner lived down davison rd from me. i went to school with his sister (sue). when i was in 11th grade don brewer lived across the street from me in knollwood apartments.

[@jenemcik]

I've been through there a million times and never knew anything about this town. It would be interesting to know why there are 3 little towns so close together, Pompeii, Perinton and Middleton

[@PopofZero]

We can look into them.

[@danperry3116]

Railroad went through there to service the grain elevators which in turn serviced the farmers back when these little villages were formed people didn't drive to the bigger towns. 5 miles was a long way with a horse cart or later a model T Ford. I'm 71 and I went to a one room school not too many miles north of Middleton in a berg called Houserville .it consisted of the school house, a general store, and the grange hall. A mile south of there at the corner of Washington road and Ely highway was the berg called Eugene it consisted of a blacksmith shop and a general store. The store at Eugene is now a home and the schoolhouse at houserville has been converted to a home the store was closed around 1965 and torn down shortly after, the grange hall is still standing but the roof is in bad shape so it probably won't last.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for that.

[@jenniferwhite3135]

I lived in Baldwin and as a kid their were a bunch of abandoned houses in the woods.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the comment.

[@user-hi4vo1cn7r]

The music on the background is a hand pan

[@PopofZero]

😊

[@helenhilyard1022]

no they call it pom pe i around here. my dads family lived there back in the day

[@PopofZero]

Again, watch the whole video.

[@clairwaucaush7225]

If the town worked it right History could be a draw for it. Fix up what buildings are left and have a tour going through each one. And of course play up each building is haunted. (even if they're not!)

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@SvKillua]

Keep up the creative content brother

[@PopofZero]

Thank you, but it's a couple of people that help.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks. We work hard on these videos

[@resurrectiongarage1506]

I was hoping this was about the building in the thumbnail

[@PopofZero]

A follower made that for us

[@user-lb8lu8fj7y]

Where is this city located at in Michigan at ... ok 😢sad to know that this city is know more.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the reply, it is north of Lansing.

[@backwoodshillbilly3971]

It's still there.

[@PopofZero]

@backwoodshillbilly3971 Yes, it is, and thanks for watching.

[@glenmiller452]

It is in Gratiot County. Couple miles north of M57. If I remember correctly.

[@dianayount2122]

not pronounced like town in italy. pronounced like pomp p eye.

[@PopofZero]

Watch again the 6 25 mark we pronounced it correctly

[@charlottecoolik9872]

I usually don't complain but the music is so ominous I just can't even listen to the video it's scaring the crap out of me

[@PopofZero]

Sorry, but I guess the music did its job.

[@johnthiel7422]

Just a mail stop. Indiana is full of places just like this

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for not dropping off bills and the comment.

[@johnthiel7422]

@PopofZero isn't it amazing that some of these places are still here, with all of the corporate farms that now exist. My mother lived in one just like the video. All it had was a store and post office. Talk about your nightlife... or lack of it!

[@PopofZero]

Nightlife was a party in the corn field

[@lisavleslie]

I think most people stop watching once they hear the "old" pronunciation so they don't catch on that you explain the different pronunciation later in the video.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks.

[@zelmarhernandez2681]

I want to live there

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching, I'm sure there are places around there you could live at.

[@gintasindreika933]

Can you do a video of Painesdale, MI in the U.P.?

[@PopofZero]

We will look into it. Thanks for the reply.

[@user-kq7wg6ig2l]

It was where we went to break most rules!

[@PopofZero]

Thanks

[@makojuicedaniel9307]

Id love to live in a ghost town of pop 0. I would vote myself as mayor, comptroller. Hoa president etc then do what i liked with the paperwork to back it up.

[@PopofZero]

We would vote for you! 😃

[@Inziagold]

Sounds a lot like today. Ones worth is based on material gain that is left behind. So I made it a point to have what I need that is of no value for anyone to fight over when my spirit leaves

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@ColorfulnoteYT]

The town is pronounced pomp e I not as you are saying it.by husband owned a gas station there for many years. Its gone now.

[@PopofZero]

Watch the whole video. It is pronounced correctly later.

[@SwiftyMcVeigh851]

6:20

[@SwiftyMcVeigh851]

​@@PopofZero this is what happens when people watch 2 minutes and drop a comment. Thank you, very interesting.

[@jlgis77]

would have been nice to hear the vid.....

[@PopofZero]

Everything thing is good on our end.

[@megseyrek6743]

As a local, we actually pronounce it as it’s spelled. Which is wrong but we do it anyways. 🤣pom-pee-I

[@PopofZero]

Thanks, we pronounced it correctly later in the video.

[@SteveShutt-pj9ym]

My grandmother grew up there, and yes it’s pronounced ee i

[@PopofZero]

We referred to the proper name later in the video

[@helenhilyard1022]

better research better it is not a ghost town.

[@PopofZero]

Please watch the whole video. We explained it in the beginning.

[@user-kq7wg6ig2l]

Or Planet P!

[@PopofZero]

Thanks

[@dretey9072]

Ghost town 😂 cmon bro I’ve been here 21 years and it’s no where near a ghost town 😂 have you even visited the small town?

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching. We did explain the definition of a ghost town at the 25 second mark. Also, We filmed all the Pompeii footage ourselves.

[@jamespeterson2128]

What Pop of zero said. You should watch before you react.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching James

[@PopofZero]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@suntitan4429]

Local lady just can’t pronounce her own town lol

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@melissamills2840]

It is pronounced Pom-pee-i. You are driving me nuts with this mispronunciations!!

[@PopofZero]

Listen to the whole video.

[@craighanson2983]

It's pronounced pompy-eye. Not like the historical ruins

[@PopofZero]

We pronounced it correctly later in the video.

[@Falling_Down_1776]

🌴🫛 👁️

[@PopofZero]

Nice!

[@rasnyder83]

It is pronounced POM PEE EYE

[@PopofZero]

It is pronounced correctly at the 6 minute 25 second mark of the video.

[@jessicahood7079]

I know right I knew a girl there satonka sue rip love funny how people get it wrong

[@BarryAdams777]

LOL!!! Never gets old how some pronounce words & names from a language or dialect they’re unfamiliar with.

[@PopofZero]

@BarryAdams777, please watch the video again. When you do, you will hear that we did pronounce it correctly.

[@rasnyder83]

@@PopofZerobetter late than never 😂

[@TheMattC9999]

The local woman is wrong. Pompeii is already a word, and it's pronounced PomPAY. You don't get to change the pronunciation of word that's been around for thousands of years just because you say so. It's. Pompeii- deal with it.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching

[@rebeccaterry6361]

Wow.... It's obvious you didn't speak to anyone that knows much about the town because you didn't pronounce it right. Also that was an Odd Fellow and Rebekah hall.

[@rebeccaterry6361]

I didn't watch the whole thing before commenting. But I am pretty sure you had the wrong building for the hospital.

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for watching. In the scene we were talking about the hospital, we didn't say the building was the hospital. Sorry for the confusion.

[@jondavis7948]

Pronouncing it wrong

[@PopofZero]

Watch the whole video

[@joh466]

Your near Lansing… gross overpopulated flat farmland. Boring dead brown landscape for most the year. I apologize for anyone who cant escape the armpit of America

[@PopofZero]

We are sorry that you feel that way. We believe Michigan is awesome.

[@joh466]

It can be gorgeous certain times of year just too many people in the lower half for me personally

[@user-bg2oi4bz3p]

Detroit would be a good place for you at night.

[@joh466]

@@user-bg2oi4bz3p why do you say that? Think I’d be scared of some hoodlums that couldn’t aim too save their own life 😂 I hope that’s not where your goin with this

[@user-bg2oi4bz3p]

@@joh466 You would not last an hour; no survival instinct.

[@MonkeysWithSticks]

groovy bit. lots of dinky towns up there in north michigan, if two roads crossed they named it. In the winter in can get real creepy up there if you live in the city! You drive for a LONG time and not see another car. There are spots in newaygo area that just disappear to civilization after it snows. Traverse city for valentines is a great trip. Loads of deals on penthouses when its all frozen up there!

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the info!

[@hardlife8122]

. Unwanted, and faded out, just like me . gb* ~ hard life (MULDEW) .

[@PopofZero]

Thanks for the reply, head up things will get better. 🙏