Urban Legend: Kalamazoo’s Hatchet Man Road

Have you heard the urban legend of Hatchet Man Road near Kalamazoo, Michigan?

I ask because despite having been born and raised in West Michigan I just don't ever recall hearing this story. Honestly, I'm not mad about that as now I have a new fear!

Driving at night is already scary enough. Now, I have to worry about some guy with a hatchet chasing me?

Depending on who you ask, locals claim those who have dared to cross this road at night have seen everything from an apparition of a woman crossing the road to faces of small children appearing in the trees.

Others claim to have experienced such odd occurrences as their car mysteriously stalling on while driving Hatchet Man Road or noticing a strange car following closely behind before mysteriously vanishing. According to Michigan historian John Robinson the legend goes as follows:

...in the 1980’s, a man built a bomb shelter on his property in order to protect his family. He was already paranoid and to make things worse, he coaxed his family to move out of the home and into the shelter. Being cooped up with the fear of impending world-wide doom, he grabbed a hatchet and wiped out his entire family.

Where is Hatchet Man Road?

Rumor as it the stretch of 28th Ave. between M-40 south of Gobles and 9th street near Kalamazoo, specifically the crossing over Campbell Creek, is where the alleged hauntings take place.

However, if you are brave enough to drive this patch of 28th Ave. yourself make sure you're on high-alert as Robinson says hooligans and ne'er-do-wells like to dress up as clowns to scare passing drivers-- even in broad daylight!

Are you brave enough to travel Hatchet Man Road at night?