Hell’s Half Mile Walking Tours with Sam Fitzpatrick

They’re baaaaack! Join the BCHS on walking tours of Hell’s Half Mile! In the late 1800s at the end of the lumbering season, as many as 5000 lumberjacks (“shanty boys”) would collect their hard-earned pay and head for a six-block strip along Bay City’s waterfront called “Hell’s Half Mile.” There they would find a variety of gambling houses, theaters, raucous saloons and brothels, as well as tunnels and catacombs under the city streets – perfect for passage or brawls (or maybe to drag a body out for disposal!) The tour will visit Water Street and the surrounding area, and will explore the history of this notorious district with stories of persons who helped give Hell’s Half Mile its fame. 

Please call the museum at 989-893-5733 to purchase your tickets. Tickets are limited to the first 25 people per tour. The tour begins at the Museum steps. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.