Michigan's Mystery Hill Defies Gravity — and the End of Roadside Attractions

A Michigan man named Nathan Wakefield recently bought a quirky roadside attraction called Mystery Hill, located in the Irish Hills region of southern Michigan. The site is famous for a house that seems to make the laws of gravity go haywire — balls roll uphill, and people appear to lean at impossible angles. Wakefield grew up visiting Mystery Hill as a child and didn't want to see it disappear like so many other roadside stops in the area. This year, he decided to buy it and keep the fun going for new generations of families.

For decades, the stretch of highway known as US 12 in southern Michigan was packed with roadside attractions. Families driving between Detroit and Chicago could stop to climb towers, walk through a dinosaur-themed forest, or visit fake Western towns with saloons and blacksmiths. Kids loved these stops, and they became a big part of summer vacations in the region. But over time, most of those attractions slowly disappeared.

When the interstate highway I-94 was built, fewer drivers used US 12, so less traffic passed by these spots. Changing tastes in travel also played a role. Two popular Western-themed parks — Frontier City and Stagecoach Stop — closed in 1974 and 2007. Prehistoric Forest, a dinosaur park nearby, shut down in 2002 and sat empty for years before a new business moved onto the property.

Michelle McLemore, a historian for Cambridge Township, says Mystery Hill survived partly because it costs less to run than bigger attractions. She noted that places that stay open today tend to offer hands-on experiences that people can't get from a screen. 'At Mystery Hill, you can go inside, explore the building to see and feel the craziness with the gravity,' McLemore said. That kind of real, physical experience keeps visitors coming back year after year.

Before Wakefield bought it, a man named Dirk Dole from California had purchased Mystery Hill in 2022 and fixed it up. Dole added an oddities museum and a gemstone mining experience to the property. Wakefield says Dole makes a habit of buying old roadside attractions, restoring them, and selling them to passionate local owners. 'He'll buy these roadside attractions, fix them up, and flip them, and then sell them to locals that are really passionate and can run them,' Wakefield said.

Wakefield came back to visit Mystery Hill last year and was shocked by how well it had been kept up. Most of the old attractions he remembered from childhood were falling apart or already gone. 'I left thinking, "Wow, it'd be nice to own something like this,"' he recalled. He decided to make an offer — and soon became the proud new owner of a piece of Michigan history.

Wakefield is also a professional sideshow performer with 15 years of experience. He has made a living doing stunts like lying on a bed of nails, juggling, and eating fire. He says his entertainment background makes him a great fit for running Mystery Hill. 'Between my business acumen as well as my show business background, it just felt like a total perfect match,' he said.

His big dream is to turn Mystery Hill into a full family entertainment destination, while keeping the famous gravity house tours that have drawn visitors for generations. He is inspired by the families he sees arriving with their children and grandchildren, all eager to share a memory. 'I'm just elated to be a part of this ongoing legacy,' Wakefield said. Michigan's state tourism office supports attractions like Mystery Hill, saying they offer the kind of unique, nostalgic experiences that modern travelers are looking for.