Abandoned: The House of Judah Religious Camp in Allegan County, Michigan
WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.
The similarities between this place and the events that took place in Jonestown, Guyana back in 1978 are frightening. Although there were over 900 deaths at Jonestown, it’s believed there was only one death at the House of Judah.
I really don’t want to re-hash the events that took place in either location, but let’s just say that they were both labeled as religious cults that ended in disastrous results. The Jonestown events happened in South America, while the occurrences at the House of Judah camp happened close to home – in Allegan County.
Like the followers of Jim Jones’ People’s Temple congregation, the members of House of Judah were also expected to follow certain rules. According to former member Celia Green in an MLive article from 2013, “The first thing they do is break you off from your family. They say, ‘You don’t need family. We are your family.’ That’s a cult. I didn’t know that then.”
The article goes on to say, “In 1982…..followers (had to) sign agreements to accept punishment - beating, burning, hanging and stoning of adults and their children – for their misdeeds. (There was) a whipping block constructed to hold follower's heads and hands while they were beaten.”
The beginning of the end for the House of Judah came on the 4th of July, 1983. It was discovered one of the members had beaten her twelve-year-old son to death. It was ruled that parents were to punish their children severely for their misdeeds. Just like the people of Jonestown, the ones at the House of Judah camp were basically prisoners, with armed guards on the lookout for defectors. I really don’t want to go into all the sad details, but if you care to read an MLive article, you can do so here.
You should also read about the Jonestown massacre if you’re not familiar with it.
The whole point of this is to show you some images that are believed to be of the former Allegan County House of Judah camp, now deserted for decades. A videographer located what he feels is part of the camp and shows you the few buildings that are left. I honestly don't know if these buildings are connected with the former camp, but have a look and let me know what you think...
Abandoned House of Judah Camp, Allegan County
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