HELL, Michigan — You don't have to read Dante's Inferno to be transported to the pits of Hell. All you need to do is drive a couple hours east across the state.
In a small community of 72 people, about 15 miles northwest of Ann Arbor in Livingston County, you will be in Hell, Michigan.
“It’s kind of made up of Hellions, Hellbillies and Wannabies," said the town's owner John Colone. "It’s just tried to make a big difference in making it a very funny community.”
The town's quirky character can be traced back to its creation. It's still a hot debate on how the name 'Hell' came to be, but Colone said it goes a little something like this:
The legend takes us to 1838. A man named George Reeves and his family purchased a saw mill on what's now known as Hell Creek.
“A lot of times, horses would come home without riders, wagons without drivers," said Colone. "Somebody had asked the wife, 'You know, Where the hell's your husband?' The reply was always, 'Gone to hell.'"
What started as a joke became a reality on October 13, 1841.
“When the state came by and asked George whether he was going to name his town, he said, 'Call it Hell for all I care. Everybody else does,'" said Colone. "And it stuck."
The Hell you see today is much different than it was just a couple decades ago. Colone said it was always so hot, people would be screaming out their windows, and the rumble of motorcycles would echo through the community.
Well, Colone saw something others didn't. In 2000, he purchased the town.
“The sheriff called me and just said, 'There's a problem. John, are you crazy? All the fights were down at the bar all the time,'" said Colone. "I just kept saying, 'You know, I think we can change. I can change it.'"
With a name like Hell, Colone knew he had to embrace the brand. Everywhere you go through the town, there are Halloween decorations and Hell-arious puns.
“It's a Hellmark card because we don't always send the very best," said Colone, pointing at one of the postcards inside their gift shop.
They sell land by the square inch, so you can own a piece of Hell. If purchasing property doesn't peak your interest, you can just be in charge of it all instead. You can be the town's mayor for a day for just $100.
Need to cool down in Hell? They have the Screams Ice Cream shop in midtown to make it happen. There's also the Hellhole bar in uptown, and the Hell Saloon in downtown. Each of them are about a 2 minute walk from one other.
You can also get married in Hell. Colone said 172 couples tied the knot there last year.
Tourism plays a big role in their economy, and no day brought in more visitors to the community than June 6, 2006 — 6/6/6.
"I mean, we had people from China," said Colone. "Six people all came together from Mexico. I did interviews with Israel, South Africa — all over the world.”
Colone said 12,000 people took over the tiny town. As a result, Colone said he was issued a fine of $250 and had to issue an apology.
“I apologized to the waiters and waitresses for not knowing what to do with all the extra tips," Colone joked. "I apologized to a restaurant who had to close by noon because they ran out of food. I apologized to the gas station for running out of gas. I said, 'I will not apologize to this board.'"
Colone said he paid the $250 in rolls of pennies.