Boo! Historic Haunts at Passport Places
The air is getting crisper, the leaves are turning red, and the ghosts at Canada’s historic places are eager to welcome you!
Okay, not all of Canada’s historic places are haunted, though a few are reported to be home to guests who never checked out, homeowners who couldn’t leave, and soldiers still engaged in battle. Whether or not these places really are haunted, these histories are certainly storied and include some phenomena that can’t be explained. For believers and skeptics alike, these Passport Places are sure to fill the need for some ghostly fun this Halloween. Just don’t forget the ouija board!
Montgomery Inn, Toronto, ON
This 1830s inn housed and sheltered travellers, bringing people from the surrounding area and beyond together for food, drinks, games, and more. While Montgomery Inn still attracts the living 170 years after it first opened, it is also rumoured to be home to several ghosts who never checked out. Volunteers and employees have reported hearing the sounds of a baby’s cry on the second floor, latched cupboards opening on their own, guests being tugged and pulled by unseen forces near the fireplaces, and pillows with indentations of people’s heads like someone had been sleeping there just a moment ago. In 2013, the Inn welcomed resident storyteller Nan Brien who told the story of Margaret Montgomery, the inn’s matriarch. Margaret’s death at age 47 came after years of being confined to her bed as she was ailed with rheumatoid arthritis, and reportedly a chill can be felt on the third step from the top of the staircase leading to that very room she suffered in. Could that chill be the ghost of Margaret?
Whether or not you’re interested in ghosts, Montgomery’s Inn has plenty to offer from hearth cooking demonstrations, community art, and a weekly Farmer’s Market in the summer months. And if you are interested in ghosts, perhaps you can linger on the third step from the top and brush chilly shoulders with the lady of the house herself.
This Halloween, Montgomery’s Inn invites visitors after dark to uncover eerie tales about the past inhabitants of the Inn and the Old Town of Islington. Visitors will explore the historic house and the Islington burial ground, learn about Victorian death practices, and find new and frightening ways to connect with Toronto’s past. For more information on dates and times, check out the City of Toronto’s website.
Yeo House, Tyne Valley, PEI
There is more to the restored Victorian rooms of this historic house than meets the eye… Once the home of shipbuilder James Yeo Jr. it is now reportedly haunted. Wheelie, a charming yet terrifying 120-year-old toy dog on wheels, supposedly found hidden within the house’s very walls, has been known to move around the house by himself in the night. What moved Wheelie’s previous owner to hide him within the walls is unknown, though inexplicable occurrences seem to follow him, with weird sounds, voices, and footsteps being heard around him.
Want to face Wheelie for yourself and learn more about Yeo House’s resident ghosts and Victorian mourning customs? Yeo House offers ghost tours to visitors, with staff sharing their own creepy and spine-tingling experiences. More information on their website.
Point Amour Lighthouse, L’Anse Amour, NL
Lighthouses around the world seem to be haunted by the spirits of lightkeepers and sailors alike, and Point Amour Lighthouse is no exception. As the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada and the second tallest in the country, this lighthouse has helped sailors navigate the Strait of Belle Isle for 150 years. The treacherous waters off the coast of Labrador witnessed many tragic accidents, including the death of 7 men when the HMS Lily ran around and sank nearby in 1889, and the deaths of 11 others in 1922 when the HMS Raleigh ran aground. But one spirit, Captain Johnson, remains long after his ship was gone. Allegedly, his ship ran aground when he was unable to see the lighthouse, and to this day he searches for the lighthouse keeper who failed to keep the lamp burning that fateful night.
Whether you want to help Captain Johnson in his search for the lighthouse keeper, or simply want to take in some history and panoramic views from the top, Point Amour lighthouse is certainly worth a visit. After climbing to the top (and perhaps an encounter with Captain Johnson), why not hike to the site of the HMS Raleigh’s wreck and see some icebergs and whales along the way?
Dalnavert Museum, Winnipeg, MB
Built in 1895 for Hugh John Macdonald, who would go on to become Manitoba’s Premier in 1900, Dalnavert House has had many lives, from private residence for the premier, to a boarding house, and now a museum that celebrates everything about the Victorian period, including their fascination with spiritualism and ghosts. Although no one has lived in the house for a number of years, doors opening, the smell of smoking tobacco, and old kitchen stove doors closing leave visitors with the feeling that someone still calls Dalnavert House home. The Winnipeg International Writers Festival even invited a number of authors to spend the night in the haunted house, inspiring them to write their own spooky stories.
Explore Victorian spiritualism, hauntings, and ghosts with Dalnavert House. Tickets for special events, lectures, and tours can be found on their website.
Fort York, Toronto, ON
Another appearance of the War of 1812 on this list, Fort York was used to house members of the Canadian and British militaries as well as defend the entrance to Toronto Harbour. On April 27, 1813, Fort York witnessed the 6-hour-long Battle of York, that killed 181 men on both sides, most of which were buried in and around the present-day National Historic Site. A huge explosion during the battle resulted in body parts that rained down from the sky. Many of these soldiers were buried in a hurry and in shallow graves close to where they died along the shoreline (now Exhibition grounds), but heavy rain in the days that followed the battle washed away the earth, and their bodies reemerged until townspeople reinterred them. In the 1820s, the bodies reemerged again when the shoreline eroded, bringing back haunting memories of the bloody battle.
With such a long, bloody, and horrific battle, several ghosts are reported to haunt the grounds on and surrounding Fort York. One spirit is John Paul Rademuller, a lighthouse keeper at Gibraltar Point, who is said to have been murdered by two soldiers in January 1815. To make matter worse, his murder supposedly occurred on the 13th step of the lighthouse. Since then, lighthouse keepers have reported hauntings, seeing spirits in the woods surrounding the lighthouse, and footsteps that eerily halt once they reach the 13th step. In Victoria Memorial Square, just a few steps from Fort York, the haunting hoof steps of horses can be heard on the pavement. And at Fort York, a woman can be seen wandering around officer’s quarters along with a red-coat that can be seen in the barracks near the fort’s entrance.
You can discover the battle site and barracks year-round, but look out for lantern tours in the Fall to discover the military burial ground, history, bloody battles, and more, including the story of a fallen captain, whose body kept resurfacing until he had a proper burial. Learn more on the Fort York website.
This Halloween, City of Toronto History Museums are hosting events at historic sites around the city, including haunting tours of Fort York!
Hear chilling and eerie tales on a lantern tour of Fort York and its historic surroundings. Learn about a haunted lighthouse and the bloody Battle of York. Explore the military burial ground. Tour the creepy shadows and 200-year-old buildings of Fort York at night and learn of the fort’s history and its many paranormal mysteries. Hot drink & refreshment included.
Please note: this event takes place outdoors and on uneven ground. Please dress accordingly.
Conception Bay Museum, Harbour Grace, NL
The past comes alive at Conception Bay Museum… really alive.
The museum highlights the aviation and pirating history of one of North America’s oldest settlements, Harbour Grace, and the surrounding Conception Bay. With a long history tied to land, sea, and air, Harbour Grace comes with a colourful cast of ghostly characters that emerge twice a year for the Conception Bay Haunted Heritage Walk, a fundraiser organized by the museum. The tour is visited by the spirits of historical figures from Harbour Grace’s past, like undertaker Art Rogers who leads the tour (and is very unhappy to have been awoken from his grave) and famous pirate Peter Easton.
Learn more about the museum and snag some tickets to the haunted hike on their website… if you dare.
And for more information about the Haunted Hike, visit their Facebook for up-to-date information, dates, times, and more!
Lougheed House, Calgary, AB
This historic home in Calgary was once the home of Senator James Alexander Lougheed and his wife. Quickly, Lougheed House became the centre of the social scene in Calgary, and numerous parties and galas were held there. Some of the most famous guests of the Lougheeds included Governor General Prince Arthus, Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia and her daughter Princess Patricia, and Edward, Prince of Wales.
These galas and parties seem to have had a lasting effect on the mansion, as reports of a ghostly couple dancing in the ballroom have circulated. Whether or not the mansion really is haunted, Lougheed House has played into the rumours of hauntings and ghosts with a recent April Fool’s joke where they sought a new ghost to roam their halls. Want to know what a day in the life of the Lougheed House ghost looks like? Don’t worry, Lougheed House has shared a video detailing all the hijinks their ghost gets up to.
Lougheed House has a number of spine-tingling events for you to enjoy this Halloween! Explore Superstitions and Secrets: The Dark Side of Victorian History guided tours, Halloween Afternoon Tea, a Murder Mystery Dinner, and Trick or Trivia Night! More details about these events, tickets, and dates on their website.
