Category: October

Cemetery Book Review: Haunted Cemeteries

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Spooky season is right around the corner!

I have a lot of upcoming October content planned, so I thought I would officially kick off the Halloween season on the blog by sharing a spooky cemetery book review. It’s called Haunted Cemeteries: True Tales From Beyond the Grave by Edrick Thay.

Earlier this summer, I wrote a guest post for The Haunted Walk, titled Beyond the Headstones: 5 Surprising Secrets to Discover in Cemeteries. So when I was in Ottawa this summer visiting family, I made it a point to pop into the Haunted Walk office, on Sparks Street, to say hello. While there, I browsed their spooky-cute gift shop and this book jumped out. I thought it was a pretty fitting purchase.

  • Haunted Cemeteries book, purchased from the Haunted Walk shop in Ottawa.

Haunted Cemeteries was first published in 2004 by Ghost House Books, a part of Lone Pine Publishing. Ghost House has published a large series of books all focusing on local legends, ghosts, hauntings, and other unexplained phenomenon.1 Haunted Cemeteries is a collection of stories about the world’s most notoriously haunted cemeteries and graveyards. The majority of the cemetery stories come from the United States, but the book does feature two cemeteries that are located in Ontario; Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls and Burkholder Cemetery in Hamilton.

Here is the book synopsis from Goodreads:

“Cemeteries are places of quiet repose where the dead are left to eternal rest. But some spirits refuse to rest in peace. Join Edrick Thay as he explores some of the world’s most notoriously haunted graveyards, both past and present, and interviews ghost hunters to discover how these eerie sites become charged with paranormal energy.

Plagued by nightmares, a mother has her daughter exhumed from Mount Carmel Cemetery in Chicago, only to make a shocking discovery paranormal researchers encounter spirits of wounded soldiers in Ontario’s Drummond Hill Cemetery, once the site of bloody conflagration when an archaeologist discovers a sealed tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, he awakens a terrifying ancient curse at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, ghosts of celebrities from another era float among the decrepit tombstones Anomalous Luminous Phenomena, or mysterious lights that defy explanation, illuminate Silver Cliff Cemetery in Colorado Ohio ghosthunters descend on Camp Chase Cemetery in Columbus, hoping to come across the captivating Lady in Gray a high school girl, fascinated with the paranormal, encounters a particularly irritable ghost at Bachelor’s Grove in Chicago in Salem, Massachusetts, site of the infamous witch trails, a ghost materializes, still mourning his inhuman death”

  • Haunted Cemeteries: True Tales From Beyond the Grave by Edrick Thay.

Haunted Cemeteries features 19 stories and a handful of black-and-white cemetery photos. The short stories made this an easy book to pick up when I had a few minutes to read. I appreciate those types of books.

The book includes some more well-known cemetery hauntings, like Bachelor’s Grove in Chicago and the Egyptian curse of King Tut’s tomb, but also highlights some lesser-known hauntings and folklore. As an avid reader of cemeteries and the supernatural, discovering these new unfamiliar stories was a lot of fun.

Overall, this was a fun and easy read, and I enjoyed the ghostly tales that can sometimes surround cemeteries. Reading about ghost stories, legends and reputed curses from beyond the grave is always a great way to ease into the Halloween season—especially when it also involves exploring the rich history of cemeteries.

Thanks for reading! 

I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you.

References:

  1. Ghost House | One Pine Publishing

2023 Cemetery Scavenger Hunt

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What are you up to this Halloweekend? 

That’s right, it’s the last weekend in October before Halloween. Time to get in those last autumn days enjoying some seasonal activities, and getting ready for the ghouls and boils to come knocking on your door for treats.

I have a pretty full weekend planned of pumpkin carving, horror movies, and of course one last visit to a cemetery. 

This Sunday is the fourth annual Halloween Cemetery Scavenger Hunt, organized by Talk Death. If you are not familiar with Talk Death, they are a death-positive collective, whose mission is to encourage positive and constructive conversations around death and dying. 

This annual cemetery scavenger hunt is designed to bring together communities, families, cemetery lovers, and history enthusiasts. It’s a fun way to get outdoors and learn about your local history and art and architecture of different eras.

Want to join the fun?

It’s easy to play along! On Sunday, October 29th, at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT visit your favorite local cemetery and tune in to Talk Deaths Instagram page.

Then follow the clues provided to search for gravestones that match the clues, like symbolism, names, and dates. Take a selfie with the stones and submit your finds using the link in their bio. The first 3 people to fill out the form completely, win!

You can visit the TalkDeath 2023 Halloween Cemetery Scavenger Hunt webpage for the full details! 

  • Talk Death 2023 Cemetery Scavenger hunt. October 29, 2023.
    Image created by Talk Death.

Although this is meant to be a fun event, please be mindful when visiting any cemetery. Be respectful, and do not disturb the gravestones or grave goods.

That being said, I had a great time participating last year, and l look forward to playing again this year. Last year I visited Park Lawn Cemetery with my Mom. We were the only ones in the cemetery that day, but we still had a lot of fun!

This year, my cemetery of choice is Lasalle Cemetery. It’s a fairly large cemetery and has some older stones. Feel free to join me, if you are in the area!

Regardless of what you get up to this weekend, I hope you have a great one and take some time for a little Halloween fun. 

Happy Halloweekend, and thanks for reading! 

Cemetery Tourism

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Have you ever heard the term cemetery tourism before? Visiting cemeteries may not be at the top of your list when on vacation, but it should be!

In recent years cemetery tourism has become more and more popular. But, I would argue that it has always been. In today’s blog post, I wanted to talk a little bit about cemetery tourism and share a few upcoming cemetery tours happening in Ontario.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the only open places around were cemeteries. They afforded people an outdoor space to take walks and get fresh air, revealing their importance alongside parks and other green spaces. This also gave people a chance to appreciate cemeteries as more than just places of sorrow and remembrance, but also places of art, history, and culture. 

Since then, visiting cemeteries and graveyards has become an increasingly popular trend, not only among taphophiles and genealogists but also among general tourists. Wandering around cemeteries in new places is a great way to learn about the history and heritage of an area, and to also see examples of local art and architecture.

But cemetery tourism really isn’t anything new!

For decades people have been traveling the world specifically to visit tombs and mausoleums. The pyramids of Giza see over 14 million visitors each year, making them one of the most popular tombs in the world.1 Granted, the Pyramids are one of the seven wonders of the world, they are also tombs that were built over 4500 years ago by the ancient Egyptians to honor their dead.2 

Another popular example is the Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum that was built in memory of an emperor’s wife.3 It sees approximately 7 to 8 million visitors per year.4 Visitors flock to this site, not only to experience the exquisite architecture but to also experience the reverence this tomb represents. 

  • Cemetery Tourism

Closer to home, I find it’s common to see cemetery stops marked along motorcycle and cycling routes. Not only are cemeteries and graveyards perfect places to stop and stretch your legs on a long bike trip, but they also make interesting points of interest where you can learn more about the history of an area. 

Another way cemetery tourism is becoming more prevalent is the creation of cemetery tours. I see more tours offered every year in local or nearby city cemeteries. Not only are they great ways for cemeteries to fundraise, and bring more people into the cemetery. It’s a perfect way to highlight the cemetery’s history, showcase important people, and make history come alive. 

Generally, cemetery tours can be done at any time of year. You can often find them happening in the summer months. But, I find October is the best time of year for a cemetery walk. The atmosphere is perfect, with the crisp air and crunchy leaves. It’s a beautiful backdrop to explore history and learn about the past. October cemetery tours can be a fun activity to do if you are looking for something different to do for Halloween. Often, some of the history shared is on the darker side, creating an eerie atmosphere as you stroll among the graves.

Want to add a cemetery walk to your list of activities this month? Here is a small round-up of cemetery tours that are happening in Ontario. I would suggest booking your tickets fast as October is almost over! 

Upcoming cemetery tours

Fergus: Wellington County Museum & Archives Cemetery Tour 

Friday, October 27 from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person.

This tour takes place outside on the museum grounds, and at the Poor House Cemetery where over 200 inmates were laid to rest.

You can purchase tickets at this link.

Hamilton: War of 1812 Cemetery Tour

Saturday, October 28 at 11 a.m. This is a free event. Roughly 2 hours in duration.

A lively, informative tour of selected grave sites in historic Hamilton Cemetery. Each tour will introduce you to some of Hamilton’s more interesting personalities and its rich history.

Visit their website for more information. 

Mississauga: Haunted Mississauga 2023 Heritage Tour

Friday, October 27. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children.

Tours run at 7 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:20 p.m., 8:40 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tours take approximately 45 minutes.

This event includes a guided heritage tour around a dimly lit historic cemetery with actors retelling stories from the darker side of the past.

You can purchase your tickets at Eventbrite.

Ottawa: Tales from the Mausoleum at Beechwood Cemetery

Monday, October 23 to Monday, October 30. Tours run at 8 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. every night. There is an extra tour time of 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, October 28. Tours are roughly 75 minutes in duration.

A one-of-a-kind evening filled with storytelling and chills.  Experience the darker history of the cemetery’s early days and the ghost stories connected to some who rest there—including strange reports from staff that continue to this day. 

You can purchase tickets at this link.

Toronto: The People of Park Lawn Cemetery Tour

Saturday, October 28 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, October 29 at 1 p.m. Both tours are identical and will be roughly 2 hours in duration. This is a free event.

Park Lawn Cemetery is considered an oasis in the West End of Toronto; complete with lush greenery and winding walking paths. Its grounds also contain the earthly remains of some notable—and less notable—Toronto residents whose stories helped shape the city and the country.

Visit the Facebook event page to mark yourself as going.

Self-guided tours

If the above dates don’t work for you, or you would rather wander the cemetery at your own pace, some cemeteries offer self-guided cemetery tours. These types of tours can be done at any time of year. You can sometimes find handouts for self-guided tours at the cemeteries office, that include maps, directions, and information about the more notable or interesting things found in the cemetery. There are also sometimes resources online at the cemetery’s website that can be downloaded onto your phone for a mobile-guided experience.

Have you been on a cemetery tour before? Will you include one on your bucket list the next time you are on vacation? I would love to hear about your bucket list destinations or any cemetery tours you would recommend.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Opening Hours | Giza Pyramid
  2. History | Giza Pyramid
  3. Taj Mahal | Unesco World Heritage Convention
  4. Views of the Taj Mahal | Taj Mahal

Spooky Grave Goods

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In honor of the Spooky season, I wanted to do a sort of spooky show-and-tell. For today’s blog post, I want to talk about some of the creepier grave goods I have come across while exploring and photographing cemeteries.

Grave goods is a term used for items left behind at a grave. I have always found it fascinating what people leave behind. There are a variety of reasons someone might leave grave goods; to pay their respects, to honor their loved one, this list goes on.

The most common grave goods I see in my cemetery travels are flowers, but I have also found coins, toys, figurines, and pieces of clothing such as hats or gloves. I have even found alcohol and cigarettes left on gravestones.

But there have been a couple of times where I have found some pretty creepy things. I would say maybe even sinister grave goods.

  • Spooky Grave Goods

A Horse Skull

One of the first creepy grave goods I ever came across was a skull hanging from a tree. I believe this is a horse skull, although I don’t know for certain. A horse skull would make sense for the area where it was found, in Verner Public Cemetery. Verner is a rural area, dotted with farmland.

How the skull ended up in the tree is another question entirely. I remember it was hanging on a tree at the edge of the tree line. Was it found in the forested area? Was it brought from an adjoining farm?

The questions will always remain…

  • A horse skull. Verner Public Cemetery, Verner ON ©2010

A Creepy Doll

I never expected to come across a creepy doll, the day I entered Blezard Valley Cemetery. It was in late May, that I discovered this one.

A creepy plastic doll, the kind where the eyes close when you tilt it backward. Except this one has a push pin pushed into its plastic eyeball. It was also painted black. I found it leaning up against the backside of a granite gravestone.

How it ended up there, I can’t even speculate. Was it bored teenagers? Or was it left behind with more sinister intentions? I took many photos but left the doll where I found it.

  • A creepy doll left at a grave. Blezard Valley Cemetery, Blezard Valley ON ©2021

A Ouija Board

I think this is one of my favorite spooky finds! Technically my mom found it. We had gone off on our own, in separate directions, meandering among the gravestones. She called me over when she spotted this unique grave good.

Laying above a small flat stone marker was this hand-made ouija board. It was painted by hand onto a small canvas. I wasn’t able to locate what had been used as a planchette. My guess is they used a glass or cup of some sort, and made sure to return it to where it came from. 

From the looks of it, this hand-made board had been sitting outside for some time. Being an avid Ouija board collector myself, I enjoyed finding this one. But of course, I left it where it was found.

  • A hand-made ouija board. St. Jacques Cemetery, Hanmer ON ©2021

I have written in the past about the cemetery etiquette I follow when visiting cemeteries. I do sometimes clear away debris to get a clearer picture or stand-up fallen grave goods that have been knocked over. But, I would never remove anything from a gravestone, or cemetery for that matter. 

Did you enjoy my round-up of the top three spookiest grave goods I have found in a cemetery? It’s one of my favorite things about cemeteries, you never know what you might find!

Have you ever found anything strange left behind in a cemetery? I would love to read about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Stone Stories: The U.F.O. Gravestone

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In early July, my friends and I went on a cemetery road trip, up through Hailybury and New Liskeard to Kirkland Lake. We made quite a few stops along the way, not only at cemeteries. We stopped at a couple of roadside attractions to stretch our legs and take in the sights. 

We did have a few points of interest that we were determined to visit that day. One was the grave of Charles Bélanger, son of famous Canadian sculptor Rose-Aimée Bélanger. You may remember that story, as I wrote about our visit in a blog post called Stone Stories: Art in a Cemetery. 

The other point of interest, high on our list to see was a gravestone with an epitaph about U.F.O.s.

One of my favorite things about visiting cemeteries is finding unique gravestones. I love gravestones that stand out, that showcase a sense of humor, or something specific about their life story. I love stones that give you a glimpse of who the person was. Sometimes these peculiar gravestones also present a mystery! 

Like this gravestone in Kirkland Lake Cemetery that reads “U.F.O. Are Real Spacecraft.”

  • “U.F.O. Are Real Spacecraft.” Photo: Kirkland Lake Cemetery also known as Swastika Cemetery, Kirkland Lake ON ©2023

This is the gravestone of Glenn Bradley, who passed away on December 27, 2007. A day before what would have been his 89th birthday. From far away, his gravestone doesn’t seem to stand out. It’s a classic style headstone, in grey granite. But upon closer inspection, the epitaph jumps out at you.

It reads: “Bradley / Glenn E. Bradley / Dec. 28, 1918 — Dec. 27, 2007 / Loving Father of / Linda Sue and Terri Lynn / Beloved Grandfather of / Michelle, Curtis, Anthony, Pamela / U.F.O. Are Real Spacecraft.”

The epitaph continues on the backside of the stone: “Spinning Objects Vanquish Gravity / Spinning Objects Levitate / Spin to Exceed the Earths / Relative Feet Per Second / Honorable 60th C.B. Service / 1942 U.S. Navy 1945”

What does it mean? 

I am not the only one fascinated with this gravestone. Bill Steer, also known as Back Roads Bill, wrote an interesting article about this peculiar stone. In it, he shares an interesting tidbit found in Bradley’s obituary. It reads: “He will be remembered for his scientific work such as antigravity and his belief in UFOs.”1

Bradley’s gravestone tells us that he was a veteran of World War II with the U.S. Navy, having served from 1942 to 1945. Is that where he worked on antigravity? Had he seen a U.F.O.?

Recently, NASA revealed a report on UFO sightings, confirming that they are actively monitoring and collecting evidence. In the report, they state that unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) are not definitively connected to alien life, but what they are remains uncertain.2 You can read the 33-page report here.

  • Photo: Kirkland Lake Cemetery also known as Swastika Cemetery, Kirkland Lake ON ©2023

It was on a particularly hot day, that we chose to visit the cemetery. It was the final cemetery on our list, having stopped at many cemeteries along the way. This meant that we were fairly tired when we arrived at the Kirkland Lake Cemetery, also known as Swastika Cemetery. 

Kirkland Lake Cemetery is actually located in Swastika, Ontario, a former mining and railroad town. It sits within the Kirkland Lake municipal boundaries.3 Swastika was originally a railway station along the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway in the early 1900s. The town grew into a small mining community in 1907. It became known for its abundance of gold, which led the company, and officially the town itself, to name themselves after the Sanskrit symbol for “good luck” in 1908.4 

I don’t think we were prepared for how large this cemetery is! I was a little disheartened when we arrived, thinking we may not be able to find the fabled UFO stone. Find a Grave lists 7,871 memorials for this cemetery, and it’s marked as only 83% photographed. It’s quite large! 

After a brief distraction of falling into my regular photographer’s routine of stopping at gravestones that caught my eye, I remembered our objective. I regrouped with my companions and checked out Google one more time to point us in the right direction. In the end, we used some online photos to help us triangulate the stone’s location by matching up unique stones and markers in the background of the photos.

BINGO!

The gravestone of Glenn Bradley. Photos: Kirkland Lake Cemetery also known as Swastika Cemetery, Kirkland Lake ON ©2023

As mentioned previously, the stone from a distance is fairly nondescript. At the top of the gravestone, there is a coin embedded into it, with the dates 1937 — 1970. The coin reads: “E.W. Bliss Company / Bliss since 1857 / From Ingot to Finished Product”. According to the Military Wiki page, E.W. Bliss was an American company based in Brooklyn, New York. Among other things, they produced a line of special sheet metal work presses, power stamping machines, car parts, torpedoes, shrapnel, and armor-piercing projectiles.5

We spent time circling Bradley’s gravestone, pondering his curious epitaph. Without more background information, and as a layperson it did make me scratch my head in curiosity.

Maybe one day, answers will come forth as to what Bradley was talking about with his cryptically scientific epitaph. For now, it makes for a curious extraterrestrial mystery!

Have you ever seen a U.F.O. mentioned on a gravestone before? What do you think? Do you want to believe?

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. A most unusual epitaph | Bay Today
  2. NASA reveals results of highly anticipated report into UFO sightings | CTV News
  3. Kirkland Lake Cemetery | Find a Grave
  4. Swastika, Ontario | Town of Swastika
  5. E. W. Bliss Company | Military Wiki

Celebrating the last weekend of October

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October is coming to an end. This post-pandemic Halloween season has felt a bit more normal because of all the fun spooky activities happening. It’s been a whirlwind of a month for me, between pumpkin patch activities, a haunted holiday, watching way too many horror films, and visiting cemeteries. I even put up my own little front lawn cemetery for the trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. 

This year, I was able to visit some cemeteries a little farther away from me, in Cobalt, Haileybury, Huntsville, and Penetanguishene. I am looking forward to sharing more about those visits in upcoming posts. You can read about my visit to the Beck House and the Presbyterian Cemetery here.

I also had a chance to participate in this year’s Cemetery Scavenger hunt, put on by TalkDeath. I wrote a bit about TalkDeath and their annual event last week. You can read it here, in case you missed it. This cemetery scavenger hunt takes place globally, so you can participate from anywhere. All you have to do is visit a local cemetery. In some areas, you can participate with TalkDeath members in person. This year there were members at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal, and General Protestant Cemetery in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

  • Park Lawn Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2022

My mother and I joined in from Park Lawn Cemetery in Sudbury, Ontario. It was so much fun! Although we were the only ones in the cemetery searching for clues, it was still a nice way to spend some time on a Sunday afternoon. Park Lawn Cemetery is not the oldest cemetery in the city, as it was established in 1924. But it is a large one, which I thought would be an advantage to searching for clues. I may have been half right. We started strong, finding a few clues pretty quickly, but we started getting stumped. We fanned out and as I searched I fell into my normal cemetery photography mode, which is a little bit slower-paced. I did eventually manage to find 12 of the 20 clues, but it was way too late to place in the top 5. I think the fastest time may have been 12 minutes!

I was no where close to that time, but that’s ok! It was a great opportunity to get outside, enjoy one of the last beautiful weekends of October, visit a cemetery and spend some time with my mother. We spent about an hour in the cemetery. After I submitted my photos, we wandered around a little bit, enjoying the weather and looking at the beautiful stones. We also found some interesting epitaphs that I think will require some research, later on, to learn their story.

I think this years Scavenger Hunt was a success! I can’t wait to participate again next year! It was a really fun way to close the cemetery season for me. 

If you are not aware, November usually brings with it some pretty cold weather here in Northern Ontario, and that means lots of snow. I’m not fond of winter, so I tend to stay indoors during the colder months. That means my cemetery visits are pretty much done for this year.

That doesn’t mean that you will stop seeing content from me! 

In the colder months, I focus on editing the monstrous number of photos taken over the summer. I’ll be doing portfolio updates in the coming months, adding to what’s currently on the website. I’ll also be doing more work uploading memorials to Find a Grave, helping clean up their cemetery map information for Ontario, and transcribing photos. I’ll also be sharing more cemetery road trip stories from over the summer, and cemetery book reviews. I’ll also be taking some time to bake and share some more tombstone recipes. I don’t think I have made one since the spring!

That being said, I hope that you have had a wonderful October, were able to enjoy some fun activities throughout the month, and got to visit a cemetery or two! I would love to hear about your October adventures in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Halloween Cemetery Scavenger Hunt

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Looking for something different to do this Halloween? 

This Sunday, October 30th, is the 2022 edition of the TalkDeath Halloween Cemetery Scavenger Hunt.

TalkDeath is a hub for a changing death-conscious public. They aim to bridge the gap between death professionals and the general public and help people make informed end-of-life decisions. This is the third annual Halloween Cemetery Scavenger Hunt. It seems to be getting bigger and better every year!

This years event starts Sunday afternoon, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST, and you can join in from anywhere in the world.

To participate, all you have to do is visit your favorite local cemetery, the more historic the better, and follow along on TalkDeaths Instagram account for the clues! It promises to be a fun day of cemetery wandering as you explore the gravestones to match the clues, like symbols, names, and dates.

When you find your matching monuments, DM TalkDeath your findings. The first 3 people to DM their complete findings will win some beautiful prizes, like a 3D-printed skull planter, beautiful artwork, memorial pins, and more. 

Full event details, as well as rules and clues, will be rolled out on TalkDeaths’ social channels as we get closer to the event date. So check back often to stay up-to-date.

I missed out on this fun event last year, so I wanted to help spread the word about it this year. As long as the weather holds out, I will be participating from Park Lawn Cemetery to try and find all the clues. It’s a fairly large cemetery, and I haven’t visited it since 2011, so I thought now would be a good opportunity. I am planning on making an afternoon of it as my mother will be joining me as well. A scavenger hunt is a great opportunity to get some friends together for a fun outing and do something a little different for Halloween.

  • Park Lawn Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2011

Have you done a cemetery scavenger hunt before? Will you be participating this year? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Haunted Cemetery Road Trip: The Beck House

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Last weekend, my fiancé Chris and I spent the night at a haunted Airbnb. Since we’ve been engaged, it’s become an annual tradition to have a haunted holiday in October. Last year, we spent the night in room 105, the most haunted room at the Inn at the Falls in Bracebridge, Ontario. This year, we spent the night at the Beck House in Penetanguishene, Ontario.

The Beck House, built in 1885, is one of the oldest standing buildings in Simcoe County.1 It was built by Charles Beck, a wealthy lumber magnate, for his wife Emelia and their nine children. Charles, who also went by the name Carl, was mayor of the town from 1892 to 1895. In 1903, he was the first person to buy an automobile in the area.2 Sadly, two of his nine children died in the house, at a very young age. Emelia, their mother, also passed away young.3

Today the house has been converted into apartments for permanent residents, but two apartments on the top floor are available to rent through Airbnb. Many visitors to the Beck House have reported flickering lights, hearing footsteps, and unexplained knocking. Some have even heard disembodied voices, and have felt invisible hands tucking them in at night.

  • The Beck House, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

The house itself is just beautiful and is quite imposing as you come up the driveway toward it. The red brick, slate roof, and Queen Anne revival design give off elegant but spooky vibes.2 The house was decorated for Halloween when we arrived, which added to the spooky atmosphere, with pumpkins on the stairs, and ravens perched on the veranda railing. 

As you enter the house, you are greeted with large whiteboards that are covered in writing from visitors’ past. Here, people shared their experiences, thanked the hosts, or just marked that they were there. Some guests recommend what to keep watch for, like the doll in the green dress, or suggested other interesting places to visit in the area, like the Asylum Point Cemetery.

Walking up to our room, was like walking through time. The beautiful winding staircase, with its creaky steps and beautiful hardwood railing, almost seems to go up forever. Among a smattering of Halloween decor, were more historical pieces, like vintage dresses and a spindle wheel. Even more gorgeous antiques waited for us inside apartment 302.

The apartment is beautifully decorated with antique furniture and items. I especially loved the decor in the red room, with its gold cherub lamps, antique rocking horse, and a gorgeous dressing table complete with an antique mirror. There is also a little alcove in the living room area that is filled with vintage hats and hat boxes. All these little touches add so much to the space and the experience of staying there.

The Beck House, Apartment 302, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

We checked into our room at about 6 p.m., and after briefly exploring the space and dropping off our things we headed out for supper. We made mental notes of the position of the doll in the green dress, just in case. We had a lovely supper at Flynn’s Public House, downtown. The downtown core looks lovely, but we didn’t have much time to explore it. After supper, we visited Discovery Harbour to experience Pumpkinferno, a display of meticulously hand-carved jack-o-lanterns. It was magical! Walking among hundreds of lit jack-o-lanterns while Halloween-themed music plays is the epitome of Halloween. There were also some haunted attractions there to visit like Grim Reaper’s Grove, Macabre Mansion, and the Ghost Ship. They even had a little cemetery set up. After enjoying some hot chocolate, we headed back to the Beck House and apartment 302.

  • The Beck House, Penetanguishene ON ©2022 Photo taken by my fiancé Chris.

The doll in the green dress had not moved, and nothing seemed to be out of place. We settled in the living room to decompress from the days’ travels and adventures. In the dining room, there is a notebook filled with previous guests’ experiences, I read a few while we had some snacks. We decided to spend some time alone in each of the rooms, to see if a spirit may want to reach out. I took the red room, while Chris took the green room. I read with the light on, now and then peeking at the rocking horse to see if it was moving. Chris sat in the dark in the green room, with only the light from his phone as he scrolled on social media. He didn’t experience anything either. After a while, he joined me in the red room. We decided we would spend the night in the green room, as we could hear another tenant’s TV below us. Then we retired to bed. 

I don’t generally sleep well when we stay at haunted locations. I think it’s because I am afraid to miss out on seeing something supernatural happen. Eventually, I did fall asleep. Nothing peculiar happened, although. At one point during the night, Chris seemed to be having bad dreams. He was moving a lot in his sleep and even cried out. At exactly that moment I heard a creak in the floorboards. It sounded like it came from the doorway of the bedroom. We had gone to sleep with the door open. I didn’t see anything in the doorway. The rest of the night was uneventful.

In the morning, we packed our things and said goodbye to the Beck House, but we still needed to say goodbye to Carl and Emelia. After a nice big breakfast at Phil’s Casual Dining, we stopped in to visit the Presbyterian Cemetery. 

  • Presbyterian Cemetery, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

At the back of this pretty little cemetery is the Beck Mausoleum. It’s a rather imposing structure, flanked on either side by lovely white planters. The door is firmly locked, with a charming cast iron gate protecting it. I’m not certain of who rests within the mausoleum, but I would think that Charles, Emelia, and some their children, if not all, are laid to rest here. I thanked Carl and Emelia for our lovely visit in their house and paid my respects. Directly in front of the mausoleum, there are many grave markers for later generations of Becks. This is the only mausoleum in this small cemetery, standing like a sentinel keeping watch.

Beck Mausoleum, Presbyterian Cemetery, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

We did visit a couple of other spots in Penetanguishene, but that will be a story for another day. I hope you enjoyed this Haunted Cemetery Road Trip story. Have you ever spent the night in a haunted hotel? Do you have any October traditions? I would love to read about them in the comments!

Happy October and as always, thank you for reading! 

References:

  1. Haunted Simcoe: The Beck House | Barrie 360
  2. Carl Beck House | Penetanguishene Heritage
  3. Facebook post, October 9, 2018 | The Beck House

My Local Haunted Cemetery

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It’s October, so I wanted to continue my theme of spooky blog posts. Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about haunted cemeteries, and in particular my local haunted cemetery.

Just like Elm Street, every town has one, right?

We often see supposedly haunted cemeteries in TV and movies, and there are MANY stories from all over the world about them. Some of the most haunted cemeteries that come to mind are Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans and Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery in Chicago.

Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana is very well known, not only for its above-ground crypts but also as the final resting place of a famous Voodoo priestess, Marie Laveau. Her ghost has been seen wandering the rows of crypts at night. I’m sure you’ve also heard of the ritual that visitors often perform at her grave, in which they draw an X on her crypt, and turn around three times in hopes of having their wish granted. People also leave small offerings at her graveside.  

Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery in Chicago is also an allegedly haunted location. “In the 1920s and ’30s, the cemetery’s pond was reportedly a dumping ground for bodies murdered by Chicago’s organized crime families. Now the area is reportedly haunted by numerous ghosts, including a lady in white holding an infant, a black dog, and strangely, a phantom farmhouse.”1 You may have seen the reportedly authentic photo from 1991, of a ghostly woman sitting on a gravestone. This amazing infrared photo, if it is indeed authentic, was taken by Judy Huff, a member of the Ghost Research Society.2 The photo was taken during an investigation at Bachelor’s Grove, and there was reportedly no one in the area when the photo was taken. 

Looking a little closer to home, one of my local cemeteries is said to be haunted. I have visited the Lasalle Cemetery many times, during the day and in the evening. I have never had any experiences myself, but I do recall hearing many stories about it while I was growing up.

I remember being at a sleepover when I was in high school. There was a group of us, staying up late and watching movies. The conversation turned to scary stories and my friend’s older sister stepped in to tell us a story that had happened to her while visiting Lasalle Cemetery at midnight with some friends. Thinking back, this was a long time ago so the details are a little fuzzy. I do remember she had said she was there with a couple of her friends. They had driven into the cemetery through the entrance that takes you directly to a large cross with three statues.

  • Lasalle Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2022

They got out of the car to look around, all the while making jokes and laughing. She was uncomfortable and creeped out a little by the statues and the large cross that loomed before them. She said something about looking at the statues and getting an eerie feeling. Her friends continued to make jokes and her uneasiness grew. She suddenly felt the need to get away from there, and when she happened to look up at the cross and statues, the statues had all changed! While before they had pious faces, with their eye looking upward to Jesus on the cross, they now were looking directly at her with grimacing faces. She screamed and got back into the car, screaming at her friends that it was time to leave. 

Needless to say, the story freaked us out! But did it happen? Or was this a tall tale told by an older sister trying to scare her younger sister and her friends? 

  • Lasalle Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2020

In 2018 I came across an interesting article promoting a local Haunted Walk for October. The article talked about local haunted locations around town, Lasalle Cemetery was one of them. My interest peaked. The article doesn’t have a lot to say about the haunting in the cemetery, aside from reported “ghost duels”, which sound incredible.3 The article did suggest that there were more stories to be found on Reddit.

In the Sudbury Ghosts thread on Reddit, many people have chimed in with personal ghost stories, like hearing strange sounds coming from the cemetery, or seeing running figures that seem to disappear into thin air. Someone in that thread also mentioned the “Grave Guardian” and asked if it’s just an urban legend.4 That’s the second time I’ve heard that name.

Years ago, It came up during a conversation with a co-worker. He mentioned this Grave Guardian, but I don’t recall any of the specifics. It’s interesting to note that after some online research, I have yet to find any stories or experiences about this supposed spirit. Apparently, there is a “legendary” story revolving around the Grave Guardian, but I haven’t found it.

One of the best references I have found so far is from an article by Week in Weird, about a ghostly video that was taken at Lasalle Cemetery. That article, written in 2016 states that Lasalle Cemetery is known for being “incredibly paranormally-active” with a “legendary” story. Unfortunately, these stories must have been kept in private circles as there is not much to be found online, aside from reports of disembodied voices and a theory that the Grave Guardian is connected to the largest gravestone in the cemetery.5 Even the video that the article references has since been taken down. The video supposedly shows a fully-formed apparition manifesting behind the videographer. The consensus seems to be that this video was legitimate, and not a hoax. I reached out to the video creator but didn’t get a response. 

  • Lasalle Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2011

In my research, I found another video about Lasalle Cemetery, that had also been taken down. This video was created by Golden Ghost, a local paranormal investigation team. I reached out to them to find out why the video had been taken down, and if they had any stories they could share. I heard back from Austyn, the Team Leader and CEO of Golden Ghost. He had some interesting stories to share with me. He has also heard the stories about the Grave Guardian but has yet to make contact. The closest his team has gotten is hearing mentions of the Guardian through the spirit box they use during investigations. He went on to tell me about some interesting experiences he has had with his team, and what he would call an evil entity. This entity seems to be attached to a certain section of the cemetery. That was why the video was taken down; to keep the location secret in hopes of protecting others from encountering this malicious spirit.  

Could that area of the cemetery be the one with the largest gravestone? Could this evil entity and the Grave Guardian be the same spirit? This is just speculation of course, as the stories of the Guardian have been fairly neutral. If you can call them stories. There are no real stories to be found about this supposed Grave Guardian. This leads me to think that it’s just that, a tidbit of a story that people share when conversation turns to ghosts and the supernatural. People have heard of it, but no one has any personal stories to share, except for the name, which gets shared again and again. It is a good name for a ghost, after all.

Isn’t that how urban legends start? What do you think?

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery | Graveyards.com
  2. Girl on the gravestone | Ghost Research Society
  3. Ten haunted habitations and spooky sites in Greater Sudbury | Sudbury.com
  4. Sudbury Ghosts r/Sudbury | Reddit
  5. Ghostly Video: Apparition Manifests Behind Videographer Inside one of Ontario’s Most Haunted Cemeteries | Week in Weird

Cemetery Tours in Ontario

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It’s my favorite time of year again, October! I love crisp sweater weather and crunchy leaves on the ground. Dead leaves are one of my absolute favorite smells. It’s also the best time for leaf peeping, and of course, visiting cemeteries. 

This is also the time that you will see Cemetery Tours being advertised. The gorgeous fall colors are a lovely contrast to the beautiful grey tombstones. Cemetery Tours are a great opportunity to photograph a new cemetery, learn about local history and take a nice cemetery stroll. You may even hear a ghost story or two.

Cemetery Tours are usually put on by local Museums or Historical Groups. The tour guide will lead you through the cemetery, explaining the history of the place as well as highlighting the stories of historical figures buried within it. Sometimes they will also talk about famous and infamous graves. Some tours have guides that dress up and use a lantern to light the way, while other tours have actors dressed in period clothing that will tell the life stories from the deceased’s graveside. Some tours are self-guided. On this type of tour, you will be provided with a map with points of interest marked on it. You can do these tours at your own pace. 

I love cemetery tours! You can learn a lot about the history of your local cemeteries, and notable graves and may even learn some obscure trivia along the way. It’s also lots of fun to meet people with similar interests on these tours. 

So for today’s blog post, I wanted to share some Cemetery Tours that are happening this fall in Ontario.

Fergus: Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge (Poorhouse) Cemetery Tour

October 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

$15 +HST a ticket

It’s that time of the year where everyone loves hearing scary stories, but real history holds some of the scariest and unnerving stories. Join us as we take a trip through the real history of the House of Industry and Refuge and explore some of the more unsettling stories of inmates and staff that called this place home.

The Museum which is housed in the Old Poorhouse building still looks after the graves and these tours are an opportunity to tell the stories of those that lived, died, and still remain on the site.

Enjoy a lantern lit tour of the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge (or Poorhouse) Cemetery. Between 1877-1947 the building was the Wellington County Poorhouse and over 600 people died on site during those years. Those that had no family or friends to claim their body were buried here, and 271 burials took place over those years.

Please be aware there are no accessibility routes for this tour. This tour is designed for a 14+ audience.

Tours begin at 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm on the front steps of the Wellington County Museum. 

Grimsby: Queen’s Lawn Cemetery Tour

Tour Queen’s Lawn Cemetery by lantern light and hear true eerie stories of past Grimsby residents.
3 tour dates available:

  • Wednesday, October 5 at 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 12 at 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 19 at 7 p.m.

Pre-registration is required and limited space is available. Groups are kept small to ensure a quality tour. Tours are approximately 1 to 1.5 hours and are recommended for ages 12+.

Tours will be held rain or shine. The tour will be canceled in the case of extreme weather and refunds will be sent if the museum does have to cancel.

Please contact the Grimsby Museum for any questions you may have at museum-public@grimsby.ca or 905-945-5292. *This event is subject to a minimum registration.

Hamilton: Stories in the Stones

The Stories in the Stones Tours tell fascinating stories through free guided walking tours at Hamilton Cemetery each Saturday between May to November.

Local historian and storyteller Robin McKee guides you through historic Hamilton Cemetery with various themed tours he has created. Themed tours will include early settlers such as Robert Land and George Hamilton, victims of the Desjardins Railway Disaster.

Tours start at 11 a.m. at the Cemetery Gatehouse (777 York Blvd.) across from Dundurn Castle and run for approximately 1.5 hours. Tours take place rain or shine and tours and dates are subject to change.

They also offer a History Unearthed historical walking tour.

Kenora: Lake of the Woods Cemetery Walking Tour

$11.62 per person

Come and explore the dark side of Kenora’s past in the largest graveyard in Northern Ontario— the Lake of the Woods Cemetery.

The tour looks at Kenora’s history through the lens of true crime tales, and murder mysteries, the Ontario-Manitoba border war, sickness and disease, and one of the most famous (and grisliest) bank robberies in Canadian history. These true stories of real people combine to give a history of Kenora like you’ve never heard before.

We’ll explore these topics and more on this guided tour in Kenora’s silent city of the dead.

London: Mount Pleasant Cemetery Tour

Takes place on Saturday, October 8 and Sunday, October 9.

1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. start times. $15 / person

Join us at the historic Mount Pleasant Cemetery for a tour diving into the history of the cemetery’s architecture and the unique ecosystem that make the grounds beautiful and serene. Learn details about the culture of death during the Victorian era, and the art and architecture carved into the monuments and gravestones at the Mount Pleasant site.

Niagara Falls: Drummond Hill Cemetery Tours

October 15, 16, 22, 23 at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m.

These tours offer a unique opportunity to discover Niagara Falls through a visit to one of the most historic cemeteries in Canada. Led by a costumed guide, the human drama unfolds as guests wander the grounds and happen upon theatrical performances that provide a glimpse into the lives of some of the people from our City’s history.

Ticket price $12 per person or $10 per museum member. Tickets must be purchased in advance; rain or shine and they are non-refundable. 

Post tour refreshments and open house are offered at Battle Ground Hotel Museum just across the street.

Niagara-on-the-Lake: Niagara’s Dark History Tour

This tour features only dark history and strange stories of Canada’s Prettiest Town, Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Featuring the true villain of the 1813 burning, a disgruntled British politician. With a disappearance that almost ended Freemasonry, the lover’s public execution and standing up to slavery with violence. This tour includes a leisurely walk through Ontario’s oldest cemetery, stories of Niagara’s daredevils and a hidden historic fort.

Owen Sound: Self-guided Cemetery tours

Greenwood Cemetery, “The People’s Cemetery,” is home to many of Owen Sound’s luminaries, from political leaders, ship captains, and Victoria Cross winners to remarkable women, African Americans, athletes, pioneers, and religious, business, and medical leaders. It was established in 1858.

The four self-guided walking tours available are Tour 1, 2, and 3 in Greenwood Cemetery and The People’s Cemetery tour. 

Ottawa: The Beechwood Stroll

The Beechwood Cemetery Stroll is a guided historical tour through Beechwood, the National Cemetery of Canada. 

Tours are given on the last Sunday of each month, rain or shine, and begin at 1 p.m. Tours start from the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, located just off the Beechwood Avenue entrance.

The Beechwood Cemetery Stroll is led by trained volunteers and focuses on local history and notable features and sections within this National Historic Site. The tour is free of charge, and is family friendly. The route for the Stroll is a gentle 1.5 hour walk and is wheelchair accessible.

Penetanguishene: Meet the Spirits of St. James on the Lines

Tour St. James on the Lines Cemetery by lantern encountering many spirits of Penetanguishene’s past. Discover the significant history of the church. Light refreshments to be served after your tour.

Tickets are $10 per person for this one-night-only event, happening October 14. There are two start times to choose from; 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. At the time of this writing, the 8 p.m. tour is sold out, but there are a few tickets left for the 7 p.m. tour.

Toronto: Toronto Cemetery Tours

Re-living history through guided tours of Toronto’s beautiful, historic cemeteries. Cemetery tours are announced regularly on their Facebook page. 

This is just a small selection of the cemetery tours being offered this year in Ontario. Some events will be announced closer to their event date and may be a one-night-only affair. I would recommend searching often for cemeteries near you so you don’t miss out on a fun opportunity. The other option is to do your own self-guided tour, by doing the research beforehand on historical, infamous, and famous graves. 

Have you been on a cemetery walking tour? What was your experience? I would love to read about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!