Tag: Haunted

October Stone Stories: The Bird Family and Woodchester Villa

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Even though Halloween has just passed, it still feels like a perfect time to share another ghost story.

One that stands out is the tale of the Bird family of Bracebridge, Ontario, and the mysterious history of Woodchester Villa. A house known for both its striking architecture and its lingering ghostly rumours.

In April of 2024, my mother and I took a trip to Bracebridge to explore this unique historic site. It was Easter weekend and our first road trip of the season. The Spring thaw had come early, but spring itself hadn’t quite arrived yet. The trees were bare, and the grass was still brown, giving the whole day an autumn feel.

It was fitting, since we were there to visit ghosts.

Woodchester Villa. Bracebridge ON ©2024

Henry James Bird

Built in 1882, Woodchester Villa was the dream home of Henry James Bird, a successful wool mill owner who made his mark in Bracebridge, Ontario.1 Henry was born on January 3, 1842, in Woodchester, England, the youngest of eleven children.2 He learned the wool trade in his home country before spending time in Australia and the United States, eventually settling in Canada in 1867.2

Before finding his footing in Bracebridge, Henry worked for the Rosamond Woollen Company in Lanark County.2 A few years later, he bought a mill in Glen Allan, but after a terrible flood damaged the property, he decided it was time for a change.2 Tragically, before he could make the move north, his first wife, Sarah Jane Fraser, and their two young children died of tuberculosis.2 In 1872, Henry moved to Bracebridge, where he opened the Bird Woollen Mill beside the falls.2

Henry quickly became a respected businessman and community leader. He served on the town council and helped bring new public utilities to the growing town, including its first water and fire protection systems.2 His success and civic pride eventually led him to build his grand home, naming it “Woodchester” after the village where his story began.2

Woodchester Villa

Although Woodchester Villa was ahead of its time, it’s also long been tied to strange happenings that add to its eerie charm. The house was closed during our visit, but we spent plenty of time admiring its design and reading the educational panels scattered around the property. They helped us picture what life might have been like for the Bird family living within those walls.

I wandered around the grounds with my camera, hoping to catch a flicker of movement from inside. We didn’t see any spirits, but the landscape itself felt charged, as if the past still lingered quietly on that secluded hilltop.

Woodchester Villa is one of Ontario’s finest examples of an Octagonal house.1 The eight-sided design was inspired by Orson Squire Fowler, an American phrenologist and author who believed octagon homes were healthier and more efficient than traditional square houses.1 Bird fully embraced this philosophy, creating a three-storey home that blended innovation with comfort.2

Inside, the villa featured some impressive amenities for the late 1800s, like indoor plumbing supplied by rainwater tanks on the second floor, a ventilation system that circulated air throughout the house, and even electric lighting, which was rare for the time.2

Woodchester Villa. Bracebridge ON ©2024

For all its beauty and history, Woodchester Villa has a reputation for being one of the most haunted spots in Bracebridge. Behind its restored walls, many believe something otherworldly lingers.3

Stories tell of a spectral woman and two ghostly children who seem to wander the rooms.3 Visitors and staff have reported hearing the soft cries of a baby, the quick steps of little feet on the upper floors, and the faint sound of a woman’s voice singing somewhere in the distance.3 Cold spots are often felt throughout the house, especially near the basement stairs. Some have also described the air growing so cold they could see their breath, even in the middle of summer.3

While no one can say for sure who these spirits are, many believe the ghostly woman could be Henry Bird’s first wife, Sarah Jane, accompanied by their two young children.3 All three died of tuberculosis before Henry moved to Bracebridge. Perhaps, as Andrew Hind suggests in Muskoka’s Most Haunted 2, their sudden, tragic deaths left them unable to rest, and they followed Bird north to the home he would later build.3

The idea is both eerie and oddly touching. If the spirits truly belong to Henry’s lost family, Woodchester may represent the life they were meant to share, their love quietly echoing through the halls, long after death.

Bracebridge United Cemetery

After exploring the villa grounds, we visited the nearby Bracebridge United Cemetery, where Henry James Bird and his family are buried.

After some searching, we found the graves of Henry, his second wife Mary Matilda Bird, and several of their children, including Margaret Elizabeth and Catherine.

The cemetery was quiet and calm, yet the connection between the villa and the family’s final resting place added an eerie layer to our visit. Standing at Henry’s grave, I felt surrounded by history and maybe something more. Whether it’s the family’s hardships or the strange energy tied to their home, the Bird story seems to linger beyond the grave.

Bracebridge United Cemetery, Bracebridge ON ©2024

The Bird family’s story and their haunted home remind us how easily history and mystery can intertwine. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, there’s something about Woodchester Villa that still feels alive with the past.

For anyone interested in cemetery tourism or dark local history, this hauntingly beautiful site is well worth the visit.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Woodchester Villa, Bracebridge | Ontario Heritage Trust
  2. Woodchester History | Bracebridge The heart of Muskoka
  3. Muskoka’s Most Haunted 2 by Andrew Hind | Book

October Cemetery Stories: Canada’s Most Haunted Cemetery

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Some cemeteries feel alive with history, and sometimes with something else entirely!

Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls is one of those places. Known as the site of one of the fiercest battles of the War of 1812, it’s also considered Canada’s most haunted cemetery.

Long before its haunted reputation took hold, Drummond Hill was a popular tourist stop, even rivalling Niagara Falls. Visitors came for battlefield tours led by veterans eager to share their stories.1

  • The gates of Drummond Hill Cemetery
    Cemetery gates. Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls ON ©2024

Drummond Hill Cemetery

Drummond Hill was once farmland, but on July 25, 1814, it became the site of the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the War of 1812.2 The hill’s high ground made it strategically important, and the fighting went on for six hours before darkness and heavy losses brought it to an end.2 Both sides lost more than 800 men, and although each claimed victory, the Americans withdrew the next day, ending their advance into Upper Canada.2

Today, a large stone monument stands on the hill to honour those who fought and to mark the battlefield.3 Beneath it lies a vault containing the remains of 22 British soldiers.3

The first recorded burial at Drummond Hill is John Burch. He was originally buried on his farm in 1797 and re-interred here in 1799.3 That means this ground was already being used as a burial place well before the battle. Over time, the cemetery grew to roughly 4 acres and now contains more than 25,000 burials.4 The site is managed by the City of Niagara Falls and remains semi-active, though plots are no longer for sale.3

Among those buried here are veterans, Loyalist settlers, and many early Niagara families. One of the most visited graves belongs to Laura Secord, the woman who warned British forces of an American attack during the War of 1812.4 Another notable grave is that of Karel Soucek, the daredevil who famously survived his barrel plunge over Niagara Falls.5 You will also find markers and monuments for soldiers and local leaders from the region’s early days.3

Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls ON ©2024

Haunted

With its violent past and long history, it’s no surprise Drummond Hill has a haunted reputation. Many stories connect back to the battle, where soldiers were killed and buried on the grounds.6 Visitors and locals have reported seeing ghostly soldiers walking among the gravestones, or appearing at a distance before fading away.6

It’s said that the cemetery is haunted by two distinct groups of soldiers.1 One group is a troop of five soldiers dressed in Royal Scots uniforms, limping across the former battlefield before vanishing.1 The second group is said to consist of three British Soldiers in red coats, slowly making their way up the hill and settling into a steady march, before disappearing.1

Laura Secord’s monument, which features a lifelike bust, has also been linked to supernatural occurrences. Some visitors say that her statue seems to watch them as they walk by, as if she’s still keeping a watchful eye on things.1 These reports, combined with the age of the cemetery and its battlefield history, make Drummond Hill a place where history and the supernatural feel closely connected.1

  • View of the Skylon tower from the cemetery.
    Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls ON ©2024

When I visited Drummond Hill, I made sure to stop at Laura Secord’s grave. Standing in front of her stone was moving, knowing her bravery has become such a lasting part of Canadian history.

During my visit, I did have one unsettling experience, but it had nothing to do with the supernatural.

I came across someone under the influence, wandering through the cemetery. For the first time in all my cemetery visits, I felt unsafe. It was a harsh reminder of how deeply the opioid crisis has reached into our communities, even historic sites like this. That moment pulled me out of the past and reminded me of the struggles happening right now.

Drummond Hill Cemetery is layered with stories. It carries the weight of the War of 1812, the lives of pioneers and heroes, and the ghostly legends of soldiers who never left. It’s a place where history and mystery meet, and where the past feels close. Visiting left me reflecting not only on the history that shaped this ground, but also on the realities of the present.

Haunted or not, Drummond Hill remains one of Canada’s most fascinating and important cemeteries.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Haunted Cemeteries: True Tales From Beyond the Grave by Edrick Thay | Book
  2. Battle of Lundy’s Lane National Historic Site of Canada | Government of Canada
  3. Drummond Hill Cemetery | City of Niagara Falls
  4. Drummond Hill Cemetery | Find a Grave
  5. Karel Soucek | Find a Grave
  6. The Most Haunted Cemetery in Canada is Drummond Hill | Ghost Walks

October Stone Stories: The Haunting of Bell Mansion

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Some places just have a presence.

You can’t help but notice them. The Bell Mansion in Sudbury, Ontario, is one of those places. It’s grand, full of history, and, if the stories are true, maybe even haunted.

Despite its spooky reputation, it’s also been a popular spot for wedding photos, with its striking architecture offering a mix of romance and a touch of haunted charm.

But while the mansion still stands for now, its future is uncertain, and its past lingers in more ways than one.

The Bell Mansion. Sudbury, ON ©2024

The Bell Family

William Joseph Bell, better known as Willie Joe, was born in Pembroke, Ontario, in 1858.1 He started in the lumber industry at just 18, working as a scaler and lumberjack in Quebec.1 By the time he moved to Northern Ontario in 1896, he had already made a name for himself.1 He quickly climbed the ranks, becoming Vice-President and General Manager of the Spanish River Lumber Company in 1901.1 His influence didn’t stop there; he also ran a hardware company and sat on the board of National Grocers Ltd.1

In 1886, he married Katherine Skead, the daughter of an Ottawa senator, and the couple eventually settled in Sudbury.1 Beyond business, they were generous community builders. Their greatest gift may be Bell Park, a beautiful green space on Ramsey Lake, which they donated in 1926.2 A gift that continues to benefit Sudbury today.

The park remains one of the city’s most beloved gathering spots, offering accessible recreation for people of all ages. Just as Bell Park connects residents with nature, the Bell Mansion connects them with the city’s past, standing as a reminder of the Bells’ influence and Sudbury’s early growth.

The Bell Mansion

Built in 1907, the Bell Mansion, also known as Belrock, is beautiful. Made from local stone in the Arts and Crafts style, the house once sat on 155 acres, stretching from Elizabeth Street down to Ramsey Lake.3,4 That land is now Bell Park, but back then it was all part of the Bell’s massive estate. The mansion itself is a 6,000-square-foot beauty, complete with a coach house, greenhouse, and a separate house for the servants.4

On December 3, 1955, disaster struck when a fire gutted the home, leaving little more than stone walls standing.5 Only one room survived—the conservatory.5 The Nickel Lodge Masons bought the property, but their rebuilding plans never came to life.5 For more than a decade, the mansion sat empty until the Centennial Committee of the Chamber of Commerce led renovations in 1966.5 Two years later, ownership was transferred to Laurentian University, which leased the space to the Art Gallery of Sudbury.5

For decades, the gallery displayed countless exhibits within the mansion’s walls. But what fascinates people just as much as the art are the ghost stories.

Over the years, people have reported eerie sounds such as rustling skirts, heels clicking across the floor, and even ghostly horses neighing outside.6 Many believe Katherine Bell still keeps watch over her home.6 Staff and security have both described phantom footsteps, loud crashes with nothing disturbed, and objects disappearing only to reappear days later.5

The most memorable stories involve a woman’s voice that can be heard eerily singing throughout the house. It’s seems to be loudest in the conservatory, the only room spared by the fire.5 Some say Katherine is still rehearsing for one last ghostly concert.5

She may not be alone. Visitors claim William Bell also makes his presence known, through heavy footsteps and sightings of a tall figure in a dark suit and top hat, quietly watching over the gallery.5

Another mystery once puzzled visitors: the sound of children laughing and playing inside the house, even though the Bells never had children of their own.5 The voices eventually faded, but the questions remain. Who were they, and what tied them to the mansion?5

In 2024, I visited to photograph the exterior. Though currently closed to the public and sadly in visible disrepair, the mansion still has an undeniable elegance, and definitely still has stories to tell.

The Bell Mansion. Sudbury, ON ©2024

Calvin United Church Cemetery

For all their ties to Sudbury, the Bells aren’t buried there.

Instead, they rest in Calvin United Church Cemetery in Pembroke, Ontario, a peaceful spot along Boundary Road East where six cemeteries line the street.

William Joseph Bell died in January 1945 at the age of 87 from complications of a leg injury, and was buried in the family plot.5 When Katherine Bell passed away in her home at age 90 in 1954, she was laid to rest beside him.7 William’s parents and three siblings are also buried in the family plot. Their large pink granite monument is simple and understated. It’s a sharp contrast to the grandeur of the mansion they left behind.

On my way back from Ottawa in 2024, I stopped in to visit their graves. Despite their prominence in Sudbury, I was surprised they weren’t buried there. With the help of reference photos, I eventually found their gravestone and was able to pay my respects.

Bell family plot. Calvin United Church Cemetery, Pembroke ON ©2024

Today, the fate of the Bell Mansion is uncertain.

In late 2024, Laurentian University announced it would list the property for sale, saying repairs were too costly.8 The Art Gallery of Sudbury, which had long occupied the mansion, has already relocated as part of Laurentian’s insolvency process.8

In response, local advocates launched a petition urging that the grounds remain open to the public and that the heritage designation be respected.9 Many argue the mansion is too important a piece of Sudbury’s history to lose.10 That is one of the reasons I felt it was important to photograph it and share its story.

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there’s no denying that this house has a past worth remembering.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. The History of Bell Rock | Local Color
  2. Appreciating the legacy of Bell Park | Sudbury.com
  3. Bell Mansion provides touch of elegance | Northern Ontario Business
  4. Turning Bell Mansion into a historical teaching tool | Sudbury.com
  5. Haunted Museums & Galleries of Ontario by Andrew Hind | Book
  6. Ten haunted habitations and spooky sites in Greater Sudbury | Sudbury.com
  7. The History of The Bell Mansion | Art Gallery of Sudbury
  8. Historic Bell Mansion in Sudbury, Ont., listed for $1M | CBC
  9. Sale shouldn’t limit access to Bell Mansion grounds, petition states | Sudbury.com
  10. Bell Mansion’s heritage should be protected, local history buffs say | Sudbury.com

October Cemetery Stories: Torrance Cemetery

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I love a good spooky story, especially in October. So for today’s blog post, I want to share another October cemetery story—this time coming from the Muskokas.

Earlier this year I planned a cemetery road trip that would take me around Lake Muskoka; visiting Bala, Torrance, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and Port Carling. I had quite a few cemetery stops planned as well as some other picturesque stops. At that same time, Canadian author Andrew Hind was coming out with a new book called Muskoka’s Most Haunted 2.

Hind is a freelance writer specializing in history, travel, lifestyle, and the paranormal. He has written quite a few books about hauntings in Ontario. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I read the book and discovered it has a chapter on Torrance Cemetery!

  • Whiting Family mausoleum. Torrance Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024

Torrance Cemetery

The small hamlet of Torrance was settled in 1870 by three families; Torrance, Coulter, and Jestin, all originally from Eramosa, Ontario.1 They had traveled to the area to explore a free land grant offered by the Government of Canada.1 The community was named after William Torrance, who was the first postmaster.1 The Torrance Union Cemetery, also known as Whiting Family and Church Cemetery, is located on the site of the first school that was erected in the township, in 1875.2

Today, the Township of Muskoka Lakes operates and maintains Torrance Cemetery, along with 11 other cemeteries in cottage country.3 They state that they offer a “peaceful” resting place for loved ones of all faiths, but Torrance Cemetery has a long history of being anything but peaceful.3

  • Torrance Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024

Haunted Family Mausoleum

The lone, stone mausoleum belongs to the Whiting family. Their story is one fraught with tragedy. William O’Dell Darling Pine Whiting was born in 1857, in England.4 Whiting came to Canada in the late 1870s and briefly served in the Riel Rebellion as a member of the Northwest Grenadiers militia regiment in 1885, which is when he fell in love with the Muskokas.4,5

In 1892, he would return to the area, this time with his wife Clara Margaret Cronkite and their young family.5 Whiting purchased a large piece of waterfront property on Lake Muskoka, with dreams of building the finest resort in Ontario.5 He would call it Brighton Beach Hotel, reminiscent of a similar hotel back in Brighton Beach, England.4 Unfortunately, Whiting’s dream would never bear fruit. Only a week after the official opening, in July 1895, the grand hotel burned to the ground. Luckily, no one was injured.5

In 1898, Whiting revived his dream, this time on a smaller scale.5 The second incarnation of the hotel, Brighton Beach II4, had more success. It welcomed vacationers for two decades, before tragedy struck a second time in 1917.4,5 Sadly, this fire had one casualty. It claimed the life of Whiting’s infant granddaughter.5

Whiting never rebuilt, and never recovered after the loss of his granddaughter.5 Whiting passed away in 1937, and was laid to rest in the Whiting Family mausoleum in Torrance Cemetery. His wife Clara is also laid to rest within the stone crypt, alongside two of their children—and it seems their spirits are not at rest.5

Whitting Family mausoleum. Torrance Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024
Plaque on Whitting Family mausoleum in Torrance Cemetery
Whitting Family mausoleum in Torrance Cemetery
Whitting Family mausoleum in Torrance Cemetery
Whitting Family mausoleum in Torrance Cemetery

Whiting Family mausoleum. Torrance Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024

There have been many reports over the years of paranormal activity taking place in and around the crypt. Ghost lights have been reportedly spotted, as well as full-bodied apparitions and disembodied voices.5 Are the spirits restless or were they awakened by something more sinister?

There is a particularly terrifying story of vandalism and desecration of the family vault. The crypt was broken into, and a coffin smashed open.5 The dead did not rest in peace that night.

The haunted reputation of the cemetery has garnered some attention as various ghost hunters and paranormal investigators have visited the cemetery. All trying to capture proof of ghostly phenomenon.

  • Whiting Family mausoleum. Torrance Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024

My mother and I visited Torrance Cemetery in early April. The spring thaw left the ground littered with brown leaves, giving off heavy fall vibes. The trees were also bare, their new growth still dormant. It was a perfect, faux-fall day to be wandering a haunted cemetery.

I had read the book before our visit, so visions of ghosts were swimming in my head as we wandered the cemetery. It was interesting to stand before the family mausoleum and think about the vandalism, the desecration, and the sightings.

I examined the gated door, peering into the dark screened windows. But, I didn’t see anything, nor did I hear anything. My mother on the other hand had her own experience.

As we normally do when visiting cemeteries, we each go our separate ways, drawn to different things. She told me afterward, that while she wandered the cemetery rows she suddenly felt cold. Not from a cool breeze, but like she had been suddenly “dipped in cold water” from her head to her toes. The sensation didn’t last long, and she didn’t think anything more of it. That is until she read the stories.

My mother read the book after our visit, with the experience of visiting the mausoleum still fresh in her mind. She reacted quite differently than I did when I read the stories of Torrance Cemetery. It terrified her! She was briefly paralyzed with fear, while cozied up on the couch to read.

Then she remembered the pinecones!

My mother had picked up two rather large pine cones while we were in the cemetery. She thought that they would each make a nice natural bird feeder if smeared with peanut butter and coated with seeds. She suddenly became fearful that she had brought a piece of the cemetery home, maybe even bringing a spirit home with her.

Thankfully, nothing strange has happened since bringing the pinecones home. And they are still hanging in the tree in the backyard, months later.

  • A pinecone from Torrance Cemetery. ©2024

Do you believe in ghosts? Could the Torrance Cemetery be haunted?

To read more about Torrance Cemetery, and other haunted locations in the Muskokas, I highly recommend the Muskoka’s Most Haunted series by Andrew Hind.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Torrance | Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce
  2. Torrance Union Cemetery | Muskoka, Parry Sound Genealogy Group
  3. Cemeteries | Township of Muskoka Lakes
  4. The History of the Old Stone Crypt | Muskoka Blog
  5. Muskoka’s Most Haunted 2 by Andrew Hind | Book

October Cemetery Stories: A Haunted Tower and a Pioneer Cemetery

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During the summer, I wrote about a surprise road trip I took with my mother in Cambridge. This curated road trip, created by Guess Where Trips took us to exciting and spooky places. I shared a little about our Historic Haunts tour, but I wanted to keep some of the details a surprise at the time, so I could share this ghost story and pioneer cemetery visit with you now, in October.

So today on the blog, I want to share a little bit more about my visit to the haunted Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower and Doon Pioneer Cemetery and explore its rich history.

  • Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower, Kitchener ON ©2024

Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower

While looking for places to go for a walk, the day before our Historic Haunts tour, I found a hidden gem that had everything we were looking for—a walking trail, a historic site, and a cemetery. Little did we know when we visited that it was also haunted!

The Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower stands 18.9 meters tall, and peaks out above the surrounding trees. We could see its Swiss-style copper roof and the cute Conestoga wagon weather vane that sits atop it, as I parked my car in the nearby parking lot.1

The Tower built in 1926, was created to commemorate the arrival of the Pennsylvania-German pioneers who immigrated to the area between 1800 and 1803.1 Fieldstones that line the outside wall of the tower represent the tireless work they did to plow and clear the land for farms and homesteads.

Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower, Kitchener ON ©2024

At one time, it was possible to go inside the tower and climb its spiral staircase to the eight-sided observation deck. The view is amazing, as Bob Oberholtzer noted in a 2015 article for the Waterloo Region Record. Citing it as one of the most “historic views”, it’s possible to overlook the first four Mennonite farms that were settled in the area.2 Oberholtzer also talked about how they used to scare the girls who climbed the tower, not with ghost stories, but with childhood antics like shaking the stairs as the girls climbed up.2

Although the tower has barely needed any repairs to keep it standing over the years, the tower has been closed to the public since 2008.2 BUT, it is possible to tour inside, by special request.2 A sign on site has a phone number that can be called to book a visit to the top of the tower. I wish I would have known this when we visited. We made do by peering through the gated doors to glimpse the cobwebs and spiral staircase inside.

What we also didn’t know at the time of our visit, was the haunted history of the place. The story goes that a woman jumped to her death from the top of the tower. She was distraught and suffering from grief of the loss of her husband, who went off to war—but never returned.3

They say her restless spirit can sometimes be seen at the top of the tower, waiting for her lost love to return.3

Doon Pioneer Cemetery

The 98-year-old Pioneer tower sits within a small grassy field, right beside the Doon Pioneer Cemetery. This is the final resting place of the Schoerg and Betzner families and overlooks the Grand River.

Also known as the Schoerg/Betzner cemetery, this small burial ground is where the first settlers are laid to rest, who arrived in Waterloo Township in the spring of 1800. The small cemetery is filled with old gravestones and field stones, marking their final resting place.

Some of the gravestones are very worn, so I took the opportunity to try out a trick I saw in one of the cemetery groups I am a part of. By using a mirror to reflect sunlight, or by holding a flashlight at an oblique angle you can create enough contrast to make gravestones legible again.

I had a small flashlight on me, one with a small beam so it worked well on the smaller stones. I asked my mom to hold the flashlight for me, as I lined up my shot by looking through the small viewfinder on my DLSR. The deep shadows help some of the long-forgotten words to be legible again. The flashlight trick didn’t work as well on larger stones, because the beam from the flashlight is too narrow to illuminate enough of the stone. I would need a much larger beam for that. This trick of the light is a great way to reveal gravestone inscriptions while doing no harm.

Doon Pion

Doon Pioneer Cemetery also known as Schoerg/Betzner Family Cemetery, Kitchener ON ©2024

My mother and I both enjoyed visiting the memorial tower and the small burial ground beside it. We took our time taking in the beautiful craftsmanship and design of the tower and its history. At the time, we had no thoughts of ghostly apparitions in our minds. We didn’t experience anything supernatural. We just admired the Fieldstone Tower and all the toil and hard work it represented for those early pioneers.

After exploring the cemetery and paying our respects to the early settlers of the area, we made our way to the Walter Bean Grand River Trail. The flat gravel path meanders through the Pioneer Tower Natural Area taking you along the Grand River. The trail is dotted with educational panels, and the path eventually brings you to the Pioneer Tower Bridge.

On the opposite side of the bridge lies the Doon Valley Golf Course. On our walk, we didn’t cross but stopped at the bridge to take in the views. We sat for a time at a little garden roundabout, just before the bridge, admiring the flowers and wildlife. We were lucky to see a wild rabbit scurry across the trail.

The Memorial Tower was always in view during our walk, peeking out above the treeline like a sentinel keeping watch. A strong reminder of those who came before us. The whole area is beautiful, even more so now I imagine with the fall colors starting to emerge.

So if you are looking for a nice place to take in nature and enjoy some dark history, I think the Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower and adjacent Doon Pioneer cemetery would be a great place for a fall outing. Who knows, you might even see a ghost.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower | Parks Canada
  2. Descendant of Waterloo pioneers wants memorial tower open again | Waterloo Region Record
  3. Historic Haunts Tour | Guess Where Trips

Cemetery Road Trip: Guess Where Trips

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Who doesn’t love a road trip; especially one that is pre-planned for you? All you need is your sense of adventure, a full tank of gas, and someone to share it with!

I mentioned last week that I would share more details about the Guess Where Trips adventure that my mom and I did during our summer vacation. So, today on the blog, I wanted to introduce you to this fun company, if you haven’t already heard of them, and share a little bit more about how our adventure played out.

Marilu, the Travel Support Specialist at Guess Where Trips, gave me a Historic Haunts tour to try out for free, in return for an honest review. The Historic Haunts tour includes a couple of cemetery stops, so it was a perfect fit! This trip is a round-up of spooky and unusual attractions, leading you on a route full of haunted history and ghostly stories. My favorite kind of road trip!

Guess Where Trips

Guess Where Trips offers beautifully packaged, one-day surprise road trips that will take you to all manner of hidden gems in Canada and the United States. Inspired after creating a scavenger hunt-style road trip as a gift to her parents, Jess Off founded Guess Where Trips in January of 2020.1 These curated road trips encourage you to explore the road less traveled, while also supporting small businesses and communities along the way.1

Lots of meticulous planning and research goes into all 135 available trips. And they are working on creating new adventures all the time. On June 20th of this year, they released 13 new trips that feature Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.

In a recent email, the Guess Where Trips team shared all the intricate work and planning that goes into designing their trips. A big part of their planning revolves around what they call their “magic map”, an evolving map filled with pinned locations that serve as a foundation for outlining their growing list of surprise road trips. 

I thought their magic map looked pretty similar to my master map of Ontario cemeteries. Although mine focuses on cemetery locations, there are a few hiking trails, and museums pinned on there. I use my map a bit differently, using it to track visited sites (the grey pins) and as a starting point for creating location-specific maps for my cemetery road trips.  

The Guess Where Trips Magic Map and the left, my master map of Ontario cemeteries on the right.

The Historic Haunts tour was the first ghostly trip created by Jess Off and her team and was initially most popular around the Halloween season. Today, all their haunted trips have become popular regardless of the season. Some of the other spooky trips they offer in Ontario are Weird and Wonderful Things, Spooky Sights & Ghostly Tales, Beautifully Haunted, and Hidden Gems of Huronia.

They offer an adventure for everyone! If haunted hidden gems are not your thing, you might enjoy one of their other themed trips. They have trips that feature wineries, and breweries, romantic getaways, scenic drives, and outdoorsy adventures.

My Guess Where Adventure

The Historic Haunts tour begins in Cambridge, Ontario which is about a 4-and-a-half-hour drive from me. So, my mother and I packed up the car and took advantage of the nice summer weather to make an overnight trip. We drove up to the tri-city on Thursday, with plans to follow the surprise road trip all day on Friday. Then we would drive home on the Saturday. This gave us some extra time to explore the area, so I found some other things for us to do as well.

Friday morning, after a nice breakfast, we opened our first envelope to see where our first stop would take us. It brought us to downtown Cambridge to explore the architecture and haunted history of some of its older buildings. With coffee in hand, we sat outside the beautiful stone building that was once a Post Office, and read the tragic tale of a torrid love affair that ended in suicide. Even though it was a bright sunny morning, it was still a bit spooky to be looking up at so much dark history.

  • Idea Exchange / Old Post Office, Cambridge ON ©2024

Our second stop brought us to a beautiful historic house and art gallery. We were a little early, arriving before they opened for the day, so we decided to explore the optional spooky abandoned spot that was just around the corner—The Doon Mills Ruins. 

Things got a little interesting at this point. The Doon Mills, originally built in 1834 have seen many tragedies, having burned in a fire not once, but twice! Today, many people report ghostly occurrences at this small section of ruins that sit at the trailhead. People claim to have heard ghostly footsteps or even heard their name called. Almost as soon as we arrived at the ruins, my mother complained of a burning wood smell. I didn’t smell anything though. My mom got a little creeped out when I reminded her that smelling burning wood was something many people experienced when visiting the ruins. 

  • The Doon Mills Ruins, Kitchener ON ©2024

We made our way back to the Homer Watson House & Gallery once it had opened for the day, and was given a lovely tour by the staff. They made sure to tell us the haunted history of the place when we told them we were on the Haunted History tour. It is a beautiful house with a very interesting history. After exploring the house, I just had to ask where Homer Watson might be buried. It just so happens that he is laid to rest in the cemetery just down the road from the historic house, so my mother and I made an extra stop to visit his grave and pay our respects.

Homer Watson House & Gallery and grave of Homer Watson. Kitchener ON ©2024

Remember how I mentioned I had found some other things for us to visit while we were in Cambridge for the tour? Well, that ended up mucking up our surprise road trip a little bit. The third stop on our road trip directed us to a haunted tower and an ancient cemetery. Well, it just so happens that my mother and I had visited this location the day before. It was a perfect evening activity as it checked a lot of boxes for us; a historic site, a cemetery, and a walking trail. At the time of our visit though, we had no idea the tower was haunted.

By this time it was also the lunch hour, so instead of visiting that location again, we decided to try one of the recommended restaurant stops. We visited the Borealis Grille & Bar to have some lunch and read through some of the haunted history of the tower we visited the evening before. After that nice rest, we opened our next envelope.

Our fourth envelope presented a choose-your-own-adventure opportunity. So it worked out that we had already visited the previous stop. This gave us more time to visit multiple locations on this leg of our road trip adventure.

We chose to visit Rushes Cemetery in Wellesley first. I was pretty excited to see this listed as the first optional stop. There is a very interesting gravestone in this cemetery, and it has been on my cemetery bucket list for a while. This cemetery is the final resting place of Henrietta and Susanna, the first and second wives of Dr. Samuel Bean. What makes this stone so unique is the fact that this tombstone is written in a crossword code, and it took over 100 years to decode it. 

  • The Bean Puzzle tombstone, Rushes Cemetery, Wellesley ON ©2024

After I took some time to photograph the cemetery we made our way to Fergus to visit the Wellington Museum & Archives. By the time we got there, we would have just enough time for a quick tour before they closed for the day. 

Once known as the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, built in 1877, this beautiful building now houses a permanent display of the Institution’s history, as well as a few changing exhibits. The permanent exhibit “If These Walls Could Speak” explores the lives of the people who lived, worked, and died within the walls of the Poor House. It’s not surprising this National Historic site is also home to a few ghosts. 

After we toured the building, taking in all the interesting exhibits and history we made our way down the road to visit the Poorhouse Cemetery. This cemetery sits at the edge of the property and was established for those who had no family to claim them. After we paid our respects at the cemetery, we headed back to Cambridge to have some supper and rest at the hotel. 

Wellington Museum & Archives, and the Poorhouse Cemetery, Fergus ON ©2024

Our Historic Haunts tour was a great success. My mother and I had a lot of fun exploring and learning about the community and local history. It was a great mix of haunted history, museums, and cemeteries. Although we did add a couple of cemetery stops to our trip, it made sense to stop in and pay our respects after learning so much about their history. 

I also loved the surprise element and the choose-your-own-adventure style. Opening each envelope was a fun addition that created a sense of anticipation. The multiple options also gave you the freedom to choose how your route was going to unfold. The restaurant and cafe options were also great additions, taking into account that you may get hungry or need a coffee break during all the exploring. It is so well thought out!   

I asked my mom what she thought of the trip and she loved that all the planning is done for you and that it was really easy to follow. She also loved all the history that is provided for each stop, her favorite being the tragic tale of love and loss at the Old Post Office. She loved the beautiful architecture but noted that we would have never known about its tragic history, just by looking at the building. She said it was a great adventure!

We had a great time, and we both would recommend these trips to anyone looking for a unique adventure. So if you are looking for road trip ideas, definitely check out Guess Where Trips and let them lead you to some fun and fascinating destinations! 

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. About Us | Guess Where Trips

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

Posted on Posted in General, OctoberTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

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

Haunted Sudbury

Posted on Posted in OctoberTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Spooky season is upon us! 

Let’s be honest, visiting cemeteries can sometimes be a little bit spooky, and for the most part hauntingly beautiful. The weather is cooler, and the leaves have turned from green to red, gold, orange and brown. I love visiting cemeteries in the fall. I always look forward to doing to some leaf peeping! As you may have guessed, fall is my favorite season. 

Halloween is only a few days away, so I wanted to talk about a project I worked on that might help you get into the season.

In 2017 I worked with local author, Sarah May, on bringing her book Haunted Sudbury: 101 true accounts of the paranormal to life. This book features 101 stories of local supernatural occurrences, as told to Sarah May. It’s filled with wonderfully spooky true stories of weird experiences and ghost sightings as well as true crime accounts that left their imprint on our small town. 

Here is the book synopsis:

“Haunted Sudbury is a collection of true eye-witness accounts of the paranormal. Experience a different side to the city you don’t hear about everyday

  • ‘Lady in White’ haunts a downtown restaurant after a ghastly murder
  • A ‘Starship’ is spotted in the air above Vale’s tailings dam
  • Mysterious man walks out of a snow bank and bids a final farewell
  • Deceased loved one communicates to his girlfriend through a stereo
  • Local high school teacher saved by a ghostly warning
  • Wife envisions her late husband catch a limo lift to the next world

Violent death. Lost loves. Haunted places. Haunted Sudbury has it all. Pick up a copy and prepare for a spine-tingling good read.”

Below is the image used on the book cover, with a little ghost manipulation added to it. This image comes from Eyre cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Sudbury.

  • Haunted Sudbury book cover photo, with ghost added in. Eyre Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2008

I loved working on this book, designing the layout and cover, and creating the illustrations. I was extremely excited when Sarah asked me if I wanted to include some of my cemetery photography. Nine of my photos can be found at the back of the book, in black and white. It was really exciting to see my photos in print. And still is! 

The book launch for Haunted Sudbury took place at a local restaurant, the site of a murder that is described in the book, and is also reported to be haunted. The night of the launch was also held on the anniversary of the murder. Medium Jay Lane was also in attendance, and gave readings and spoke about the restaurant and what she felt. It was a very interesting experience and a great turnout!

Haunted Sudbury is not available in print at the moment, but Sarah May has another book in the works, that should be coming out soon.

Here are some links from the book launch:

Have you read Haunted Sudbury? Do you believe in ghosts? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading!