Are you a fright-seeker looking for the next big thrill? There are many places in and around Burlington that ghost-chasers might want to check out. Some are popular to visit and others aren’t as well known, but all have provided some sort of spooky experience for visitors.
- The Hermitage in Ancaster is a popular spot for people to visit, especially around Halloween. During the years and various owners, fires ravaged the house. The last owner refused to leave the property, even having burned to the ground. She lived in a tent until another home was built for her to live in. It is suspected that she, or the victims of the various fires, remains at the Hermitage.
- The Historic Bellvue Mansion. Located at 14 Belvidere Ave. in Hamilton, this house was built in the 1840s and has a sketchy past with stories of possible murder and suicide.
- Oakville Ghost Walks. Starting out at 110 King Street in Oakville, the tour leads you through the oldest part of the town. Hear about Oakville’s haunted history and who knows what you might run into!
- Check out the Glen Abbey in Oakville and maybe you’ll spot the rumoured “swinging ghost” – a monk who has been seen on the greens.
- Dundurn Castle. Built between 1832-1835, those who have visited or worked at Dundurn Castle claimed to have felt mysterious breezes, noticed moved objects and one worker claims to have heard a woman singing, when she was alone.
- Burkholder Cemetery. This historic church and cemetery in Hamilton. People have claimed to see light orbs at the roof of the church, which was torn down around 50 years ago. Check it out if you like to explore old cemeteries and maybe you’ll even see something eerie yourself.
- Oakville Club. Rumoured accounts of hearing footsteps when no one was around and doors slamming mysteriously. Is a night visitor or a pesky draft?
- Abandoned barns. Milton has a wealth of countryside, littered with barns, new and old. Many barns in the area are run down and unusable so they have been abandoned. Some of these could be great for finding a lurking spirit. Be safe if you plan to explore, especially at night.
- The Joseph Brant Museum. The rumoured ghost of Eliza – Lady in White haunts the historic house, located next to Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital. A few have seen the lady’s face from a window on the second floor; some have even captured the woman’s face in photos. The museum is a stop on the Burlington Ghost Walks tour.
- Lion’s Valley Park is located in Oakville, along the Sixteen Mile Creek. It also borders an abandoned village and some very old cemeteries. Many people have reported feeling strange, as though they were being watched, while exploring the area.
- Spooktacular Rails. This event is a little less spooky and is geared toward the whole family. Come walk the haunted rails and explore the spooky barn on October 30.
- St. Jude’s cemetery. This old cemetery in Oakville might be home to the ghost of a young girl. She is rumoured to appear on the gravel road at midnight and walk off, fading into the shadows.
- Emma’s Back Porch, the Haunted Soldier Statue, Paletta Mansion and Magnetic Hill are a few other stops on the Ghost Walks tour. Scare chasers are led throughout downtown Burlington and learn about all of the alleged incidences that have occurred in businesses and at other local landmarks.
- Ireland House. The historic house was built in the mid-1830s and was home to Joseph Ireland, an early settler to the Burlington area. There have been reports of run-ins with an 1812 soldier, unexplained light flickering and seeing the reflection of John’s wife, Eliza Ann, in one of the home’s mirrors.
- The Keg Mansion. Come dine at this historic mansion in Toronto; you might feel as though you’re being watched. Or see a shadowy figure of what might be the previous owner’s maid, who hung herself in the house.
HamiltonParanormal.com is another helpful site for the ghost lurkers and spirit chasers alike. Try and spook yourself by visiting some of the featured sites, such as the Jackson Homestead, the Mystery Bench in Dundas, the Sydenham Road Rail Bridge or the Insane Asylum & Century Manor. HauntedHamilton.com is also a great resource for discovering haunted places in Hamilton and surrounding areas. Both sites have detailed firsthand accounts from personal experiences at many featured spots.
If you’re willing to travel a little further to catch a thrill, various Forts are rumored to be haunted. Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake is popular and reports show that there have been many sightings and odd occurrences. Also check out The Olde Angel Inn in NOTL, where you might run into the ghost of Captain Swayze, killed in the house in 1813.
With Halloween right around the corner, now is the perfect time to get out and try to conjure up some spirits. Exploring these places at night can be dangerous so be sure to bring a friend, and also a camera to catch any scary visitors lurking in the shadows!
Do you know of a haunted place in Halton that we missed? Let us know!
Photo credit: Burkholder United Cemetery, Paul Dolanjski
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