The spirit of an unidentified, long-deceased woman haunts the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. Locally known as “Alice,” she makes her presence known by tampering with the lights and equipment and sometimes appearing to guests in the ladies’ washroom.
Fans of the supernatural can learn about Alice and other apparitions on ghost walks hosted by the Oakville Historical Society. Another spooky landmark is the Oakville Museum (former residence of the Chisholm family), which boasts at least nine ghosts. One is Rebecca Chisholm, wife of Oakville’s founder, George Chisholm. Rebecca died of a stroke at the age of 65 and has been seen strolling in the gardens of the estate ever since.
A ghost walk is a guided tour and a local history lesson that just happens to feature an area’s most haunted locations. Ghost guides are men and women hired for their great storytelling ability, flair for speaking, and love of local history. Tours typically happen at night, for optimal activity and goose bumps.
Beyond the grave
“Ghost walks highlight local folklore, making them a fun and entertaining way for residents and visitors to spend an evening and learn about the community’s past, often leading to a deeper connection to the area,” says Marie Descent, Oakville Historical Society, Secretary of the Board of Directors.
For people who are intrigued by the paranormal, Oakville is – both figuratively and literally – the perfect haunt. Founded in 1827, it was a major shipping port in the 19th century and in 1834 was made a port of entry for foreign visitors and immigrants. Oakville was also a major gateway to Canada for African Americans fleeing slavery using the Underground Railroad.
“Add to this Oakville’s many historical buildings and houses, and the colourful residents that have walked the streets of Oakville,” Descent says, “and you have the setting for great ghost stories.”
Who knew that the charming harbour town had skeletons in so many closets?
The unrest is history
Daniel Cumerlato of Dundas Ghost Walks has been running ghost tours in the Hamilton area
since 2003. “I started out as a paranormal investigator back in the day,” he says. “Eventually I realized ghost stories were a real passion, and it spanned out from there.
Cumerlato has been collecting history and ghost stories for well over 20 years. Tours are based on personal experiences, mixed in with famous ghost stories of different supposed haunts. He combines deep research with organized storytelling to showcase each stop on the tour in the most compelling way possible.
Dundas, like Oakville, is a notorious ghost magnet. Incorporated in 1847, it has a rich history as a manufacturing and transportation hub. Early Ontario settlers travelling East or West passed through Dundas, where wealthy merchants and farmers spent scads of money at hotels, saloons and taverns along King Street. Their spirits lurk to this day.
The former Dundas District School, now an attractive condo, is a favourite stop for ghost walkers. A man named Russell, who was a caretaker there in the 1950s, allegedly made a death pact with the other 4 caretakers. They vowed that whoever died first must return and haunt the school. Russell died first.
“Now he’s the legendary ghost at the old building, experienced by so many over the previous 50 years when it served as a school,” Cumerlato says. This season, he adds, former students on ghost walks have shared their own ghostly experiences and Russell sightings.
Ghost walks are about both history and spooky stories. Guides do their best to connect the ghost to real history. When that’s not possible, they tell some robust legends.
“People enjoy the ghost tours as a unique way to learn about a town or city through its ghosts,” Cumerlato says. “And thinking, just maybe, that person still remains in an ‘energetic form’ is a bonus.”
By Michelle Morra
