Ghost walks give creepy perspective on Guelph history
Do you believe in ghosts? Because some of Guelph’s most colourful inhabitants refuse to leave the Royal City, even in death. The undead are said to maintain a ghostly presence in some of the city’s best-known sites, and also lurk in some unexpected places.
On an appropriately chilly Friday night, a group of “ghost watchers” gathered to be led on a ghost tour of the city. Greg Taylor, a former history major and current Guelph resident, started leading the tours in February and has been continuing them once or twice a month since then.
“They’re a mix of finding out a little about the city’s history by stopping and noticing the buildings you walk by everyday, [and] sharing the haunting stories that come out of these locations,” said Taylor. Taylor researched Guelph’s history and pieced together stories from interviews, books and newspaper articles. The tour departed from the Guelph train station and continued through downtown.
The first stop was the Guelph Armoury, which Taylor described as the “creepiest looking” building in Guelph. At this former site of military training for World War I, there have been sightings of a man with a distinct handlebar mustache, dressed in military uniform, whose heavy boots echo through otherwise empty hallways at night. This ghost is believed to be Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, soldier and writer of the famous war poem, “In Flanders Fields.”
The next stop was a building with a less menacing exterior. The Albion Hotel is more than just a fixture of Guelph’s nightlife; it holds the second-oldest liquor license granted in Ontario. Legendary gangster Al Capone was said to have visited the Albion when he was passing through town. One night, he met a woman at the bar who became his mistress, and she took up residence on the third floor. However, after she was found dead in her room under mysterious circumstances, her restless spirit never left the hotel. To this day, employees report that her spirit can be felt in the form of an inexplicable nudge on the shoulder accompanied by a rush of cold air, with the sharp click of high-heeled shoes.
These stories, and many others, highlight some of the darker, though intriguing, aspects of Guelph’s rich history. Taylor explained that ghost stories speak to human curiosity; while there is no definitive answer as to whether ghosts exist or not, this mystery is part of the appeal. “But, there are too many stories out there to think it’s all coincidence,” said Taylor. Though the past inhabitants may be dead and gone, their spirits and their stories remain alive.
Taylor will soon be delving into U of G’s own history and leading ghost tours on campus in October, just in time for Halloween.