Nusrat Jahan
Have you heard of the Niagara Falls? Of course you have! It’s that beautiful and majestic, out-of-a-fairytale-book like waterfall, that’s on the cover of all of Canada’s travel guides and tour booklets. However, this place is not as majestic and pretty as it may seem. Believe it or not, the Niagara Falls actually has a pretty scary past. By scary, I don’t mean someone falling off and dying (because that happens all the time, right?), I mean supernatural occurrences.
Niagara-on-the-Lake was captured by the Americans, eventually burned to the ground and the tragic incident lead to the birth of a lot of local lore. The “Watcher” is apparently the town ghost. Many visitors and town folks report witnessing a strange blue orb floating through the town at night time. Rumor has it that this is the spirit of a long-dead town constable who patrols the town in the hours of darkness.
There is also a place called Olde Angel Inn. The interior of that inn, with its old wooden planks, ceiling beams, and heel marks on the floors, gives away a lot about its history. Captain Colin Swayze, was a British soldier who delayed his retreat during the outbreak of the 1812 war to elope with his true love. The captain hid himself in a barrel in the inn full of American soldiers. However, the soldiers used their bayonets to slash and stab at every possible hiding place, including the barrel that the captain was hiding in. Captain Swayze was fatally wounded and to this day people staying in the inn’s “Colonel Room” swear they hear noises. Others claim to hear strange noises coming from the dining room, and plates and tables getting rearranged, because the captain apparently walks the inn at night, looking for his lost love. Legend has it the ghost will remain harmless while the British flag flies over the inn which it does to this day.
There of course other stories that fill the air of Ontario, but the most interesting one would be about the “Sobbing Sophia”. During 1812 war, the dashing British hero General Isaac Brock fell in love with the stunning Lady Sophia Shaw. They were devoted to each other but Lady Sophia’s parents were against their marriage. Though an elegant hero, Brock was not born of nobility. Their affair continued and General Brock swore he would return to marry her. Unfortunately, the general was killed in battle. Sophia never recovered and stayed true to Brock by never marrying. She is often spotted wandering the halls of the manor house crying in despair. Her sobs reverberate throughout Queen Street, giving her the name “Sobbing Sophia.”
So, next time you visit Niagara, be sure to check out this places for some ghostly endeavous!