especially around Halloween. Each October, Tymec leads
seasonal ghost walks in Sandwich Town and Amherstburg.
These areas - some of the oldest settlements in the region - are
home to several purportedly haunted buildings.
The fact that these areas are rich in history - especially
history surrounding early 19th century battles - may have
something to do with their tendency toward ghost tales. Ghost
stories tend to come from historical events, but not all
historical events create ghost stories. Typical tales of strolling
spirits and hauntings involve tragedies or unresolved
mysteries - a common element in war time. Mackenzie Hall,
which once served as a courthouse, prison and execution site,
lends itself naturally to supernatural lore. And Kings Landing
isn’t the only home to ghosts in Amherstburg - there’s also the
former Bullock Tavern, among others.
Tymec’s ghost walks have been running for about eight
years, though his locations may shift. “Growth has been fairly
steady but I do like to give them a rest once in a while. That's
what I did with Amherstburg, this year. If you take a way the
tour for a season, the crowds tend to come back more strongly
because they missed it!”
Local ghost stories serve a greater purpose than just
sending chills up the spine, or providing some autumn
entertainment. For example, when teaching history, to younger
people especially, Tymec believes that having stories from the
time period being taught makes it more likely that people will
retain the information. “The stories stay with the people and
make them proud to be a part of such a historically rich area.”
And sometimes a ghost story just serves as some shared
history between friends. Mariah Atherley, a local college
student, was at her friend’s house when they saw something
out of the ordinary.
“My friend left the room and she ran into a tall black
thing, thinking it was one of our other friends who is tall and
was also there,” said Atherley. “She didn’t tell anyone about it
until her brother saw the same black figure in the hall.”
Atherley said she later saw a figure leaving a room. She
thought it was her friend’s mom but when it did not reply to
Atherley’s greetings she knew it was something else. The
figure crept into another room and disappeared.
“We tried to contact it with a Ouija board,” said Atherley.
Atherley said they were exposed to the black figure one
more time in a similar circumstance but had no luck in
finding out who or what it was. She and her friends have not
seen it since.
With Halloween right around the corner, ghosts are likely
to be top of mind, and stories will make the rounds again.
Whether you’re a storyteller or the one having a hard time
sleeping after listening to one, you can indulge your cravings
for the creepy at one of a dozen haunted mazes, houses or
walking tours in the area. Keep your mind open and your eyes
and ears ready for H