I have always been fascinated with the idea of ghost stories, legends and tales of haunted places. The idea of hauntings and ghosts, the good and the bad, real-life experiences and sightings – I could spend hours watching every documentary and show out there. Nearly every area has, at some point, some sort of local legend or ghost tale. Here are just a few of the many Windsor/Essex ghost stories…
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Fort Malden
Originally called Fort Amherstburg during the War of 1812. Located in Amherstburg, along the Detroit River, there are many stories that are told about the spirits that they claim haunt this area. Honestly, its no surprise that this area would be the subject of ghost stories and experiences when you consider the lives lost in battle – most hauntings can be traced back to something tragic, or some big loss of life.
There is one building on the property that has apparently gone by many names and has a long history. It is generally open to the public for special events and private tours and is referred to as the old orphanage, once operated as the ‘Fort Malden Lunatic Asylum’ for many, many years. Operating in the mid-1800s, the asylum was only open for a decade before it was closed down. It is estimated that there were 240 patients there at a time. There isn’t a lot of information about the asylum available, but that which is out there states that they used a number of different therapies including shock therapy, hydrotherapy, drug therapy and even lobotomies.
Occasionally groups like the Cub Scouts actually sleep out in the building, and that’s where most of the stories I have heard stem from. They tell of the sound of footsteps, the feeling of eerie chills, ghostly figures and horrible nightmares while on site.
Texas Road
This was one story that always fascinated me. When I first moved in with my now husband we lived on a farm just a stone’s throw away from Texas Road. It has been the subject of many different stories, featured in a number of books about hauntings in the province, and there was even a movie being made about it.
Rather than trying to write this one out, I’m actually going to quote an excerpt from John Robert Colombo’s book ‘Mysteries of Ontario’:
“Between Windsor and nearby Amherstburg, there is a stretch of the Texas Road that passes through a gully. It is said to be haunted, and it is maintained that one man murdered another there, that the dead man’s spirit cannot leave the burial site, and that the murderer is fated to return on certain nights to the scene of the crime. Indeed, motorists have reported seeing a mysterious figure in a white shroud. Satanists are said to meet there. One tradition holds that if a motorist drives over the bridge here three times, the ignition will fail. Disturbances may date from the early 1960’s when, one explanation has it, as a Halloween prank, kids pulled a wire and then a white bedsheet across the road starling motorists. Or disturbances may date from the above-mentioned accident that occurred a century ago on Texas Road, near the Verdi Club when a rider was murdered and his body mangled. The man’s spirit returns and rides the road as a headless horseman. The small graveyard among the trees at Walker Road is kept locked to deter prowlers on Halloween.”
Mackenzie Hall
Located in Olde Sandwich Towne, one of the oldest settlements to have been built in the area, there are a lot of different stories about the ghosts that apparently haunt the building. There is no surprise that there are claims of hauntings here given the building has served as a courthouse, a prison and a place of execution over the years. Today, protected as a historical building, tours are conducted for those who wish to see it. In an article for CBC Windsor, Rob Tymec a tour guide who provides ghost tours in Olde Sandwich Towne as well as in Amherstburg, stated: “There is one ghost nicknamed the ‘Dragging Ghost,’ that allegedly ‘drags’ items around the hall.”
Visitors to the building have reported various objects being dragged around the rooms, sounds of movement/footsteps and items having moved mysteriously to different locations after being placed somewhere. The building is still used as an art gallery and performing arts space.
The Artisan Grill
Located in the town of Amherstburg, the same town with the famed Texas Road, the restaurant now known as the Artisan Grill was once called the Bullochs Tavern and owned by the Bullochs family. Above the restaurant are also a number of apartments.
Legend has it that the family went for vacation one day, their daughter staying behind to run the restaurant in the absence. While closing up the restaurant one night, while the daughter was alone in the dark of the closed restaurant, a man forced himself upon her. Unable to see who it was, all that the daughter was able to confirm was that it was one of the tenants of the apartments.
Tymeck explains, “They convicted the wrong tenant. Back then, when a crime like this happened, people got hung for it. The man, insistent he wasn’t guilty, was hung for the crime. Years later the other tenant confessed to the crime.” Today it is rumoured that the wrongfully hung man haunts the building. Objects move around in the apartments; a man can be heard yelling in one of the apartment living rooms and doors randomly open and shut. While most stories are traced back to the apartments, on occasion a sighting is reported in the restaurant.
Have you heard of any Windsor/Essex ghost stories before now? Are there any ghost stories or legends from your hometown? Are there any stories, local or not, that you believe to be true?
I’m obsessed with ghost stories! I went on a walking ghost tour years ago for my city and it was so much fun!
There are some great ghost tours here!
This is such a great post! I used to be obsessed with this show that centered around haunted places and in telling the legends that accompanied it.
There are a few that I have been watching. I just finished all the Netflix episodes for American Supernatural which shared some awesome ones!
I love ghost stories, even if they freak me out! my old school had a monk that would travel from the boys dorms on one side of the school to the other side on one day of the month, so freaky!
I am so uber fascinated by them. I got excited when I learned there were so many around here – this is just a small taste of everything that is apparently going on in the area.
I love a good ghost story but I have to admit now that I’m older I get more scared than I used to!!
I find them so incredible interesting – There is a ghost tour nearby that I haven’t had a chance to go on yet that I would like to do this year!
Ghost stories are awesome, your pictures added so much to this post!
Thank you!
I love listening to haunted house stories. I watch them all the time on YouTube and stuff x
Yes! I can totally get lost in the world of YouTube haunted house stories lol
Ooh interesting stories! I do like hearing about local legends and ghost stories.
-Lauren
There is something fascinating about it being so close to home rather than just some distant story on television.
I absolutely loved reading this post – even if it was incredibly difficult to do on a bumpy bus??
I am so intreigued by ghost stories and paranormal sightings and activities, you’ve motivated me into wanting to do my own post on this but in my area!!! The research will be so fun!!
The research is a blast! I have more I didn’t share here so I might have to do a follow up post lol – I can picture you trying to read this on the bus hahaha
I love ghost stories, Fantastic post!
Thank you!
I absolutely love reading ghost stories! This post is great.
Faye Jessica | fayejessica.co.uk
I am totally in love with ghost stories! Thank you!
I love reading about ghost stories, they are so fascinating!! We don’t really have any ghost stories here!!
Vikki | planetvikkiblog.wordpress.com
We didn’t have too many back where I grew up but they are everywhere here. I think its due to the fact that this area was right in the heart of the War of 1812, as well as the Underground railroad and the movement of slaves from the United States to Canada
Oooooo I love local ghost stories! The one about Texas Road is so spooky, cool that there’s books written about it, although I don’t think I’d want to live near it, I’d probably get spooked haha!
When my husband was still working for his last employer the one location was right on Texas Road. Honestly I want to go do a photo-shoot down there!
Love Ghost Stories, and thanks for all your research in this post. Here’s a little something if you have a moment, I had this post picked up by BlogHer (now SheKnows) another great forum for us writers. My experience with Rose…https://foundandbliss.blogspot.com/2016/08/a-ghost-of-scent.html
Thank you!
In my town/city, we have a library that’s known to be haunted!
Oooo that sounds like somewhere I’d want to visit!