Dundas Tour

A focus on masterful storytelling at a reasonable price.  First, we’ve put special attention into respecting the ghost story.  Also, with a dedication to traditional styles mixed with natural (and interesting) odd history.  This is our specialty since 2003.

When a date or time slot is missing in the Booking… If a missing time, that tour time is sold out.  A missing date, means the entire night is sold out.

It’s a normal Traditional Ghost Tour. Featuring trained storytellers speaking of legends, interesting history and ghost stories. This is not a scare “haunted house”.

Yes.  We are limited on space for tours.  Advance bookings allows us to guarantee spots for you, and book in additional guides if needed.

On Christmas Night in 1934, Engineer Norman Devine pulled the “CNR Holiday Special” out of the Dundas Station.  365 passengers heading to Toronto for the holidays.

Then the crank pin started overheating.  Mr. Devine made the decision to pull the train off the main track so he could assess the situation. 

The Special’s brakeman pulled the switch to divert the train onto the sidetrack, then switched it back to the main track to divert on-coming trains past the Holiday Special.

Was strange for the Brakeman to pull the switch, as this was normally the job of the official switchman, a guy named Edward Lynch.

Mistake of a Dundas Switchman

The Holiday Special wasn’t serviceable.  Stuck on the track just beyond the Dundas Station as the Switchman Edward Lynch returned.  And then he saw a light in the distance.

He knew this was the “Maple Leaf Flyer” going from Detroit to Montreal.  Thinking the switch was still set to the Sidetrack, he ran, panicking… and flipped it again.  Unaware the brakeman had done this.

Got there and flipped it.  Relieved to have diverted disaster.

At 9:21pm, the Flyer hit the Special at full speed.  Tearing through four passenger cars.  Knocking one car to the edge of a 150-foot cliff overlooking Dundas Valley.

Bodies littered the tracks around the wreckage.  Rescue workers searched though the dark cars, finding the injured by their screams and groans.

15 bodies found in the train and on the track.  40 others taken to the hospital with injuries.  And in the end, 18 people died that night.

Called, “The starkest tragedy to ever darkened a Hamilton Christmas.”  All happening in Dundas.

Dundas District Play a Morgue

Dundas never had a morgue with the space to handle so many dead bodies.  A quick solution was found just down the road with the Dundas District School. 

Built only 5 years prior, the basement gymnasium of the modern school was chosen.  All the bodies moved down there, lined up on the smooth floor.

This is where the families went to view and claim their dead.  Hence, one reason for the extreme ghostly energy of Dundas District School, and a featured ghost story on the Dundas Ghost Walks.

Edward Lynch and the Holiday Special’s Brakeman were blamed.  Later brought to trial on a charge of manslaughter. But in the end, it was deemed an understandable mistake as the jury returned a verdict of “Not Guilty”.

The building now used by the Thirsty Cactus Restaurant and apartments in Dundas, Ontario, Canada was built in 1834.  Almost 200 years ago, this was the first business for James Coleman, who temporarily lived as the richest man in the Valley Town!

Built for a neighbourhood grocery story called Coleman & McIntyre.  Run by two James’s, Coleman and McIntyre.  Dealers in groceries, wines, liquors, provisions, paints, oils, dyestuffs, stone and glassware, pig iron, coals, and more!

Built up his fortune in the town from investments.  Focusing mostly on Milling.  Made an incredible fortune, helping to bring up the Dundas manufacturing prowess.

So well respected in town, he became mayor of Dundas in 1850 and served for two years.

Then in 1857, he built Ogilvie Terrace.  This was once the largest and most beautiful house in Dundas.

Odd Deaths of the Coleman Kids

A strange occurrence in the life of James and his wife was the curse of their children.  Six never made it to adulthood or given the chance at marriage or grandkids.

Including…

1. John Coleman died in 1839 at 3-years-old.
2. Jane Coleman died in 1842 at 5-years-old.
3. James Jr. died in 1847 at only a few-days-old.
4. Margaret died in 1854 at 15-years-old.

Then there was his first-born son and heir, Edwin.  Along with his daughter, Caroline.

Happened in 1865, when the two of them went out with a few friends.  They took a rowboat onto the Desjardins Canal. 

Later that evening, a large Steamer Ship called The Argyle came through, not seeing the small rowboat.  A large wave came through as one of the girls panicked and stood up.

This caused the rowboat to flip, throwing the kids into the water and the pressure pulled them under. 

1. Caroline Coleman died in 1865 at 20-years-old.
2. Edwin Coleman died in 1865 at 22-years-old.

In the end, only two of the eight Coleman children survived into adulthood.

And it’s said James never recovered from the death of Edwin and Caroline.  Counting as one of the reasons for his downfall.

Downfall of James Coleman

James Coleman may have become the first millionaire of Dundas.  However, after the 1865 tragic death of Caroline and Edwin, it seemed like nothing could go right.

History claims the reason for his failure was the collapse of wheat prices, a big part of his milling business.  This began at the end of the Crimean and American Civil Wars.

And then… his beautiful home, Ogilvie Terrace, burned down.  A great cost put back into the house to fix it up, which depleted his money.

The years past, all leading up to 1881. 

After his wife died while the two of were living in Toronto.  He returned to live with his son-in-law and daughter in a house on Caroline Street in Hamilton.  It’s here James Coleman died from what the Hamilton Spectator reported as, “… a short illness”.

And a final description of the man which stated… “Mr. Coleman was a large hearted, liberal man, and a consistent member of the Methodist Church”.