Downtown Hamilton Tours

A focus on masterful storytelling at a reasonable price (with no hidden fees!).  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.

This is an outdoor tour in Hamilton’s core. Most locations are abandoned, closed at night, unable accommodate our group… or is an alleyway! Book for our indoor tours at Ruthven and Castle Kilbride

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.

No. There was a connection a few years back for promotion only. Ended in 2012. All Hamilton based, and other tours, originated from our same love of ghost stories starting with Downtown Hamilton in 2003.

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

Hamilton is the “Ambitious City”

Big names doing big things like actors Martin Short, Eugene Levy and Kathleen Robertson, hockey coach Pat Quinn and even a top politician named Sheila Copps all called Hamilton home.  And names can be dark too, like murderess Evelyn Dick and Canada’s Al Capone, King of the Bootleggers Rocco Perri.  Rocco called Hamilton his home off of Bay Street South, as told on Hamilton’s Dark History.

Colourful women spirits of Downtown Hamilton

The Lady in White at the Royal Connaught, Lady in Brown at the old Capitol Theatre and the fittingly dramatic Lady in Red at Hamilton Place Theatre.  All featured on the Ghost Walks. And featuring a darker past for Downtown Hamilton’s famous family, the McQuesten’s at Whitehern Mansion.

The Right House

This was Hamilton’s first department store.  The creator, Thomas Watkins, loved its elevators.  This is proven as on his day off he dressed like a conductor and played with them.  Some were witness to the fact he still loves them today, over 100 years after his death.

St. Paul’s Church

A church with the tallest free-standing stone steeple in Canada.  Designed by William Thomas, who also created the Niagara-on-the-Lake Courthouse, Brock’s Monument and Toronto’s Don Jail.  The church got a bell upgrade in the 1940’s, but didn’t work. The reason why is strange.

Hamilton remains the “ambitious city” with many new projects.  And among them some of the most haunted buildings in Canada.

There’s a reason we call Hamilton the “Haunted City”.  Many of its buildings and museums boast a ghost.  Along with many free and fun things to do at ghostly locales.

Here’s a quick list of some ghostly things to do in the city before coming on the Ghost Walks…

GOOGLE MAP OF THESE LOCATIONS

Walk the Grounds of the Asylum

Daytime Only – A new modern hospital fronts the grounds, but some history remains.  From the topper of the old (massive) Barton Building of the “Insane Asylum”, to Century Manor which once housed the criminally insane.

We know Century Manor is haunted, however ghost stories are hard to come by.  Result of being abandoned for decades.  One experience happened to a security guard in the old tunnels that once existed connecting all the buildings.  Seeing and hearing the apparitions of nurses.

WARNING… If you visit, park on the side-streets south-east of Fennell and West 5^th.  Then walk over.  This is to respect the security watching over Century Manor (a good thing!)  Walking over is fine.  Enjoy the Century Manor from the public street.

Take a Spooky Elevator Ride at The Right House

Daytime Only – Risky ‘things to do’ are a Downtown Hamilton specialty.  But don’t think you’ll have an issue as the building is open during the daytime.  This is the old Right House Department Store.  Now converted into offices, with a couple of shops on the first floor.

Towards the back off the main entrance, you’ll find two main Otis elevators.  A favourite toy of the former store owner, Thomas Watkins.  He loved those elevators!  During life, came in on Sunday’s to work them as the best conductor ever.

To this day, they act strange.  Said to be Watkins’ practical jokes on the living.  Includes the buttons being pushed and doors opening when the car wasn’t called.  Take a ride and see what happens.

Eat Food inside a Haunted House

Day or Night – Restaurants are great haunted things to do.  A nice meal, some spirits and at night! 

The old garrison house was converted to a restaurant many years ago.  Originally the home of a Courthouse official, who worked in the Gore Building once at Hughson and Main Streets.  Was converted into apartments, and eventually in a restaurant.

Today it’s the wonderfully named Pheasant Plucker.  With great food and active ghosts.  The main and most known is the old man of the 2^nd floor.  Hanging out in their private event space, people have seen him sitting in the corner booth, and smell cigar smoke. 

Also, the creepy experience from employees who fear going into the basement.  After hearing the high-pitched voice of a little boy calling out up the staircase. 

Visit the Most Tragic (and Haunted) Falls

Day or Night – Hamilton is known for its waterfalls because of the Niagara Escarpment.  The best one happens to be the most haunted.  This is Albion Falls.

Once the centre of Albion Mills, one of the darkest towns in Canadian history.  Today, removed by progress and the Red Hill Valley Parkway.  But the falls remain.

Along with the legend of Jane Riley.  Hurt by her love, Joseph.  One sunny day, she walked to the precipice of the falls and pitched herself over the side.  Workers below found her, muttering inaudible words before dying.

Today, her ghost is seen in the woods surrounding the falls.  A woman, disturbed with dishevel hair, wandering among the trees.  Muttering inaudible words to herself.

Walk a Battlefield in Stoney Creek

Day or Night – Not a common occurrence in Canada, being able to stand on the site of a violent and bloody battle.  The town’s name, Stoney Creek, is known more for the battle than anything else today.  And there’s a great reason… this fight turned the tides of the War of 1812 to British’s favour.  Some thinking it’s the reason we’re still Canadian today.

Much energy surrounds Battlefield Park.  Any visitor can feel it.  Even if the park isn’t the actual battlefield.  Historians saying it was closer to, and across, King Street.  Smith’s Knoll is proof of this.  Once a farm field where bones were found.  Turned out to be a random mass grave of fallen soldiers.

Visitors to the Park have reported feeling emotions on the field.  Some being touch by unseen hands.  And the old Gage House has a connection to it’s original owner, Mary Jones Gage. 

TOUR THE HOUSE

Hike to the Hermitage Ruins

Daytime Only (except on our tour) – Like to think we’ve help spread the legends of this location.  It’s been one of our tours since 2004.  The ruins of an old mansion in the middle of Dundas Valley, the dark and haunted woods.

The Hermitage Ruins are the remains of the Leith family home.  Built in the woods in 1853, it survived until 1934.  When a faulty fireplace sparked during Alma Leith’s tea party.  The ruins remained until a few years ago, when being rebuilt from scratch to save it from decay. 

Home to multiple energies.  The most popular being the Coachman, William Black.  Denied his true love because of station, he’d take his own life in the old carriage house.  Said to have been buried where Sulphur Springs Rd and Lover’s Lane meets today.  His ghost will wander back to the Hermitage searching for his lost love.

Worth a visit and hike into the woods.  Small or long treks lead you to the Ruins, and other history around the Dundas Valley.  Warning, there is a parking fee.

Visit a Notorious Female Mobster’s Grave

Hands down the most unique for things to do.  Most don’t even know there’s a cemetery behind the mysterious stone walls on Upper James Street, just south of the LINC.  A small Jewish cemetery, existing long before the hotels and car dealerships moved in. 

This is the final resting place of Bessie Starkman.  She was the common-law wife of Rocco Perri, aka The King of the Bootleggers.  And Bessie was his equal partner.  The brains and finance.  And we’d later learn, the most motivated. 

Her entrance into the drug market after Prohibition is what caused her assassination.  Gunned down in the garage of the Perri’s Bay Street South home. 

Here she rests under 6 feet of solid concrete.  The reason… threat of grave robbers after her gold and jewels buried in the coffin.

GOOGLE MAP OF THESE LOCATIONS