Shadows of Owen Sound: Where History and Hauntings Linger On
Reports of a haunted jail, courthouse, Victorian manor, historic museum, old theatre, shipwreck section of a desolate country road, and more
Halloween is only a few days away, so it's officially scary season!
This week, I'll be sharing frightening stories from across Canada. Starting with some from my hometown, Owen Sound, ON.
It seems like every town—big and small—has its own unique ghost stories, haunted locations, and mysteries. Here are a few I've heard of (and one I may have experienced first-hand).
Shadows of Owen Sound: Where History and Hauntings Linger On
Owen Sound, nestled by the misty waters of Georgian Bay, is a small but historic port city.
It’s also a place where echoes from the past slip through old limestone walls, drift along dark streets, and linger in stories that chill residents and visitors alike.
This is a town where history and hauntings are woven together, and here are some of the most hauntingly memorable stories and creepy locations.
The Courthouse and Jail: Frontier Justice’s Lingering Spirits
The old Grey County Courthouse and Jail casts an imposing shadow over Owen Sound.
Built to uphold swift frontier justice, the courthouse is steeped in tales of tragedy and suffering. Some people claim the ghosts of three people hung at the jail now haunt the place.
The case most discussed of the three is that of Cook Teets (1884).
Convicted of poisoning his wife, Teets, a blind man, became the first person to be hanged in Owen Sound, an execution that reportedly went wrong, taking over an hour.
Teets maintained his innocence until his death, and rumours later surfaced of a deathbed confession from someone else.
Reports of sudden chills, shadowy figures, and a feeling of something following you around have been reported by some staff, inmates, and later some paranormal enthusiasts who spent time in the jail.
My buddy used to work at the jail and he said there were definitely some strange things about the place. We used to jam together in the attached courthouse in a corner we rented from a sign painter who leased some space there.
After dark one evening, during intermission, I got up the courage to explore some of the unoccupied rooms and creeped myself out. I didn't see anything or hear anything, it was more of a feeling that I can't quite explain.
It's hard to say if that feeling was my body's reaction to my wild imagination, or a reaction to something else a little more ominous.
Have you ever had one of those feelings?
Do you think these experiences are usually just figments of our imaginations, or do you believe that there is something more to these types of stories?
The Billy Bishop Museum: Ghostly Echoes of a Childhood Home
The childhood home of Canada’s famous WWI flying ace, Billy Bishop, has long had a reputation for paranormal activity.
Now a museum, this site is as known for its ghostly experiences as it is for honouring a national hero.
Museum Ghost Walks: The Bishop House hosts summer ghost walks, where guides share tales of eerie footsteps, unexplained moving objects, and otherworldly presences.
One séance held within its walls reportedly filled the room with heavy, cold air and strange lights.
Visitors often speak of a calm, chilling atmosphere, adding to the museum’s reputation as a place where history refuses to rest.
My sister used to work part-time at the museum.
She said she heard some weird noises on a few occasions and that almost all of her co-workers reported strange bumps, bangs, opening cupboards and things being moved inexplicably.
A few claim to have seen strange shadows too.
Highland Manor: Shadows in the Victorian Nursery
Built in 1872, Highland Manor is a grand Victorian mansion with a chilling reputation.
From 1919 to 1940, it operated as a private maternity hospital, and though many children were born here, tragedy often marked their arrival:
The Ross Room Experience: One guest described a night where, just after midnight, she smelled an overpowering scent of pine oil and heard a baby’s cry.
Later that night, she saw the shadowy figure of a woman, cloaked in darkness, sitting in what seemed to be an invisible rocking chair.
The guest spent the rest of the night watching the empty chair, uneasy and convinced that Highland Manor is truly haunted.
The Roxy Theatre: Applause from the Past
For over a century, The Roxy Theatre has entertained audiences in Owen Sound.
But when the stage lights dim, there are whispers that the applause doesn’t always stop.
Staff speak of cold spots in the wings, of feeling eyes on them when they’re alone, and even of faint clapping in an empty auditorium.
The theatre’s haunted reputation has become a fascinating draw for visitors, adding an eerie layer to its historic charm. It is an important stop on the city’s guided ghost walks.
One time when rehearsing original one-act plays in grade 13 drama, a friend and I went exploring while waiting for our turn to use the stage.
There was an old prop room with a sketchy staircase going up to it that we squeezed into between the door props and scafolding jammed behind the door.
We couldn't get to the light switch and after a few seconds inside my friend suddenly froze and then spun around and ran out and I followed behind them.
I think they were just trying to freak me out and mess around. But to this day, they claim that something made them jump and that it was no prank.
The Hibou: Phantom Lights Beneath Georgian Bay
The waters of Georgian Bay are no strangers to tragedy, with the sinking of The Hibou remaining one of Owen Sound’s most haunting tales.
On November 21, 1936, the Hibou capsized just south of the city, claiming the lives of seven men, including Captain Norman McKay.
Locals here say they still hear the tolling of ghostly ship bells and catch sight of phantom lights flickering beneath the waves.
Some believe these spectral lights are the crew, eternally trying to make it back to shore.
The Irish Block Road: An Ominous Force in the Darkness
Just outside Owen Sound, The Irish Block Road twists through desolate backwoods, a spot long rumoured to be haunted.
One couple’s experience here has only fed that reputation.
Late one night, they drove the winding road and began feeling a sense of dread.
They heard strange sounds in the brush beside the road as something seemed to be keeping pace with them but concealed within the brush, and they then heard a chilling, unnatural howl that seemed to urge them to leave immediately.
Once they finally reached the main road, the feeling lifted, but they never returned to the Irish Block.
A few people around the area claim to have felt something similar between midnight and 3 am while driving this stretch of back country roads just outside the city.
A Legacy of Hauntings: Owen Sound’s Persistent Ghostly Presence
As Owen Sound grows, its haunted sites and spirits seem unbothered.
Places like the Billy Bishop Museum continue to host ghost tours, celebrating Owen Sound’s darker history.
And whether it’s the eerie calm at Highland Manor, the phantom sounds at the Roxy, or the chilling lights of the Hibou beneath Georgian Bay, these stories let us peer into a past that refuses to fade quietly.
For those willing to look, Owen Sound is a city where history and hauntings walk hand-in-hand. A place where past tragedies linger, mixing with the mist that rolls in from the bay when the sun sets on our little Canadian town.
Alright, Time for You to Give Up the Ghost
Do you have any of your own creepy experiences you’re willing to share?
Or maybe you’re a firm believer that these things are all explainable and our imaginations just get a little carried away sometimes.
Either way, I’d love to hear from you. Please don’t be scared to leave a comment to share your thoughts.
Thanks for reading.
Have a rad rest of your day!
Sources and links used to research this story.
History Articles - Lake Huron Shipwrecks: https://www.history-articles.com/lake-huron-shipwrecks.html
https://gypsymonika.blogspot.com/2019/10/storytime-haunted-travels-you-wont.html
Information about the Billy Bishop home and reported hauntings: https://americanaristocracy.com/houses/billy-bishop-museum
Information about Ghost Walks and local haunted locations: https://www.brandrealty.group/blog/45809/where-ghosts-roam-the-street
Grey County Homes - Local Hauntings: https://greycountyhomes.com/blog/178345/
Details about Ghost Walks and haunted locations: https://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/2019/07/14/ghost-walks-in-owen-sound/
Information about Ghost Walk tours and local haunted sites: https://owensoundhub.org/life/7639-explore-the-haunted-side-of-owen-sound.html
Hi Craig ! So wonderful to read this fascinating newsletter from our little corner of Ontario Canada.
As an artist who formerly rented studio space upstairs in the Old Courthouse I experienced many creepy episodes in the building .. from windows that were fastened blowing open when I returned in winter to the space , to orbs captured in photos , to pushpins somehow fastened to the impossibly high ceilings and unexplained noises all of the time. I spent alot of time alone there and tended to race down the stairs after leaving my studio in the dark ! That aside the building was very endearing to myself and other artists and musicians !
Hello Craig, I came upon this post by finding it in a post about Halloween by a friend. I too had a studio in the Old Courthouse in Owen Sound and experienced, mostly benign feelings and noises, except for the one time and that was hugely scary. I vowed not to be there after a certain time in the evening. Sadly this was around the time when all renters were given notice to move out of our spaces so it was the last experience there! It was lovely to read about the ghostly presences around Grey County and I hope to go on one of the ghosts walks soon!