What’s that? You don’t believe in ghosts? You’d rather not believe in them? You simply think believing in ghosts is ridiculous? You’ve been told there’s no such thing as ghosts or apparitions? Well let’s go on a spooktacular visit today and you just might see or experience one. Just know that it is important to keep your mind open and your senses on high alert!
Fergus and area are not that unusual for the number of ghosts reported. Around here folks are just a little more vocal about them. But, of course, not everyone in town is a believer in ghosts. Some people even might think this info crazy. Just remember that the ghosts you might have the pleasure of meeting have been well-documented and they won’t go away – unless told to, perhaps. Even then they just might decide to hang around. If you are going to possibly experience a ghostly encounter, just remember that as you walk through the building or area you have to be cognizant of everything around you – changes in the temperature, an odd sound, or an unusual feeling.
So first let’s visit the Wellington County Museum where I worked for a number of years and had the pleasure of meeting a number of interesting ghostly characters. Actually, the first time I saw one was in 1955 when I was part of a choir, singing Christmas carols for the residents. A ghostly middle-aged woman stood behind me and chilled me to the bone! I wasn’t frightened. I’d had this sort of thing happen to me – a lot. The museum’s building does have an interesting history as being the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge; in other words, the County Poor House beginning c1877. Given how and why people ended up in the care of the County is reason for many ghostly encounters in the building and barn areas. For reasons mostly unknown, they have attached themselves to the buildings.
One of the apparitions is the early 1900’s Matron who presented herself every time I went into the men’s areas of the building. She would also spend a lot of time patrolling the second-floor spooking anyone who dared to climb the steps to the attic. On occasion, she’d simply stand in what was the office area of the building when I worked there and watch me. I got used to her; I just kept a sweater handy as she certainly had the ability to “cool a location”. There was also a young woman who died in the attic and she would occasionally walk “down” in an area where there were once steps. She was caught on film circa late 1980’s. Another apparition is an elderly fellow who spent his time in what used to be the second floor sleeping area for the men. He’s the ghost that set off the alarms at 2:00 am on occasion when my job was to get to the Museum to let the policemen in to check why the alarms went off. That was always an interesting time, to say the least. There’s also a woman who spends a lot of time in what was the kitchen of the Poor House; an area which is now the main entrance to the Museum section of the building. Actually, some of the artifacts have their own ghosts attached to them which do show themselves on occasion when that piece is put on display.
Perhaps too, you should be very careful driving Queen Street E. at and near Gowrie Street. Dr. Groves old home is on the south corner of the streets crossing. The old Alexandria Hospital was just across the street (which had become a parking lot) and the doctor had a habit of going to his hospital around midnight to check on the patients and staff. One night a woman who was leaving the hospital after work thought she had hit an elderly fellow who appeared in front of her vehicle. She jumped out to help but there was no one there! When asked, she gave a description of the fellow and what he was wearing. When she was shown a picture of good old Doc Groves she identified him as the fellow she thought she had hit. She’s not the first person nor is she the last to encounter Dr. Groves crossing the road. He is quite active – all the time. He’s one of quite a few ghostly apparitions in Fergus. There’s a similar thing that happened up Hwy #6 near the Irvine River bridge; a fellow with a tartan blanket wrapped around him that people think they have hit while driving. He’s a c1865 Scottish highlander who died on his way to the Queen’s Bush and who, apparently, was buried in that area of the road.
If you are really interested in learning more about apparitions there is actually an interesting Fergus ghost walk done during the summer and autumn months. It was the first ghost walk in a town in Ontario at one time but now there are a lot of other towns who have “taken up the cause”. If you are interested in hearing about a few of the ghostly apparitions that are still making themselves known, you can get information and tickets at The Bookery in downtown Fergus. Tickets usually sell out fast!
WRITTEN BY: PAT MESTERN
