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Top 10 Haunted Places In B.C.

Top 10 Haunted Places In B.C.

Ghosts from the past and present haunt British Columbia, drawing from the province's history and the people who lived there.

Stories of lingering socialites in hotels, and apparitions of castle owners and prominent businessmen are not unusual to locals and visitors, especially at many historic landmarks.

With Halloween around the corner, you never know what may show up to spook you at any of these places! Got more to share? Let us know.

Tranquille Sanitorium, near Kamloops

Top 10 Haunted Places In B.C.

Tranquille Sanatorium, near Kamloops

Built in 1907, Tranquille Sanatorium was a place to treat patients with tuberculosis. The sound of crying children can be heard from the eighth floor where the pediatrics unit was located. Many claim to have seen a mother weeping for her child on the sixth and eighth floors; her spirit eventually disappears when she is approached but the sound of her cries continue to echo in the hallways.

Film productions have used the location, which is currently an urban farm. There are plans to develop the property into homes, a public park and a waterfront.

The Empress Hotel, Victoria

Located in downtown Victoria, the famous hotel played host to kings, queens, movie stars and many famous people in the 1900s. However, the most famous guest is said to be the ghost of Francis Rattenbury, the hotel architect. He was murdered in his drawing room and has been spotted roaming the halls with his cane. Guests have also reported apparitions of a hotel maid on the sixth floor and a figure of a construction worker who committed suicide.

The 39-room castle was built by Robert Dunsmuir, a wealthy Scottish immigrant. Construction began in 1887, but Dunsmuir died two years after construction started and so did his second daughter later that same year. Ghost sightings of a woman dressed in a ball gown on the main staircase and a young girl roaming around in the basement have been reported. Many have also heard the sound of faint music playing from certain rooms in the castle.

New Westminster Secondary School, New Westminster

In the early 1970s, a boy drowned in the pool located in the basement. Security guards have reported seeing a young boy floating around in the water. A man shooting bows and arrows has also been seen in the basement, where an archery range was also located. Another student died in the woodworking shop in the late 1980s and security cameras have caught images of a boy walking around in the room.

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

First opened in 1939, the hotel is haunted by the "Lady in Red," according to reports from guests and staff. The woman haunts the 14th floor where she likes to glide through the hallways. Some say the elegantly dressed woman is the ghost of Jennie Pearl Cox, a Vancouver socialite. A Japanese family once called the front desk asking if the room on the 14th floor had been double-booked because they were greeted by the woman in their room.

The Old Spaghetti Factory, Vancouver

Historic Gastown is no stranger to ghost tales of the past. Rumour has it, the Old Spaghetti Factory is home to four ghosts who prefer to linger after closing hours. The most popular ghost is said to be a tram conductor who appears in an old trolley inside the restaurant. Staff members have allegedly spotted his ghost in full uniform. Employees have seen table settings mysteriously moving, and have heard their names called while alone in the room.

Hatley Castle, Victoria

Hatley Castle is now home to Royal Roads University but in the 1900s it was owned by James Dunsmuir, a former lieutenant governor of British Columbia. When the house was sold in the 1930s and transformed into a military academy, the ghost of his wife, Laura Dunsmuir, began to appear. She has been known to drag cadets out of their bed, pulling them across the floor in the middle of the night. People also reported seeing Dunsmuir's son, who was killed in WWI, walking along the end of a pond near the castle.

Vogue Theatre, Vancouver

Built in 1941, the theater was used for concerts and plays. It also houses two ghosts who sometimes like to spook guests. The first spirit is of a dark-haired man who likes to hang out by the catwalk and main stage. Another man has been seen wearing a black tuxedo and a black bow tie, he is said to appear nonchalantly in the seating area near the front stage. Both ghosts have been spotted in the audience by performers.

Waterfront Station, Vancouver

Waterfront Station is considered to be "the most haunted building in Vancouver." The busy transit hub is home to many ghosts and paranormal activities. A security guard claims to have seen the apparition of a woman dancing by herself from the 1920s. Another guard came face to face with a shining white ghost who reached out towards him. In addition, others have seen spirits of three little old ladies sitting on a bench. Random furniture has also been seen moving.

Hycroft Manor, Vancouver

There have been countless reports of ghost encounters over the years at the Hycroft Manor. The 20,000 sq.-ft. mansion is located in upscale Shaughnessy. Seven ghosts are known to roam the 30-room structure. Staff say three ghosts known as "The Pranksters" are responsible for lights flickering and doors mysteriously closing. Apparitions of a WWI veteran and a woman in a nurse's uniform have been reported. Spirits of a well-dressed lady and a sobbing man have been heard on the main floor.

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