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Black Creek Pioneer Village
Submitted by Sue Darroch
This report is based on three informal visits, in-person and telephone interviews with staff. We currently have no reports of "activity" from visitors to the site.
Background Information:
Black Creek Pioneer Village, located at the corner of Jane Street and Steeles Avenue in Toronto, is a living museum of life in 1860's rural York County.
It is situated on two farm lots, the first originally belonging to Johann Schmidt and settled in 1809, the second belonging to Daniel and Elizabeth Stong whom arrived in York in 1816. "Faced with one hundred acres of wilderness, they worked hard, cleared the land for farming and built their first home - a small but substantial log house. A grain barn, piggery, smoke house and finally, a larger second home were added over the next few years." These buildings still stand on their original foundations, and some of the belongings of the Stong family are still preserved on site. Indeed trees that were originally planted by the Stongs bear fruit to this day.
The last descendants of the Stong family vacated the homestead in 1958 and sold their property to MTRCA. Black Creek Pioneer Village was opened to the public in 1960. Over the course of the next 22 years additional buildings of historical significance that faced demolition were moved to BCPV.
The Reports:
Staff members have reported what appears to be mild poltergeist activity in the Burwick House (not original to the property) and the original Stong home. These include "shuffling of feet, footsteps, rappings" and general feelings of unease.
The little cemetery near the back of the village where Stong family members are buried has produced reports of balls of light visually seen by at least two security personnel.
We have followed up on these reports to the best of our abilities, however we were informed during our last visit by one staff member that BCPV is attempting to move away from the stigma of "old houses" = "ghosts" and therefore many may be reluctant to speak publicly about any possible experiences.
Update: July 2006: Our thanks to one of our readers for the following update. please note that the witness has had a history of psychic impressions and sensitivities.
I have always loved the era of Pioneer Village and love to go there, even as a child I did, I feel drawn to this time of history.
Anyway, last summer (2005) my husband and I took our children to Pioneer Village. In some of the homes I "sense" feelings, the feelings however are usually feelings of happiness, sometimes sadness but nothing that bothers me.
This past summer however upon entering the Burwick House I immediately felt a little uneasy. We proceeded through the bottom floor of the house and proceeded up the stairs. Halfway up the stairs I sensed a horrible feeling of utter sadness and something very sinister. At the top of the stairs I felt very uneasy and wanted to immediately leave. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I said "let's go" to my husband and he said "wait, I want to see the rooms".
I told him I had seen enough. He simply said "come on" and took me by the hand.
We looked in the rooms and I continually had this horribly strong sense of uneasiness. I turned and told my husband I would meet him outside.
Passing the lady on the lower floor who was standing by the front door that worked at Pioneer Village dressed in garb from that era, I was tempted to say "did you know this house is haunted?" and I wanted to ask her if she's ever had anyone complain of anything going on in the house, but of course I didn't for fear of her thinking I was totally nuts.
My husband and my kids met up with me outside and I told him how I felt, that there is a very strong presence in that house. My husband of course didn't sense anything. I felt it centering a lot around the cradle in the main bedroom, it just made me feel very uneasy.
I simply chalked it up to nothing, until reading about other people experiencing uneasiness in the same house.
If you have any information or any experiences you wish to share, please e-mail our researcher, Sue at sue@psican.org
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©1997-2005 - GHRS - Ontario 100632991
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