Ghosts and history collide at the Huron Historic Gaol

Sinead Cox, curator of engagement and dialogue at the Huron Historic Gaol standing in a nineteenth century prison cell.

Every Friday night for the month of October, the Huron Historic Gaol opens its doors after dark for intimate tours blending ghost stories with the building’s darker history.

Tickets for ghost tours will be $11 for an adult and $7 for students. The Gaol will feature two tours every Friday night. One between 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. and the second starting at $8:30 p.m. and ending at $10 p.m.

Due to mature subject matter, it’s recommended for children of 12-years and up to participant on the tour.  

Guests will be guided throughout the prison by curator of engagement and dialogue, Sinead Cox. Cox will tell guests a detailed history of the Gaol with a focus on darker themes and paranormal encounters from past tours.

“Folks on the tours have had experiences and people have reported to me about hearing, feeling and seeing things. I’m a person that doesn't really get scared so I'm not going to run away when something pops up,” laughed Cox. 

“Death is a daily part of life, and it was fascinating to people in the past and it’s fascinating to us now and I think it’s an opportunity to look at things that are really dark and sad in a way where we can turn them into something we can understand and talk about.”

Cox said ghost stories offer a way to explore difficult subjects in a safer context. She noted many who died at the jail were vulnerable people, and their stories tell about the changes and similarities in society over time.

“I like to research the life and death of the prisoners and people and what the healthcare was like in the jail and what inmates were sentenced for,” said Cox.

“We did have three hangings take place here but most of the people died of natural causes, there’s a lot of stories here.

“It’s a nice balance when people come in and they are really interested in the paranormal stuff and get shocked by the history. We are enriching people in the history of the local area and its residents, it’s very rewarding.” 

Cox said she holds deep respect for the jail, its history and the people once incarcerated there. She added that many descendants still live in the community, and their lives and deaths should be remembered with dignity.

Tourists can also participate in a spirit board where they will be given a chance to community with the spirits who have passed on. Cox adds that conversations between the living and the dead have occurred on past tours which has been an annual return for the past six years.  

“There was an encounter where there was a tourist letting me know that they saw a spirit on the stairs,” said Cox.

“I don’t guarantee you will see a ghost on the tour, but some people have had that experience because it’s October and it really sets up the atmosphere.”