Calgary is a beautiful city, but like any other place, it has its share of eerie locations that can make your heart race—whether or not you believe in the supernatural. Here are some spots rumored to be haunted, as detailed by icalgary.
Dean House
This historic building was constructed in 1906 as the official residence of Richard Burton Deane, the last superintendent of the Royal North-West Mounted Police. Initially located at the corner of 9th Avenue and 6th Street S.E., it was relocated to Inglewood in 1929 near the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers. The building was later converted into a boarding house and operated as such until 1973.
During its time as a boarding house, the property became associated with a series of unusual deaths. These included a man who fell fatally down the stairs, a woman who leapt to her death from a second-story window, and a man who was shot on the porch. In 1933, a father and his epileptic son resided in the house. The boy, tormented by peers and suffering from depression, tragically ended his life in the attic.
In 1952, a murder-suicide involving Irma and Roderick Amperville occurred in the former superintendent’s office. Roderick fatally stabbed and strangled his wife in front of their children before taking his own life. Previously, Alex Bratherton, the building’s prior owner, also died in the house, although of natural causes.
After 1973, Dean House became an art gallery and studio for local artists. In 1978, it was designated a provincial historic site. Reports of paranormal activity began in the 1970s and 1980s. The Calgary Association for Paranormal Research identified the house as haunted following numerous unexplained events.
Staff members have reported hearing laughter in the foyer when no one was present. In the late 1990s, a local television station, CFCN, brought a psychic to the site. The psychic claimed to sense two spirits: one near the driveway, believed to be the man shot on the porch, and another inside the house. He also speculated that the building was constructed atop an Indigenous burial ground. Visitors have often reported seeing the apparition of an Indigenous man.
In the portion of the house renovated as Richard Deane’s office, visitors have described seeing a male figure smoking a pipe in a chair. Numerous guests have reported smelling tobacco, despite the building’s strict no-smoking policy. An antique telephone, which is disconnected, has reportedly rung without explanation.
In 2016, Dean House was converted into a restaurant. One staff member reported seeing an apparition of a legless figure gliding through the hallway late at night. The restaurant caretaker mentioned hearing piano music coming from an upstairs room, though no one was found there upon investigation. A former manager recounted an incident where his bag mysteriously flew off a shelf, across the room, and landed at his feet, prompting him to resign.
The attic is regarded as the most active paranormal site. A bloodstain frequently appears in one of the closets, regardless of how many times it is cleaned. Efforts to keep the closet doors shut are often thwarted, as they mysteriously reopen. Whether you believe in such tales or not, Dean House undoubtedly stirs curiosity and tempts thrill-seekers to visit after dark.
Devil’s Playground
The eerie history of this playground began when a fire consumed an old school building, starting in a hallway and claiming the lives of three children. For decades, witnesses have reported paranormal phenomena, including handprints on fogged car windows, the sound of children laughing, and animal bones arranged in mysterious patterns around the site.
This unsettling history caught the attention of Calgary filmmaker Dori Davidson-Rewoll, who spent five years investigating the site. Davidson-Rewoll compiled numerous eyewitness accounts and produced a documentary titled Devil’s Playground. His film includes stories of strange occurrences reported by visitors.
Knox United Church
This church in downtown Calgary is home to numerous ghost stories. Witnesses have reported seeing spirits praying, knitting, and even a woman in early 20th-century clothing walking through doors. The most notable account comes from the church organist, who claimed a ghost struck his hand for playing the organ incorrectly.
Knox United Church is part of the United Church of Canada and actively embraces inclusivity, welcoming members of the LGBTQ+ community into its congregation.
Hose and Hound
This building was formerly Calgary Fire Station No. 3 before being repurposed as a community center and later a pub. Despite its varied uses over the years, stories of hauntings have persisted, dating back to its early days under Captain Cappy Smart, Calgary’s first fire chief.
One popular tale involves the ghost of a horse named Lightning, which died in the building. Visitors have reported hearing the sound of hoofbeats in the early morning hours. Another spirit said to haunt the site is Barney, a pet monkey owned by Captain Smart. The monkey was reportedly killed after attacking a child.
Prince House
Located in Heritage Park, Prince House was relocated from Prince’s Island Park. Peter Prince, a successful businessman, experienced repeated personal tragedies, losing three wives within ten years. One of them, Emma Prince, succumbed to tuberculosis in the attic of the house.
During Halloween, the house is a popular destination for visitors hoping to observe paranormal activity or hear mysterious sounds throughout the night.
Zoo Bridge
This old bridge once connected Inglewood to St. Patrick’s Island and the Calgary Zoo. Near the zoo’s guardhouse, there was once a playground. In 1946, six-year-old Donnie Goss was lured to this area by a man offering toys and was tragically murdered beneath the bridge.
Reports of a child’s cries for help have continued over the years, with Calgary’s emergency services receiving two to three such calls annually. In May 2017, the historic bridge was replaced with a new one.
Fairmont Palliser Hotel
This iconic luxury hotel has a reputation for ghostly encounters. Guests and staff have reported sightings of a man in a conductor’s uniform, unexplained sounds of loud parties in empty rooms, and a 1940s debutante descending the grand staircase.
The hotel opened in June 1914, just days after the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, Canada’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster. The tragedy overshadowed the grand opening, and many locals associated the hotel with the disaster. The opening ceremony was scaled back, with no pomp or fanfare.
Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, Calgary offers a rich tapestry of ghost stories and eerie locations that captivate locals and visitors alike. For those brave enough to explore these sites, Calgary’s haunted spots promise an unforgettable experience.