The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday October 31, 2007 - 3 Erchless Estate is one of Oakville's most haunted houses Continued from page 1 streets in her wake, along Navy and William Streets, King Street and Thomas and Front, we felt like the characters in The Sixth Sense. In other words, "We saw dead people." At the same time we saw something of what life might have been like in the 19th century when the village of Oakville first took shape at the mouth of the Sixteen-Mile Creek. We met at the offices of the Oakville Historical Society on King Street, located in two cottages on the northern edge of the Erchless Estate. In the course of the evening, and for $12 per person, our ghost guide shared with us a wealth of inside information about her father, William Chisholm, "White Oak" to the native people; about her Uncle Merrick Thomas who first laid out the plan for the town site; and about her other Uncle Robert Chisholm who ran the Customs House in the harbour and built the stately Erchless as the family home. She also told us about lesser known characters from Oakville's past, like sea captain Sam McGiffen, whose restless ghost continues to wander the boardwalk on Navy Street -- long after the boardwalk has been replaced by cement -- and Captain Robert Wilson, renowned for transporting American slaves in the hold of his schooner to freedom in Canada, and businessmen like Murray Williams, who ran the Murray House Hotel, and Constable George Sumner, also the dog catcher and truant officer, and much more. But mostly our ghost leader talked about the houses in the heritage district, built originally of stone and wood and brick to a minimum size of 18 feet by 24 feet, many of which are largely preserved and identified by a plaque at the front door showing the year built and the original owner. Every house had a story and most had ghosts hanging around to enhance the memories. Our ghost, Mary Jane, was reassuring to the youngsters in the group, "Oh don't worry, we will be safe," but added, nodding towards the big house that is Erchless, "It would be natural to be a little spooked because we are standing in the shadow of one the most haunted houses in Oakville. There have been more sightings, more feelings and stories written about that house than any other." Notably, the spirit of Robert Chisholm is said to still inhabit the Customs House, and Christopher Columbus Lee, the former butler at Erchless, is sometimes seen by current staff going up and down the stairs. And of course, her own mother Rebecca Silverthorn Chisholm, the family matriarch who dropped dead at the garden gate, has never fully relinquished her place there, they say. Mary Jane McDougald "Why do I do these walks? Because everyone learns all kinds of things about the history of Oakville and they get excited, and then they see the town with different eyes. It brings history to life. It fires up the imagination. It's just a lot of fun." Francine Landry, who plays Ghost Walk tour guide Mary Jane MacDougald. encouraged those of us with cameras to capture any ghostlike presences we might encounter. There was a light in the window at the David Patterson house (1852). "They've been doing some renovations there in the past few years," our guide chuckled. "I imagine Mr. Patterson's ghost is making a little extra noise in the attic and going up and down the stairs." She proceeded to tell the story of the old piano stool, which the ghost demanded even when the house changed hands. It is now a clause written into the deed. Captain Robert Wilson's house (1833), he built himself, made of wood (the stucco was added in the latter part of the 1800s). Mary Jane said that more recently, a family had spent most of their lives living in the Captain's old house before moving away. "One day the woman from that family came back when she heard the house was being renovated. She had especially loved her garden. So she came for a little walk to see the house and to see how her flowers were doing. Well, if she didn't pass away right there in the garden, flowers in her hand and a smile on her face. Very peaceful way to go, I would say." There are too many stories to recount here. Stories of Jacque the Buccaneer, who wreaked havoc at the Murray House when drinking away his wages on a Saturday night, and the ghost they call Alice, who appears from time to time in the washroom mirror at the Oakville Centre. And, most certainly, Mary Jane said, there are ghosts in the bell tower of St. Jude's Church. As we passed the house on Thomas Street, once called Glenorchy (1839), where Mary Jane and her husband Peter McDougald lived, she saw a light flicker and a figure move inside. Was it him returning to find her? "Peter, poor Peter, he was a fine gentleman," the ghost said of her husband, "and a very successful grain merchant for a time, but the years took their toll. Business began to flag when the trains arrived in town to ship goods out. He also had the added responsibilities of being mayor at the time, and those young councillors gave him a very hard time. More and more he would slip up to the chemist, Dr. Urquhart's, on the main street, and sometimes he would take a little too much of his medicine, if you know what I mean. One night he didn't make it home. They found him on Robinson Street in the morning, dead to the world." According to George Chisholm, President of the Oakville Historical Society, the series of Ghost Walks which finished this past weekend has been a popular activity. Each walk includes 20 or so local history buffs keen to know more about the town's origins and willing to pay a few dollars for the privilege of being thrilled by ghost stories. Four-and-a-half year old Melanie Beres went on the walk with her mom and dad, Lesley and Richard. Melanie got to hold the ghostly lantern for a time. Afterwards, she said, "It wasn't too scary, but it got a little cold by the end." Said Historical Society volunteer Francine Landry, who played the part of Mary Jane McDougald, "Why do I do these walks? Because everyone learns all kinds of things about the history of Oakville and they get excited, and then they come back and visit the museum and they see the town with different eyes. It brings history to life. It fires up the imagination. It's just a lot of fun." A note in Joyce Burnell's slim volume on the Ghosts of Oakville states that it was Francine Landry who was inspired to organize the Ghost Walks a few years ago after reading Burnell's first booklet. Need Help Choosing a New Bathroom? See our design team! Looking for something different? ADVERTORIAL Now this will make you say WOW! Our luxurious quality, friendly service and prices will definitely make you say WOW. At Home Sweet Linens you can expect great deals every day of the year. We are open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6pm and on Sunday's from 12 pm to 5 pm. Christmas is fast approaching, so come in and get all the linens you need for the holiday season. Check out this week's specials. You'll find it here. We specialize in importing and supplying quality ceramics, porcelain, and natural stone with a variety of exclusive lines. Check Out Our BACKSPLASH SHOWROOM & EXTENSIVE NATURAL STONE DISPLAY TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE Factory Tile Depot Langley 260 TC Synthetic Duvets ­ Come and feel the difference Whether it's because of allergies or personal choice, we have the perfect synthetic duvets. Our Langley duvets have a 260 Thread Count cover and square baffle boxes which hold the polyester in separate compartments and provides excellent loft. The polyester has been specially blown into the duvet and therefore our Langley duvets feel just like down duvets. They are machine washable and dryer safe and come with a 6 year warranty. Now the price will make you say WOW. For a limited time pay the same price the hotels pay: Twin $49.99 ­ Double $59.99 ­ Queen $69.99 King $79.99 ­ Super King $119.99 Quilted Crib Bedding We are now thrilled to be carrying crib bedding. We know how expensive crib bedding can be and we know how expensive babies are. So we wanted to give parents and grandparents a break. Designer crib bedding in beautiful quilted prints for boys and girls is now available at wholesale prices thru ordering. Buy the whole set or the pieces you want. You will be amazed at the price. You may even say WOW. Our Plush Bathrobes at $39.99 available in 6 colours & 2 sizes are in stock now. And our very popular Bamboo Towels are going fast. So if you would like to have them for Christmas, we strongly recommend that you buy them now. **We now carry Designer Bath Mats in a variety of colours and in organic cotton.** You've see our sign for years. Now is the time to come in and discover the difference. At Home Sweet Linens we do all the homework for you. So you can rest assured that your getting the best quality and an amazing price. For more information or to join our newsletter visit www.homesweetlinens.com or at the store at 2857 Sherwood Heights Drive, Unit 8, 905 842 9877 Wool Duvets by SnugSleep If you are having trouble sleeping because of constantly feeling too hot or too cold than wool is for you. Wool is a natural product that has been used for centuries and is the only material that both absorbs and releases moisture efficiently and thereby maintains your body temperature. This is why wool can be used year round. When body temperature is maintained you get a better sleep. Now you're probably thinking the price for pure New Zealand wool should be in the $500 and your right- it is at other stores, But not at Home Sweet Linens. Our prices are: Twin $179.99 ­ Double $189.99 ­ Queen $199.99 King $249.99 ­ Super King 299.99 Tile selection made enjoyable! FACTORY TILE DEPOT 1360 Speers Road, Oakville (East of third line) Micro- Fibre Quilted Comforter Sets A favourite for children, teens & just about everyone, our very soft Quilted Comforter Sets come in four bright colours, red, blue, yellow, and green and they reverse to a lighter shade. Twin $ 49.99 Double/ Queen $59.99 & King $69.99 905.465.1650 Mon.-Thurs., 9:30-6, Fri. 9:30-5, Sat., 10-5, Closed Sun. www.factorytiledepot.ca TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE