Читать книгу Real Hauntings 5-Book Bundle - Mark Leslie - Страница 63

There have been a number of haunted houses dating back to Ottawa’s early years, when it was known as Bytown. One of the more famous haunted houses from that era was a stately stone home that used to be on the south side of Wellington Street, near Bay.

The building was the home of Dr. Edward Van Cortlandt, a notable and prominent figure known as arguably the best physician in the Bytown area, but also for odd eccentrics, such as keeping a skeleton in his closet that he amused himself with by frightening patients. After the doctor died his house remained vacant, perhaps because of its reputation for being haunted.

Following is the full article from the Ottawa Citizen on April 29, 1933.

Ottawa As It Was In The Year 1893 —

Wellington St. In “The Gay Nineties”

Old Dr. Van Cortlandt House And Its Ghostly Stories

House was Noted in Many Ways And Its Owner Was Remarkable Man — House, Long a Landmark, Has Been Removed. Van Courtlandt Home Was Outstanding Feature on Wellington Street.

In our walk down Wellington street last week we stopped at the southeast corner of Bay street where Philemon Wright, the harness maker, a Bytonian, lived and had his place of business.

A Haunted Walk guide leads a crowd down Sparks Street on a spooky journey through history, sharing eerie tales of the past.

Courtesy of Haunted Walks Inc.

Today we start at the southwest corner where we encounter a pretty two-door stone tenement, fronted by attractive verandahs. These houses were built either in the late forties or early fifties. The present occupants (1893) are W. J. Loucks and John B. Gillesie.

Next (at 394) we come to a large three story and attic stone house which at the present time is occupied by Mrs. I. Aylen’s boarding house. This is the famous old Van Cortlandt house, erected by the late Dr. Edward Van Cortlandt in the early fifties.

Dr. Van Cortlandt was noted as a surgeon but he had a large family practice. He had a great reputation as a geologist and naturalist, and delved into the Indian history of the Ottawa Valley. He was one of the most popular of the lecturers at the Mechanics Institute.

The Skeleton

The doctor was regarded as a bit eccentric, but his cleverness as a medical man, or his value as a citizen was never in question. In a deep cupboard in his office the doctor kept a skeleton dangling. It was so hung that whenever he opened the cupboard to get anything the bones rattled in a manner to frighten nervous people and children. Many old timers will relate how as children they were frightened by the Van Cortlandt skeleton. When the door was open the skeleton was never fully visible, and the fact created a story of mystery which made the skeleton all the more intriguing.

Very Thick Walls

The Van Cortlandt house had very thick walls. The window sills were fully three feet deep. The ceilings of the big house were high and the rooms large.

The house was built on the slant of the high hill which ran upward to Sparks street on a seven or eight per cent grade. This meant that the doctor could have his office on the level of Wellington street, while the kitchen and other culinary rooms were in the rear partly underground.

Access To Garden

The main or parlor floor was approached by steep steps from Wellington street. A narrow covered verandah fronted the house. The rear of the parlor and dining room led out on a level to a pretty garden, from which an exit could be had onto Sparks street.

The house had a large attic which was used for servants’ quarters. In later years the attic played a considerable part in the ghost stories with which the old house became surrounded. In effect the house was four storeys high including the attic. From the Wellington street front it had an imposing appearance.

House Is Gone

The O.T.S. mentions these facts as the house is no longer in existence. A couple of years ago it was pulled down to make room for a mercantile building. Many Ottawa people were very sorry to see the old house go as it was a landmark.

Dr. “Van” as he was familiarly called, died about the year 1872 or 1873. After his death the house became vacant.

Stories Started