I love October. The chill in the air. Leaves glowing blood red and molten lava orange. Warm mugs of pumpkin spice hellbroth and jack-o’-lanterns taunting passersby with menacing, toothy grins.

The tradition of the jack-o’-lantern comes from the tragic Irish folktale of Stingy Jack. When he died, he was banished to an eternity roaming the underworld with only an ember nestled in a hollowed-out turnip to light his way.

Ethereal lights like Stingy Jack’s, believed to belong to restless spirits, have been haunting people around the world for centuries. In fact, one lantern-toting ghost can be found right here in the Ottawa Valley.

ACCORDING TO LEGEND…

In the early 1900s, a terrible blizzard pummeled Renfrew County. That night, on Buck Hill Road, a young girl ran out into the storm when her pet dog managed to escape. Knowing the weather was getting worse, her father grabbed his lantern and rushed into the dark. He spent the frigid night frantically searching for his daughter but was unsuccessful. Refusing to give up, the man continued to search every night but eventually, obsession turned to insanity, and he died of a broken heart.

Since then, Buck Hill has been a hotspot for paranormal activity including numerous reports of an eerie light swaying in the night, believed to be the lantern of the tortured spirit, still looking for his little girl. It’s attracted paranormal investigators, brave adventurers, curious sightseers and has even inspired a song.

“A bright light appeared in the sky far away. It looked like a headlight but far brighter. It proceeded to come closer. It disappeared for an instant when my friend turned the key in the ignition to check the time on the clock. Then, when it reappeared, it was about 200 feet away. That was close enough for us! We turned the car on and beat it out of there fast.”

-Eyewitness Account (read more here)

A FRIGHTFUL FORAY

Years ago, some friends and I visited Buck Hill late one chilly night. After a pleasant drive, our carefree chatter turned to unease when an unlit road began to lead us up a densely wooded hill. The hill. Nobody spoke as we reached the top, which was littered with macabre offerings of improvised talismans and messages for the dead.

We turned the car to face the hill and cut the engine. The sudden silence amplified our isolation and vulnerability. We quietly peered into the black void before us, looking for the legendary light. After some time, our hope waning, we decided to try a ritual said to summon the sorrowful spirit by tricking him into thinking he has finally found his beloved daughter.   

As per instructions, we flashed the headlights three times. Then, sheepishly mimicking a child’s voice, called out into the silent night: “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!”

Enveloped in quiet darkness on the lonesome hill, we waited with bated breath for the light to appear…

APPARITION APPRECIATION

I love scooping out the slimy guts of a big pumpkin, carving out a ghoulish face, and setting it outside with a candle in its belly, softly illuminating the night. It is an homage to the forlorn soul of Stingy Jack and now, for me, also a memento of my night on Buck Hill Road.

While the ghost of Buck Hill might not be as well-known as his Irish counterpart, why not take your own trip and see if you can spot the spectral glow of a lantern? Who knows, you might even find yourself face to face with the resident phantom.

And if your experience is anything like mine, you are certain to remember it for the rest of your mortal life.

Annabelle

Having spent an eternity in Ottawa, Annabelle knows that behind the city’s calm and unassuming guise lies a veritable playground for countless ghosts and ghouls. With her own brushes with the supernatural and a morbid curiosity of Ottawa's occult occupants and paranormal past, Annabelle delights in sharing its haunting history with others.