HALIFAX

by Greg Mansfield

Haunted Halifax, Nova Scotia — ***Image by Greg Mansfield***

Halifax, Nova Scotia is a charming Maritime city where centuries of history have left their ghostly mark on nearly every street corner. Better known for its friendly locals and lively Celtic music scene, the stories of haunted Halifax reveal a spooky side to this charming port town.

These aren’t just tales shared over pints in cozy pubs – they’re unexplained encounters reported by countless witnesses in the city’s historic buildings. Join me as we explore the haunted places of this atmospheric and walkable city.

Haunted Halifax: This Maritime City’s Most Spooky Places

Halifax Citadel

Location: 5425 Sackville St, Halifax, NS
Open: Daily, 9:00am to 5:00pm
Admission: Some fees
Website: parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/halifax

Rising above the city like an ominous stone giant, the Halifax Citadel is the site of countless supernatural stories. Completed in 1856, the fortress is the fourth fortification to stand on Citadel Hill since 1749. Its thick walls and deep tunnels seem to trap more than just the echo of footsteps – they hold onto the spirits of those who once served there.

A dramatic tale from 1782 involves a spine-chilling encounter that proved to be more than just imagination. Two young officers were patrolling the grounds when they encountered a tall figure wearing torn hunting clothes, his face gaunt and pale in the moonlight. One officer was particularly disturbed by the sight, as the figure bore a striking resemblance to his brother. Days later, a letter arrived confirming his worst fears – his brother had died in a hunting accident at the exact time they saw the apparition.

The Grey Lady is perhaps the Citadel’s most famous spectral resident, though her identity remains a mystery. She drifts through the fort’s corridors in her period dress, leaving behind the scent of roses and an overwhelming feeling of sadness. Guards working night shifts have reported seeing her standing at windows, looking out toward the harbour as if waiting for someone to return.

Perhaps one of the most chilling apparitions at the Citadel is the one-armed sergeant who met his fate in a mysterious drowning. During a fire in the barracks, this unfortunate soldier somehow ended up in a well under suspicious circumstances. People report seeing his ghostly figure standing rigidly at attention beside the well where he died, as if still maintaining his eternal watch. The well itself lies hidden away in the north end of the inner Citadel, sealed behind a locked door in Casemate 18.

Modern-day security guards have captured strange anomalies on their cameras thrighout the Citadel – orbs of light floating through solid walls, shadowy figures that disappear when approached, and inexplicable cold spots that set off motion detectors. The fort’s prison cells are particularly active, with visitors reporting the sound of chains dragging across stone floors and desperate whispers in the darkness.

The Five Fishermen Restaurant

Location: 1740 Argyle St, Halifax, NS
Open: Daily, 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Admission: N/A
Website: fivefishermen.com

The Five Fishermen Restaurant is a delightful dining establishment with excellent seafood and service. Its Victorian architecture, however, hides some paranormal secrets.

Built in 1817 as a schoolhouse, the building’s history took a grim turn when it became a funeral home. Little did anyone know then that it would soon become caught up in two of haunted Halifax’s greatest tragedies.

In April of 1912, as the city mourned the victims of the Titanic disaster, the funeral home received the bodies of several passengers pulled from the freezing Atlantic waters. Workers reported strange occurrences even then – unexplained cold spots, the sound of weeping when no one was there, and items moving on their own. But the building’s darkest days were yet to come.

December 6, 1917, brought unprecedented horror to Halifax when the largest man-made explosion before the atomic bomb tore through the city. It was caused by the collision of two ships in Halifax Harbour, one of which was carrying a massive amount of explosives to be used in World War I. The funeral home was quickly overwhelmed with the bodies of 200 victims who had lost their lives in an instant.

Today, the Five Fishermen Restaurant’s elegant dining rooms still echo with supernatural activity that staff and customers have learned to accept as part of daily life. Waiters tell stories of place settings being completely rearranged between the time they set a table and return with guests. Wine glasses sometimes float off shelves, hovering briefly before crashing to the floor. In the women’s restroom, taps turn on by themselves, and mysterious whispers call out people’s names from empty stalls.

One particularly chilling story comes from a busboy who was closing up late one night. While stacking chairs, he distinctly heard someone crying. Following the sound to the second floor, he found an empty dining room but felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and cold that made him flee the building. The next day, he learned that room had been used to store the bodies of the Titanic victims.

Alexander Keith’s Brewery

Location: 1496 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS
Open: Various hours; closed Sunday
Admission: N/A
Website: keiths.ca

In haunted Halifax’s historic waterfront district, Alexander Keith’s Brewery continues its centuries-old tradition of brewing fine ales. But according to many who work there, the brewery’s founder never left. Alexander Keith, who passed away in 1873, seems to maintain a spectral supervision of his beloved business.

Staff members working late shifts have encountered Keith’s ghost making his rounds through the brewery. He appears as a solid figure dressed in Victorian-era clothing, checking fermentation tanks and inspecting equipment before disappearing through solid walls. Some say he’s particularly active when changes are made to his original recipes, as if ensuring his high standards are maintained.

The brewery houses darker presences as well. Workers have reported seeing a man’s face appear in mirrors throughout the building, his expression twisted in anguish. Local historians have connected these sightings to a violent death that occurred on the property in the 1800s, though the details are vague.

The most active area appears to be the cellar, where footsteps sometimes echo through empty corridors and the temperature drops dramatically without explanation. During brewery tours, visitors have captured mysterious orbs in photographs and experienced sudden battery drains in their electronic devices – phenomena often associated with paranormal activity.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Location: 1749 Argyle St, Halifax, NS
Open: Various hours; closed Saturday
Admission: None
Website: stpaulshalifax.org

Halifax’s St. Paul’s Anglican Church has stood since 1750, making it the city’s oldest building and a silent witness to countless historical events. The church’s most famous supernatural feature emerged during Halifax’s darkest hour – the Halifax Explosion.

The story of the face in the window has become legendary in haunted Halifax. As the blast wave from the explosion swept through the city, a deacon standing near one of the second-storey windows was caught in its path. The intense heat and light supposedly burned his silhouette into the glass, creating an image that refuses to fade. What makes this phenomenon truly strange is that multiple attempts to replace the window have failed – the face always returns.

Visitors who stand on Argyle Street and look up at the second floor can still see the distinctive profile, particularly on overcast days. Church staff have reported other unusual occurrences as well – the sound of footsteps in empty halls, hymns being played on the organ when the church is locked, and the occasional glimpse of a figure in clerical robes that vanishes when approached.

The Henry House

Location: 1222 Barrington St, Halifax, NS
Open: Wednesday-Sunday, Noon to 11:30pm; closed Monday and Tuesday
Admission: N/A
Website: henryhouse.ca

Unlike many of haunted Halifax’s spooky locations, The Henry House doesn’t have a history of tragedy. Yet this popular pub, which began as a private home before becoming a residence for retired sailors, has developed its own unique collection of ghostly residents.

The most playful spirit seems to be that of a former kitchen maid. Staff opening the pub in the morning often find chairs rearranged and clean glasses lined up on the bar – despite being properly stored the night before. More mysteriously, beer taps occasionally spring to life on their own, pouring perfect pints into empty glasses while bewildered bartenders watch.

The ghost of a young girl who died from whooping cough in the late 1800s haunts the house. She was the daughter of a Navy League man, and her family’s photograph once hung near the entrance. Customers, especially those with children, report seeing a small figure in a white dress playing on the stairs or peering around corners. Some have even heard a child’s cough echoing through the building late at night.

The third floor, once used as living quarters, is particularly active. Staff members report feeling watched while closing up, and the sound of footsteps often follows them down the stairs.

One manager, working late on inventory, heard what sounded like a party in full swing upstairs – complete with laughter, clinking glasses, and old-fashioned music. When she investigated, she found only empty rooms and silence.

Waverley Inn

Location: 1266 Barrington St, Halifax, NS
Open: Currently closed
Admission: N/A
Website: N/A

The Waverley Inn is one of haunted Halifax’s most fascinating heritage properties – and according to many, one of its most haunted. Built in 1876 during Halifax’s Victorian golden age, the inn once hosted such notable figures as Oscar Wilde.

The inn’s ghostly reputation centres around several persistent spirits, most famously “Isabel”. She’s believed to be a former owner from the early 1900s. Guests used to report encounters with her ethereal presence, describing the rustle of period-appropriate skirts along the corridors and the lingering scent of rose perfume – a fragrance popular among Victorian ladies.

Staff members documented numerous instances of doors opening and closing on their own, particularly in the upper floors where Isabel is said to maintain a watchful eye over her beloved property.

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching tale involves young Edward, a child who reportedly died of scarlet fever in one of the upper rooms in 1917. Modern-day visitors, especially those staying in rooms 204 and 205, often reported hearing children’s laughter late at night and finding their belongings mysteriously rearranged. Some guests awakened to find small handprints on mirrors in their rooms.

The inn’s basement, which once housed the servant quarters, has its own share of supernatural activity. Staff members refused to go down alone after dark, citing unexplained cold spots and the distinct sound of dishes clattering despite the kitchen being upstairs. Meanwhile, security cameras captured orbs of light moving around in the basement, and something would trigger motion sensors without explanation.

Neptune Theatre

Location: 1593 Argyle St, Halifax, NS
Open: For performances only
Admission: Various
Website: neptunetheatre.com

The Neptune Theatre has been entertaining audiences in haunted Halifax since the early 1900s, but some of its most dramatic performances seem to occur after the audience has gone home. This historic playhouse on Argyle Street harbours spirits who appear to have a flair for the theatrical.

In the costume department, seamstresses have learned to work around their supernatural co-worker. They tell stories of thread cones flying across the room as if thrown by invisible hands, and a mysterious male figure who appears in mirrors, seemingly critiquing their work. One seamstress described seeing a man in early 20th-century clothing examining a costume she was working on. When she looked up again, both the man and the costume had vanished – only to reappear back on its hanger, with subtle alterations made to the design.

The theatre’s ghost light – traditionally left burning when the stage is dark – has shone on some of the most spectacular supernatural performances. Late one night, an actor staying behind to clean the stage reported an incredible sight: under the ghost light’s glow, he watched as an ethereal performance unfolded. Transparent figures in period costume moved across the stage, acting out scenes to an audience of shadows that filled the empty seats. The spectral show continued until he switched on the main lights, causing the phantoms to fade away.

The backstage areas are particularly active. Props regularly go missing, only to turn up in impossible places. Actors have reported hearing their names whispered in empty dressing rooms, and the sound of applause sometimes echoes through the theatre long after the last audience member has left.

One of the most chilling encounters involved a stage manager who was locking up after a performance of Macbeth – a play traditionally believed to be cursed in theatre circles. As she walked across the stage, she felt a sudden cold spot and heard a voice clearly say, “Watch the light.” Moments later, a heavy stage light crashed down exactly where she would have been walking.

Old Burying Ground

Location: Corner of Spring Garden Rd and Barrington St, Halifax, NS
Open: From June 1st to November 11th – 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily; from November 12th to May 31st – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
Admission: None
Website: oldburyingground.ca

Established in 1749, the same year as Halifax itself, the Old Burying Ground holds the remains of approximately 12,000 people – from prominent citizens and military heroes to anonymous victims of disease and poverty.

In one of haunted Halifax’s darkest periods during the devastating typhoid epidemic of 1749-1750, more than 1,000 early settlers perished in a single winter. This forced the cemetery to expand from its original one-acre plot to over two acres. Gravediggers worked tirelessly through frozen ground to accommodate the mounting casualties.

Today, visitors report numerous supernatural encounters among the weathered headstones. Local tour guide Andy Smith tells of a chilling incident when he and his entire tour group witnessed a mysterious male figure materialize approximately 30 feet ahead of them, cross their path, and vanish into the darkness. Such apparitions are commonly reported near the graveyard, especially during twilight hours.

Another frequently witnessed phenomenon involves a young woman in period dress. Locals say she’s the phantom of Elizabeth Crowley, who died in childbirth in 1751. Visitors describe seeing her walking between the gravestones, sometimes accompanied by the sound of a crying infant. The groundskeepers have reported finding fresh flowers on her grave on some mornings, despite the cemetery being locked at night.

British military officers, buried here after falling in various conflicts, are said to maintain their duty even in death. Night security patrols have reported hearing military drums and seeing shadowy figures standing at attention near the military headstones. During full moons, some claim to hear the phantom sounds of military commands being shouted across the grounds.

Despite its macabre history, the Old Burying Ground serves as a protected National Historic Site, offering visitors a unique glimpse into haunted Halifax’s colonial past. The cemetery’s ornate headstones and monuments tell stories of the city’s founding families, tragic losses, and the harsh realities of 18th-century maritime life.