Hamilton’s Dark History

Dark History Tour – – Not your grandmother’s history tour. Only interesting, strange & violent stories of Hamilton … a city filled with them!

Infamous stories around figures like the King of the Bootleggers, Rocco Perri. And the Torso Murderess, Evelyn Dick! All standing at the locations of dark events.

Includes the city’s laughable reputation for executions. Plus, proving Hamilton was a true mob town while at the site of a brutal assassination.

BOOK NOW! | FAQ | REVIEWS | WHY HAMILTON IS DARK | DUNDAS GHOST WALKS

||UPDATES

2024 Dates booking below …

The Alleyway on Augusta

Beside 13 Augusta Street MAP
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Hamilton Dark History Prices

Adults . . . . . . . $15.00
Kids 13 & under . . . . $13.00

+ HST Tax / Small Booking Fee

What people are saying about the Hamilton tours…

Ghost Walks of HamiltonExcellentGhost Walks of Hamilton4.9 Based on 445 reviews fromSee all reviewslinda valconilinda valconi ★★★★★ Thoroughly enjoyed the Dundas walk. Wonderful storyteller and has clearly put a lot of effort into putting these walks together. Highly recommendedMandi Oh ZeeMandi Oh Zee ★★★★★ I took my son on Daniel's first tour of Dundas and let me say we won't look at the little town the same. My 10 year old hung on his every word. Thank you so much Daniel for such a fun, educational evening. As mentioned, you are a true master of you craft!Mehdi PakzadMehdi Pakzad ★★★★★ Very entertaining .......Lynne ThomasLynne Thomas ★★★★★ Great fun, lots of history, and excellent storytelling. Thanks!Melissa PuntiMelissa Punti ★★★★★ My friends and I went to the Hermitage ghost walk and it was amazing. We went the night before the full moon. Very informative and fun.Christy JeffrayChristy Jeffray ★★★★★ Can’t recommend the Dark Trolley tour lead by Ghost Guide Daniel high enough! The tour is the perfect length, the trolley comfortable (better than walking), the scenery and ambiance was perfect and then we get to the incredible stories that were shared. Everything from mobsters to shipwrecks to the war of 1812… There was not a dull moment on this tour. Ghost Guide Daniel is super knowledgeable, friendly and makes history come alive in a fun and entertaining way!Lisette SouterLisette Souter ★★★★★ I have had 2 extremely enjoyable events hosted by Daniel who is both highly entertaining and informative. I really enjoyed both the Dark Trolley ride as well as the Haunted Coach/Dundurn castle tour. Both events were chock full of interesting historical information shared by Daniel who has a way of making history both fun and exciting! Think you know Hamilton? Sign up for one or all of the fun-filled events that are sure to entertain and enlighten! I would highly recommend these events, they are an entertaining and pleasant way to spend a few hours learning about Hamilton's past. Events do fill up quickly!LisetteBill ClellandBill Clelland ★★★★★ Great event! Are guide was very good and knowledgeable with the history of the area!Canadian P.E.Canadian P.E. ★★★★★ I have gone on several different ghost walks with this organization and my latest one, at Dundurn Castle, was fantastic as usual. The guide for the bus tour, Daniel, is a great orator and makes the city's rich history come alive with the right mix of humour and horror.I love learning about local history and its darker side, and every single tour I've done with Ghost Walks has been endlessly interesting and spurred me on to do further research in the legends and stories they tell.The tour is reasonably priced and always has a spooky atmosphere. The guides are always super knowledgeable and so friendly and easy to talk to.The driver of our palatial bus was named Al and he was an absolute delight. Charming as heck and tops at maneuvering that behemoth around hairpin turns.5 stars all around, a real treat.Amy GiggalAmy Giggal ★★★★★ My family and I went on the Ghost Walk bus/castle tour of Dundurn Castle in Hamilton last night. We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it! The bus tour guide and bus driver were a blast and the staff at the castle were very friendly and informative too. A wonderful experience to hear ghost stories while driving in a comfortable coach bus through the city and so much fun to explore and ghost hunt in the castle afterwards. Perfect evening! Thank you all!Nadia RushdiNadia Rushdi ★★★★★ We did the Hermitage forest walk Halloween Weekend, almost full moon and it was perfect. Our guide Geoff was a fantastic story teller and the experience was one of the best ghost walks I've ever. Did I mention how inexpensive it is vs the Toronto ones? I did manage to catch a photo of one if the spirits, you can decide if it's real or but do due this walk if you like adventure!LauraLaura ★★★★★ The history on area and property were great to hear. If you are scared, it is not scared 👻Rachel DyakowskiRachel Dyakowski ★★★★★ I’ve done three different ghost tour through Hamilton Ghost Walks and I recommend them to anyone interested in local history or celebrating spooky season. This year my mom and I did the Dundurn Castle tour and it was fantastic and well worth the money. Daniel is my favourite ghost guide!A.C CA.C C ★★★★☆ It was a really nice experience over all: the only down side is I wish we actually got to spend time at each location and get out and explore the locations even if it was only for 15mins.Jennifer RawlinsonJennifer Rawlinson ★★★★★ Had so much fun with our guide, Daniel. Highly recommend the ghost walk for local spooky stories that you can't get anywhere else!Dee MowatDee Mowat ★★★★★ My friend and I took our daughters on the Dundurn Castle and guided bus tour! We all had an amazing time! Daniel, our guide, was so entertaining with his stories and offered so many historical facts !! Lots of fun! I definitely recommend this tourjs_loader

Book for Hamilton’s Dark History

Select Date / Click Book Now to See Times

Upcoming

  • 2024 Dates
    • Sun Mar 17th @ 3p
    • Sun Apr 14th @ 3p
    • Sun May 12th @ 3p
    • Sun Jun 16th @ 3p
    • Sun Jul 7th @ 3p
    • Sun Jul 21st @ 3p
    • Sun Aug 4th @ 3p
    • Sun Aug 18th @ 3p
Tour info
Ghost Walks Type of Tour
Hamilton's Dark History Tour - parking
Mature Content on Tour - not recommended for young kids
Ghost Walks Wheelchair

group bookings for this tour
private walks information

FAQ & Interesting Info

Why we are different from other Tours?

A focus on masterful storytelling at a reasonable price (with no hidden fees!).  First, we’ve put special attention into respecting the ghost story.  Also, with a dedication to traditional styles mixed with natural (and interesting) odd history.  This is our specialty since 2003.

Reviews | What people are saying…

Ghost Walks of HamiltonExcellentGhost Walks of Hamilton4.9 Based on 445 reviews fromSee all reviewslinda valconilinda valconi ★★★★★ Thoroughly enjoyed the Dundas walk. Wonderful storyteller and has clearly put a lot of effort into putting these walks together. Highly recommendedMandi Oh ZeeMandi Oh Zee ★★★★★ I took my son on Daniel's first tour of Dundas and let me say we won't look at the little town the same. My 10 year old hung on his every word. Thank you so much Daniel for such a fun, educational evening. As mentioned, you are a true master of you craft!Mehdi PakzadMehdi Pakzad ★★★★★ Very entertaining .......Lynne ThomasLynne Thomas ★★★★★ Great fun, lots of history, and excellent storytelling. Thanks!Melissa PuntiMelissa Punti ★★★★★ My friends and I went to the Hermitage ghost walk and it was amazing. We went the night before the full moon. Very informative and fun.Christy JeffrayChristy Jeffray ★★★★★ Can’t recommend the Dark Trolley tour lead by Ghost Guide Daniel high enough! The tour is the perfect length, the trolley comfortable (better than walking), the scenery and ambiance was perfect and then we get to the incredible stories that were shared. Everything from mobsters to shipwrecks to the war of 1812… There was not a dull moment on this tour. Ghost Guide Daniel is super knowledgeable, friendly and makes history come alive in a fun and entertaining way!Lisette SouterLisette Souter ★★★★★ I have had 2 extremely enjoyable events hosted by Daniel who is both highly entertaining and informative. I really enjoyed both the Dark Trolley ride as well as the Haunted Coach/Dundurn castle tour. Both events were chock full of interesting historical information shared by Daniel who has a way of making history both fun and exciting! Think you know Hamilton? Sign up for one or all of the fun-filled events that are sure to entertain and enlighten! I would highly recommend these events, they are an entertaining and pleasant way to spend a few hours learning about Hamilton's past. Events do fill up quickly!LisetteBill ClellandBill Clelland ★★★★★ Great event! Are guide was very good and knowledgeable with the history of the area!Canadian P.E.Canadian P.E. ★★★★★ I have gone on several different ghost walks with this organization and my latest one, at Dundurn Castle, was fantastic as usual. The guide for the bus tour, Daniel, is a great orator and makes the city's rich history come alive with the right mix of humour and horror.I love learning about local history and its darker side, and every single tour I've done with Ghost Walks has been endlessly interesting and spurred me on to do further research in the legends and stories they tell.The tour is reasonably priced and always has a spooky atmosphere. The guides are always super knowledgeable and so friendly and easy to talk to.The driver of our palatial bus was named Al and he was an absolute delight. Charming as heck and tops at maneuvering that behemoth around hairpin turns.5 stars all around, a real treat.Amy GiggalAmy Giggal ★★★★★ My family and I went on the Ghost Walk bus/castle tour of Dundurn Castle in Hamilton last night. We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it! The bus tour guide and bus driver were a blast and the staff at the castle were very friendly and informative too. A wonderful experience to hear ghost stories while driving in a comfortable coach bus through the city and so much fun to explore and ghost hunt in the castle afterwards. Perfect evening! Thank you all!Nadia RushdiNadia Rushdi ★★★★★ We did the Hermitage forest walk Halloween Weekend, almost full moon and it was perfect. Our guide Geoff was a fantastic story teller and the experience was one of the best ghost walks I've ever. Did I mention how inexpensive it is vs the Toronto ones? I did manage to catch a photo of one if the spirits, you can decide if it's real or but do due this walk if you like adventure!LauraLaura ★★★★★ The history on area and property were great to hear. If you are scared, it is not scared 👻Rachel DyakowskiRachel Dyakowski ★★★★★ I’ve done three different ghost tour through Hamilton Ghost Walks and I recommend them to anyone interested in local history or celebrating spooky season. This year my mom and I did the Dundurn Castle tour and it was fantastic and well worth the money. Daniel is my favourite ghost guide!A.C CA.C C ★★★★☆ It was a really nice experience over all: the only down side is I wish we actually got to spend time at each location and get out and explore the locations even if it was only for 15mins.Jennifer RawlinsonJennifer Rawlinson ★★★★★ Had so much fun with our guide, Daniel. Highly recommend the ghost walk for local spooky stories that you can't get anywhere else!Dee MowatDee Mowat ★★★★★ My friend and I took our daughters on the Dundurn Castle and guided bus tour! We all had an amazing time! Daniel, our guide, was so entertaining with his stories and offered so many historical facts !! Lots of fun! I definitely recommend this tourjs_loader

Do we go into any of the buildings?

This is an outdoor tour in Hamilton’s core. Most locations are abandoned, closed at night, unable accommodate our group… or is an alleyway! Book for our indoor tours at Ruthven and Castle Kilbride

Why are dates and times missing when booking?

When a date or time slot is missing in the Booking… If a missing time, that tour time is sold out.  A missing date, means the entire night is sold out.

Info | Why Hamilton is Darker than any Canadian City

The reason Hamilton’s Dark History exists! Our archive consists of information showing off ghost stories in this very haunted city of Hamilton. 

But we’re obsessed.  Strange and dark history must be mix into these ghostly tales.

Opened up an interesting history, odd for any Canadian city. 

A New Tour Born

The Hamilton’s Dark History was born from these stories.  Vagabonds, outside the squeaky clean image of this young country, but oh so interesting.

Great example is outside the region of this tour.  A town once known as Mount Albion.  Has since been wiped off the map.  Why is it the darkest history in Canada?  Because…

Home to the Ghost of a Tragic Legend

“Alas, poor Jane Riley,

for Joseph she did die

By jumping off that dizzy brink,

full sixty cubits high” ~ Slater

Jilted by her lover.  The boy from a rich family caught with a prostitute in a near-by church.  Poor Jane Riley rushed to the precipice of Albion Falls.  

Town’s folk saw her wandering alone in the woods.  Hair disheveled, dirt smeared across her face, screaming at the sky and whispering to herself.

Downfall

It disturbed them, but nobody helped poor Jane Riley.

Days later, men working beneath the Albion Falls saw at the top two shadows appear over the sun’s glare.  Shielding their eyes and looking up, two girls balanced at the edge.

One reached out, missing, as the other leaned forward.

The men ran, splashing through the water, trying to see where she would land.

Strange Note

They watched her fall feet first, leading to an action removing all doubt this was an accident. Her dress billowed out like a parachute which slowed her descent.  Her desire to die was evident as she brushed it down and sped to the rocks below.

They stayed with her. Jane Riley barely alive, as the men reassured she would be okay.  She silently died after one hour.

Was Hamilton’s Mob Graveyard (in a true Mob town, proven on the tour)

Organized crime needs a body dumping ground. Such as a remote location far from the central city. Forests, quiet, and pitch black at night.

Like the movie scenes. The old 1920’s Ford parked just off a wooded path shining headlights into the woods. As two men in suits dig a hole. That happened in Hamilton!

Body Dumping Ground

Al Capone had one. Was a burial ground outside of Chicago (Bremen Township) known as Bachelor’s Grove.  Because it was remote, secret, and best of all, bodies already in the ground.

For Rocco Perri, it was Albion Falls (Mills).  As shown by the story of Fred and Joseph on the tour.  He was Ontario’s King of the Bootleggers. 

Most likely for other families followed.  

Where a Murderess got Infamous

In the 1940’s, some kids are playing in the Albion woods less than a mile from the Falls.   A boy noticed it.

Looked like a dead animal on the fallen leaves, but something wasn’t right.  The kids got their parents, and they knew.  This wasn’t an animal… it was wearing a shirt.

Not an Animal

It was the human torso of John Dick.  Kicking off the legend of Evelyn Dick.  These stories now famous throughout Canada and even the United States.   Her story on the tour outside of the once courthouse where she was tried, found not guilty, then found guilty again.

Want more darkness?  Join the Facebook group called Hamilton’s Darker History

Should I book in advance?

Yes.  We are limited on space for tours.  Advance bookings allows us to guarantee spots for you, and book in additional guides if needed.