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KAMLOOPS
TRANQUILLE SANATORIUM
TRANQUILLE FARM FRESH
(King Edward VII Sanatorium)(Padova City) (Serenity
Lake Sanatorium)
4600 Tranquille Road
Status: Former Tuberculosis Sanatorium; Former Mentally Handicapped Facility; Former Adolescent Detention Centre; Tourist Attraction; Closed for 2021 Season
Directions
Photos Courtesy of Craig M
History
This site was originally winter camping grounds for a Native American tribe. Then in 1857 gold was discovered in the Tranquille River and it became part of the British Columbia Gold Rush.
A Tuberculosis Sanatorium was built in 1907 was operated until 1958 when legend states it was mysteriously abandoned in the winter with no sign of the staff or patients. In reality it was closed down for the same reason all tuberculosis sanitoriums were closed – antibiotics were discovered in the 1940’s. Many people died from this horrible and incurable (at the time) disease during these years.
In 1959 this facility would be used as a hospital and training site for the mentally handicapped. The hospital would completely close down in 1983 and the site briefly became a detention centre for young offenders.
In 1991 the land was purchased in an attempt to create Padova City – an Italian based theme park – but the owner was unable to make the mortgage payments. The murals on some of the buildings are from this time period.
Currently the property is owned by Tranquille Farm Fresh. Although the 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic they normally host events on the site including heritage tours and an escape room. As of August of 2023 this location remains closed and the owners will not respond to any inquiries.
The site is private property with access only granted for one of these events.
This location was featured on episode of MTV’s Fear who called it Serenity Lake Sanatorium and made it out to be much more active than it really is. However, Tranquille has plenty to make a paranormal investigation worth the time.
Paranormal Activity
Many different types of light phenomena have been witnessed including orbs that travel in circles at the main entrance, lights going on and off on their own and figures seen in the windows of the abandoned buildings, cold breezes inside of buildings, general feeling of sadness and unease.
Like most hospital complexes the buildings are connected by an underground tunnel system and these tunnels are said to be how the staff moved the bodies in order to not upset the living patients. Disembodied voices and figures have been heard and seen in these tunnels.
Phantom sounds of children playing in the children building are heard. A nurse is said to have been murdered by a patient and she still wanders the grounds.
Personal Testimonial
Being briefly inside the grounds I did experience feelings of being watched through the empty windows as well as being followed by unseen presences. I also heard phantom whisperings that would come and go – these were too low to understand anything being said.
There were strange noises coming from some of the buildings as well as what appeared to be shadows crossing inside some of the rooms. Not being able to enter any buildings, though, I could not verify if these things were paranormal or caused by something in the physical world.
Other Testimonials
From LM
"I was born on the grounds in 1966 June 24. Yes it haunted. But the one clip of the guys on bike. Well that to me is impression....there was a building above the under ground structure. They ripped it down before it fell down Then build a structure over one of the Tunnels. Yes tunnels were used to transport people to and from cafeteria in winter and bad rainy days. 400 residents needed to be moved to cafeteria to the living building, three times a day. They were used every day by all.
The kids of staff would ride our bikes in tunnels for fun. But imagine a story of being born and raised at Tranquille.....I was very different...when I die look out for my spirit. Trust me I will not allow anyone to bad mouth the people who care for the handicapped at Tranquille...it was an excellent place with high standards of care. No dead bodies in tunnels...."
"The main building was always a hot spot....doctors house but no one who lived in the house was scared. I hated going into building and walking by . ..once when i visited when it was close swear I saw a teenage girl in upper windows. Organ music being played in main building.."
From DL
"I came across your site while searching for information on The Tranquille Hospital in Kamloops, B.C .Canada. My grandfather (Dr. John Bower) was the medical superintendent there from 1968-78, and he and his wife lived on the property in what is popularly called "The Doctors House". I lived there with them for some years in the early 1970's. I experienced a terrifying experience there in June, 1973. My grandparents were out visiting their friend, Alex McIntosh, the head nurse who also lived on the Tranquille property. I was alone watching television around 11:30 p.m. My grandfather kept empty soda tins in bags in the kitchen entrance. I was startled to hear the bags of cans being shaken up. I went to see what was causing the cans shaking, but by the time I got to the room they were in, the shaking had stopped. I was getting a very scared feeling, but went back to watch television. 30 seconds later, I heard the footsteps of someone with a club foot shuffling towards the TV room. As the footsteps got closer, I could hear heavy breathing. I became paralyzed with fear at this point. The shuffling footsteps stopped just outside the door of the TV room, but the heavy breathing continued. I sat in my chair silently, hardly daring to breath. After about 5 minutes, the breathing noise slowly faded away. I was so scared, I stayed in my chair for almost an hour. I finally got the nerve to investigate, and went through the entire house. All the doors were locked as well as the windows being closed to keep the air conditioning in. There was absolutely no one else in the house but me. My grandparents arrived back at around 1 a.m., and I told them what happened. My grandfather thought I was imagining things, but my grandmother said the same type of occurrence had happened to her at least twice since they moved in. There have been numerous reports of mysterious glowing "orbs" spotted flying around the now abandoned hospital complex. This was the most terrifying experience I have ever had, and the terror I felt that night is as fresh in my mind as when it happened 39 years ago. There is a rumor that the first doctor to inhabit the house back in 1910 (Dr. Charles Fagan) wife had contracted TB (Tranquille was originally a TB hospital), and died in the house. The rumor says Dr. Fagan put his wife's body in the dirt room in the basement for a week before her reported her death. It is also rumored that Dr. Fagan cut off his wife's ring finger, and embalmed it, and kept it with him for the rest of his life."
NELSON
HUME HOTEL & SPA
(Hume Hotel)
422 Vernon Street
Status: 3 Star Historical Boutique Hotel
History
This hotel was built between 1897 – 98 by Fred and Lydia Hume who were one of the original pioneer families of Nelson. It had electric lights and steam radiators and was said to be the most impressive building between Vancouver and Winnipeg.
The hotel was built for $60,000 ($2,145,000 in 2022 dollars).
In 1912 the hotel was sold to George Benwell for $85,000 ($2,611,000 in 2022 dollars).
Benwell made massive renovations in the hotel including architectural designs inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright; so much so that the building was called unrecognizable. He also modernized the kitchen with a steam table, an electric dishwasher and a huge ice maker. As well, he installed a dumbwaiter and put telephones in every room.
Benwell sold the hotel in the 1940’s and it went through a succession of owners who did not keep up the standards originally set. Eventually it was abandoned after the power was cut off and numerous bills were not paid.
In 1979 it had digressed to a point where the city was looking to have it condemned and torn down.
Dave Martin – who had restored a hotel in similar condition in the Yukon – bought the hotel with the intent of restoring it to its former glory. The interior of the hotel was completely gutted with the plumbing and electrical replaced and updated.
It ended up costing 1 million dollars ($3,620,000 in 2022 dollars) to restore and renovate the hotel; twice was it expected to cost. However, in December of 1980 it all became worth it when the hotel opened again as a shining star in the town of Nelson.
Many artifacts from the hotel’s past were found while the work was being done and are now on display in the hotel.
In 2005 the hotel underwent a major restoration to it’s exterior.
Paranormal Activity
This location is said to be filled with “caretaker ghosts” who care deeply for the hotel. It is also filled with welcoming energy and very proud of it’s long history of an elegant and luxurious hotel.
In Room 335 – which no longer exists due to renovations – a man who is well dressed – in an outdated way – including a bowler hat was frequently seen sitting on the bed. Often, he would tip his hat and give a friendly smile to guests entering as if inviting them in.
Many report him as smoking a cigar as well.
Now that Room 335 no longer exists the ghost has moved into other rooms. He always seems very friendly but has scared more than one guest with his sudden appearances in their rooms.
There is portrait of Lydia Hume – one of the original owners – which is said to watch everyone within sight. Her gaze is said to be very piercing but also welcoming to all guests.
There is said to be a dark entity in the hotel that is responsible for a long ago fire that gutted the building across the alley from the hotel. It is said to make it’s presence known by a sudden blast of uncomfortable heat.
One investigation caught the word, “careful” on an EVP.
Other Reported Activity: taps turning on and off on their own; TV’s turning on and off on their own and other electrical disturbances; disembodied voices; phantom laughter; a strong welcoming energy felt by sensitive guests and employees and feelings of being watched and not being alone.
POWELL RIVER
PATRICIA THEATRE
5848 Ash Avenue
Status: Historic Theatre
Watch Window to the left of the Patricia sign on the Upper Level
Photos Courtesy of Patti L and taken during a 5 second interval
History
This theatre was built in 1928 making it the oldest continuously running movie theatre in all of Canada. It is also the only movie theatre in Powell River.
It was commissioned by the pulp and paper Mill that built up the town of Powell River. It was named after Princess Patricia, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
It was constructed in the period when vaudeville was changing over to motion pictures in theatres.
It is one of the very few buildings in Canada built in the Spanish Revival design, a design far more common in US States like Florida, California or Texas.
The architect for the building also built the Stanley Theatre in Vancouver and the first theatres in the Odeon chain.
Paranormal Activity
The most famous ghost of the theatre – and the one that may have been picked up in the last photo above – is that of Dr Marlatt; the so-called “evil dentist”.
The good doctor is said to be a balding man with glasses and used to run a dental office on the second floor of the building.
He is called the “evil dentist” because he is said to have been overtly cruel to children often performing procedures on them without anesthetic.
The theatre is also said to be haunted by the former owner, Myron McLeod, who is also seen on the second floor. Unlike Dr Marlatt encounters with McLeod have been friendly and empty of menace.
A worker was once trapped backstage when all the doors locked. He pounded on the doors and walls shouting for escape but to no avail until the doors all suddenly just unlocked themselves. Upon quickly escaping the worker saw a well dressed man in 1940’s attire holding hands with a little girl in a winter coat just as they disappeared down a back fire exit.
Another ghost is known for touching the back of patron’s neck with freezing fingers when they sit in the back of theatre.
Another story tells of a man being told "get away" and that "men are not allowed" while he was near the woman’s dressing room from the vaudeville days.
revelstoke
THREE VALLEY GAP
8903 Trans-Canada Highway
Status: Heritage Ghost Town; Hotel; Tourist Attraction
All Photos Courtesy of Craig M
History
In 1956 Gordon and Ethel Bell bought this piece of land between the CPR Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway at the end of Three Gap Valley Lake.
By 1960 they had built a coffee shop, a seven-room hotel and a museum to house their large collection of antiques and pieces of BC’s, Alberta’s and Yukon’s history. They began to collect buildings from all over BC and rebuilt them here thus saving irreplaceable pieces of the Province’s history.
Twenty six buildings now stand on the property creating their very own 19th century ghost town. The buildings include a trapper’s cabin, numerous commercial buildings, a late 19th century Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) station from Vernon, an old Sheriff’s station and jail from Cambie, a saloon from French River and even the school from Craigellachie.
There is also a hotel that once stood on the narrows between Sicamous and Mara Lake. It was taken apart and built again on site over a period of 10 years.
Gordon Bell passed away in 2007 but his family has continued his legacy. He was building a railroad roundhouse at the time; the family has since completed the building. It now contains heritage railway cars.
There is now a 200 room chateau style hotel on site – that has become of the most famous sites on the BC part of the Trans-Canada Highway – complete with an indoor pool and a theatre.
Paranormal Activity
We have done an investigation at this site; our experiences follow the reported activity.
Reported Activity
The Bellevue Hotel and the roundhouse are considered the most paranormally activity sites on the property. The many buildings – not to mention the uncountable number of antiques and objects – collected from all over the Province as well as Alberta and the Yukon seem to have brought numerous ghosts with them to their new home.
The hotel is also said to be haunted; albeit with much less activity and fewer reports.
The hotel has a collection of silverware that was once used in the Georgia Hotel in Vancouver so has been touched and used by an uncountable number of people over decades. It is thought this – with a suicide in the building when it was still an operational hotel – are the reasons for the numerous reports of paranormal activity. This includes: apparitions of people in period clothing including a woman in white ascending the staircase and misty figures sitting on the furniture; objects moving on their own; a feeling of unearthly energy surrounding the building; unexplained mists; light anomalies; disembodied voices; cold and warm spots; phantom smells and feelings of being watched and not being alone.
The Railway Roundhouse was built by the family; the paranormal activity is thought to be related to the historical railway cars inside. Activity includes: apparitions inside the railway cars as well as looking out of the windows; disembodied voices; phantom smells; light anomalies and feelings of not being alone and watched.
Site wide paranormal activity: apparitions; shadow figures; disembodied voices; phantom smells; phantom footsteps; unexplained mists; light anomalies; touches by unseen presences; feelings of fear and anxiety and feelings of not being alone and being watched.
The large 200 room hotel overlooking the lake is associated mostly with feelings of being watched and not being alone.
Team Experiences
All photos above were taken by our team. Some of them have unexplained things in them – in our opinion at least – feel free to let us know what you see on one of our Social Media sites.
Tremendous amounts of energy surrounding the Bellevue hotel as well as feelings of being watched from the empty windows.
Also, large amounts of energy from the empty floors above the theatre – this is also the entrance into the ghost town – as well as seeing the curtains twitch and feelings of being watched from the same windows.
Disembodied whispers and phantom smells.
Feelings of not being alone in the majority of the buildings.
Faint apparition of a little girl in the basement – down 2 ramps – of the buildings housing the heritage mining equipment.
Unexplained mists in the CPR rail car in the roundhouse. Reflections seen out of the corner of our eyes in the same car.
We only briefly entered the hotel – at reception – but experienced no paranormal activity. While in the lakefront courtyard paranormal energy could be sensed around the building and strong sensations were felt of being watched from the upper floor windows.