dOMINION hOTEL
mINDEN, oNTARIO
aUGUST 4, 2024

The sun was shining and the weather was typical for early August, as the team made their way up Highway 35 and into the town of Minden.  It was much different weather than their trip up their a few months earlier.  Another thing different was that the team was investigating on a Sunday evening.  Thankfully the next day was the Civic Holiday, so no one would have to get up early to go to their “normal” day jobs.  The team pulled into the small downtown core and was able to secure parking right out front of the establishment (it was a Sunday afternoon, after all).  Rachel looked over to the building that they were about to enter and smiled.  “I knew we would be back,” she laughed.  Before the team off loaded their equipment, they headed inside to fuel up and enjoy the delicious food that the location has to offer.  The team entered through the red door and were immediately immersed into the atmosphere.  We had officially arrived at the Dominion Hotel.
 
Built in 1865, the Dominion Hotel started off has a small log shanty built by Daniel Buck, to service the construction workers who were opening up Bobcaygeon Road.  It was aptly named “Buck’s Hotel” and also was host to a tavern.  Daniel had emigrated to Upper Canada years prior, and would marry Mary Jennette Jackson.  Together they had seven children.    By the end of 1863, the Daniel Buck had replaced the shanty with a much sturdier wood-framed building.  To celebrate this milestone, he hosted a New Years dinner and dance that last four day and five nights (with little interruptions).  On March 17, 1879, the first of three fires to destroy the downtown core of Minden occurred.  Bucks Hotel was one of the casualties lost to the flames. Following the fire, the hotel was rebuilt with a new name, the Dominion House, and had a new owner – James Thompson.  Through out the years the Dominion House would turn into the Dominion Hotel, and proprietors would change as well.  Many guests have come and gone throughout the years, while some have chosen to stick around.  Today, the Dominion Hotel is operated by Shawn and is one of the oldest operating hotels in the Province of Ontario, as well as the oldest building in Minden.

After a delicious meal, the team met up the Dominion’s proprietor, Shawn.  Shawn gave the team a grand tour of the hotel – from the dining room with a portion of the original floor to the guest rooms on the second floor and then the attic.  It was decided to set up base in the large guest room that was popular for those who were recently married.    As the team began to set up equipment, Alison described how she had picked up on the energy of a little girl that was outside, but came in with her.  Since Rachel was curious, she pulled out her notes.  While Rachel was unable to find a lot of information on the individuals that has once lived in the building, or stayed there, she did have a bit.  The only little girl Rachel had in her notes was Mary Buck. Mary was the daughter of Daniel Buck, the original owner.  Mary had passed away in 1843, aged two or three (genealogical records state she was born in either 1840 or 1841).  Could this be the little girl that was following Alison around?  As the team set up the equipment around the guest rooms, Ryan had walked in the bathroom of the room set up as base.  Immediately his K2 meter spiked to Red.  As he examined the room, he continued to get readings that were extremely high.  Not only where they high, but they were at a certain level off of the ground, and away from the walls.  “Is the bathroom haunted?” joked Rachel.  “Hi, whoever you are,” greeted Kaz.  “What’s your name?  My name is Kaz,” she continued.  “I’m Alison.”  No responses were heard or recorded.  Meanwhile, Ryan had gone back to the cases of equipment and grabbed another K2 meter, thinking perhaps the first one was malfunctioning.  “I tried another K2 and it’s doing the same thing,” he stated, confused.  It was at this moment that the Bell dinged for the first time.  ‘I once lived here,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “What’s your name?” asked Alison.  No response.  “Are you a woman or a man?” asked Cathy, indicating that she felt that it was a female energy.  Ryan was still in the bathroom trying to figure out the EMF.  “Would there have been soldiers in the area?”  asked Alison.  “I feel like a soldier presence,” she added.  “What are you pick up?” Cathy asked Kaz.  “I had really bad heart burn and my hand was shaking,” replied Kaz, describing how she was feeling when we were in the restaurant.  “I feel really unsettled upstairs and the front room felt weird,” she added.  The REM pod that Ryan had just placed on the tub in the bathroom started activating.  With it not stopping, Rachel went in to see if it needed to be re-set.  Even though she re-set it and moved it around, it continued to go off.  “I feel like there is something in that bathroom,” said Cathy as she watched Rachel try to figure out what was going on.  “It’s intermittent, so it can’t be from an electrical source,” said Ryan.  “Who is here with us today?” asked Kaz.  “Can you do that again?” questioned Ryan.  ‘Do you believe in us’ said the Spirit Talker.  “Of course, we do,” replied Alison.  The REM pod activate again.  Still confused, Ryan continued to try to figure out why.  “It’s got to be electrical,” he said out loud, trying to convince himself.  ‘I can speak through this’ said the Spirit Talker.  “Why is this going like that?” Kaz questioned.  The REM Pod stopped, but the K2 began to light up.  “Thank you,” said Kaz.  Rachel thought it would be a good time to turn on the ghost box and see if anyone wanted to speak – however no voices were heard in response to questions and she turned it off.  “Is your name Mary?” asked Kaz, as she got into the bathtub.  “I feel like it’s sitting in the tub with me,” she added.  The REM Pod and K2 stopped activating.  “Can you turn it back on again for us?” asked Kaz.  The REM pod immediately activated.  “Thank you.  That was amazing,” said Alison.  “Would you like me to get out?” asked Kaz.  Again, the REM Pod activated.  “Get out, get out,” Alison stated.  Kaz immediately removed herself from the bath tub.  “I felt like there was someone in the tub when I went in there.  A matronly woman,” described Cathy.  The REM pod activated.  Wanting to see something, a second REM Pod was placed in the bathroom and turned on.  Both REM Pods activated, leaving the team confused.  “Let’s get the SLS in there,” said Cathy.  Rachel went to grab the SLS, while the team continued to question what was going on in the bathroom.  “Can you do both of them again for us please?” asked Cathy.  The REM pods obliged and both activated.  “Thank you,” she replied.  “Can you change the colour to blue?” asked Kaz.  At his point, they remained with the green light activated and then stopped.  “If you are the little girl and you want to play with us, can you make the lights go again?” asked Cathy.  They remained inactive.  “Is this Mary?” questioned Kaz.  Only one of the REM pods activated.  “Thank you, Mary,” she replied.  “Do you like flowers Mary?” asked Alison.  One of the REM Pods beeped.  ‘We are delighted you’re here’ said the Spirit Talker.  The REM pod also beeped.  “We are delighted to be here,” replied Alison.  “We are very happy to be here.  Thank you very much,” added Kaz.  “They are getting intermittent EMF,” Ryan said, still observing what was going on.  Paula then suggested that we put a sensor ball on the floor.  ‘I’ve had a good life,’ said the Spirit Talker.  After a few more questions, with no answer, Ryan decided to try and EVP session in one of the front guest rooms.  With the team splitting into smaller groups, Kaz indicated that she was going to go up to the top floor.  As she as leaving the room the Ovilus spoke – ‘Gas’.  Was this someone trying to say Kaz, as the words sound similar?

​After what seemed like a brief moment, Ryan returned to the room with Shawn in tow.  He described to Shawn how the K2 and REM pod were activating.  How the activity was intermittent, not continuous, and that it could be electrical but it was questionable since it was in the middle of the room, mid-air.  “It anomalous for sure,” said Ryan. ‘I’m buried down the road,” said the Spirit Talker.  “Is there a cemetery close by?” Alison asked Shawn.  Shawn indicated that there was a cemetery about a kilometre and a half away, on the hill.  “Would anyone from here been buried there?” she asked.  Shawn shared that Mrs. Buck was buried there, two of her sons, and her sister.  ‘Eight’, said the Spirit Talker.  “Sounds like there are eight Bucks up there,” laughed Alison.  “I’m curious as to why we are getting EMF spikes where we shouldn’t be,” Ryan said.  “I can’t even give you an answer for that.  I am grasping at straws,” he added.  “It’s only above the tub.  It isn’t even on the floor,” he said.  Shawn was also intrigued by the activity that was being experienced.  He told the team that the bathroom was once just a room.  It was a very small guest room with no bathroom.  This confused Ryan even more and he was still struggling to find a logical explanation.  With that, Shawn made his exit and the team continued to investigate.  “You must leave,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “All right, I’ll go,” said Alison.  Alison left the guest room and began to make her way down the back hall.  She opened the door to the first guest room and peaked inside.  “No one is in here.  I’ll come in here and we can have chitty chat,” she said.  Alison made her way into the room and sat in the chair.  “Did you live here?” she asked.  No response.  “Did you die here?” she continued.  ‘I can’t find my way,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “Where do you need to go?” asked Alison.  ‘I lost one of my legs,” said the Spirit Talker.  “How did you lose one of your legs?  Where you a soldier?” asked Alison.  Rachel had now found her way to the room that Alison was in and joined her.  “Any record of someone losing a leg?” she asked Rachel.   “Not that I know of,” replied Rachel.  ‘Door,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “Yes, she is at the door,” said Alison, describing how Cathy was now standing at the door about to join them.  With the three of them now in the room, Rachel turned on the ghost box.  “Who’s here with us right now?”  she asked.  No clear responses were heard, but the three of them were sure they had heard words that were connected with prostitution.  “Where you a lady of the night?” questioned Rachel, but not response was heard.  “Did you work here or live here?” she continued.  Again, no response.  “Are you Daniel Buck?” she asked.  No response.  “Can you tell me your last name please?” she pleaded.  ‘Yes I can,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “What’s your last name?” she asked again.  “Are you from the Buck family?”  A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Yes’, followed by a second male voice – ‘Thompson.  “Are you James Thompson?” questioned Rachel.  A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘I am’.  “You are the only person I do not have info on,” said Rachel.  Rachel then continued to question if any other previous owners were present.  “Are you one of the Pym brothers?” she asked.  A voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘We are one’.  “Cool,” replied Rachel.  “What’s your name?  Is it Joseph?” she asked.  A voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Yes’.  “Is it Joseph Pym?  Joseph Pym, why are you here?” she asked.  A voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Planning’.  “What are you planning?  Do you have something you want to tell us?”  A woman as heard through the ghost box – ‘I shouldn’t’. ‘You must leave,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “You want us to leave this room?” asked Alison.  A voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Mary’.  “That was clear.  Is that Mary, the little girl?  You want her out?” asked Alison.  No response was heard.  “Are you angry at you brother, Joseph?  Is John Pym here?” asked Rachel.  No responses were heard.  “My stomach feels yucky,” stated Alison.  This brought up something interesting that Rachel had found in her research.  In the 1870’s there was a shootout in front of the Dominion Hotel.  The Proprietor of the hotel in Gooderham had been at the Dominion drinking, when an argument broke out between him and the Proprietor of the Dominion (either Daniel Buck or James Thompson).  This argument spilled out onto the street where the Proprietor from Gooderham was shot in the stomach.  As he laid on his back, bleeding onto the street, he told onlookers to get him to his carriage as he “didn’t want to die in a terrible place like Minden.”  “Who shot the hotel proprietor from Gooderham?  Was that Mr. Thompson?” asked Rachel.  No response.  “How many people are in this room?” Cathy asked.  A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Keep it down’.  “Are the ones in the hallway being too loud?” ask Rachel.  Ryan, Kaz, Jay and Paula were now in the hallway.  “You want us to stay here tonight?” joked Rachel.  ‘Don’t be afraid,’ said the Spirit Talker.  “We are not afraid,” replied Alison.  “Who’s in here with us?” questioned Rachel.  A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘William’, ‘Take me home’.  “Oh no.  I’m not taking anyone home,” said Rachel.  “And there was a William Buck,” she added.  “William, are you in here with us?” asked Cathy.  “Do you have ties to this place?” she continued.  No response.  “Are you happy with the way they are running this hotel?” she asked next.  A woman was heard through the ghost box – ‘You can make it cook.”  Alison, Cathy and Rachel continued to ask more questions, but nothing else was heard.  They ended their investigation of the guest room and rejoined the others.
 
Since the restaurant was now closed and dinner guests had left, the team headed downstairs to the restaurant to investigate.  It was decided that now would be a good time to go Live and show our followers where we were and what was going on. Watch the video below to see what happened.

​The team then headed back upstairs to where the guest rooms were.  It was decided to attempt a dual Estes Method session to see if we could get any intelligent communication.  Kaz and Alison, once again, volunteered to go under.  With the bathroom in the one room giving off out of place EMF readings, Kaz decided to do her Estes method in there.  Since the readings were high by the bathtub, she climbed in, got herself comfortable and set up.  With Alison feeling energies by the stairs to the attic, she made her way over to the area and took a seat on the bottom step.  There, she got herself situated and began her session.  Watch the video below to see what happened during their session.

​Once the dual Estes session had ended, Ryan was intrigued and wanted to try a session of his own.  He was drawn to do this in the attic.  Ryan, Kaz, Cathy and Rachel headed on up to the attic to document his session.  The EMF trip wire was placed around him, as well as a few other pieces of equipment.  Once Ryan was situated and ready to go, Rachel turned the ghost box on and the session began.  Watch the video below to see what happened during his session.

Once the team returned to the second floor, activity seemed to quiet down and it was determined that it would a good time to call it a night and end the investigation.  The team packed up, said their goodbyes and headed outside.  What we didn’t know then, was that while we were outside, packing up and discussing our evening, Shawn and his team were inside doing the same.  It was then that Shawn noticed one of the pot lights above the bar area, flickering.  All of the lights were turned off, but this one particular one was blinking away.  It appeared as though someone was trying to let Shawn and his team know that they weren’t finished talking with us yet an wanted us to stay longer.  Even though we didn’t know at the time that this was occurring, the team was certain that in the future we would return.  We bid farewell to the Dominion Hotel and headed back towards home.
 
Is the Dominion Hotel haunted?  If walls could talk, this building would have a plethora of stories to share.  Throughout its life, it has seen so many things – from flooding to fires, pandemics, celebrations, and even a crime or two.  The history that the walls have witnessed and absorbed is what makes this building what it is.  It gives it character and a fascinating appeal that will make you want to visit again and again.  We believe that the past is still very present in the building.  Sometimes, it makes itself known. If you’re lucky enough to be an overnight guest on those particular nights, you may get to experience the past in the present.  So, take the chance, spend the night and let us know if you have any experiences!
 
 
For more information, and to book your overnight stay, visit the Dominion Hotel website at https://dominionhotelpub.ca/
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