Getting spooky in Niagara Falls

For non-paranormal thrills, not many things beat Niagara Falls, whether it's getting within feet of the thundering, pulsating power of Horseshoe Falls on the Maid of the Mist boat tour or walking to the base of Bridal Veil Falls for a natural shower at Cave of the Winds. But in October these natural thrills are overshadowed by the spooky and otherworldly.

So, where to start? There are spirit-inhabited buildings, haunted caves, spooky tours or, for the younger set or those less willing to be scared out of their wits, pumpkin carving, mask making and apple picking.

Before leaving Niagara Falls to explore the spooky nearby, take a stroll across a bridge just a short walk from the falls to Three Sisters Islands. Though it's been said that prominent early settler General Whitney's three daughters, for whom the islands are named, were the first to have trod here, modern-day psychics think differently. Listen carefully and they claim that you will hear the voices of the spirits of Iroquois shamans who communed from Three Sisters with He-No (Mighty Thunderer), the spirit they say lived in the mist-enshrouded cave at the base of the falls.

Who would suspect that the pretty little town of Lewiston was a hotbed of ghostly activity, but Friday nights through Oct. 26 you can learn all about it. Organized by paranormal expert Mason Winfield, who wrote "Haunted Places of Western New York," 90-minute ghost tours are guaranteed to give you chills. As you walk through the town, a spirit guide in period dress talks about psychic folklore, haunted architecture, ancient archaeological mysteries and the history of Lewiston's ghostly heritage. And there's always the chance of a spirit sighting, whether it's the ghost of the Frontier House or that of Morgan the Mason, who vanished in 1826.

Down the road at Old Fort Niagara it's not hard to conjure up visions of ghosts and spirits. Most of the paranormal activity is said to take place in the French Castle, the oldest building on the property, built in 1726. Since 1839 there have been reports that when the moon is full the ghost of a beheaded French officer rises out of a 25-foot-deep well to search for his missing head.

During the rest of the year the Erie Canal town of Lockport is a quiet little burg, and the Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride is little more than an interesting ride through a cave system that initially served as a tunnel to provide river water for mills and electrical power. Come October, things change as the mile-long, underground caverns are filled with frightening lights and sounds, and in the dark, dripping corners of this rock-walled underworld spooky creatures lie in wait to terrify those who dare take the ride.

For a slightly less scary, but by no means totally benign, experience, head down the road to Becker Farms. This 340-acre, family-owned fruit and vegetable farm in the tiny town of Gasport turns into Halloween central in October. First thrill seekers must solve the puzzle to escape the Castle Labyrinth's many twists and turns on their way to the Haunted Hayride. Then, after a spooky trip through the Haunted Forest, passes are issued to enter top-secret Area 51. Rumored to be kept a secret by the government, the brave are promised a "close encounter of the third kind." If after all of this scary activity you've worked up an appetite, treat yourself to a piece of mouthwatering homemade fudge or a slice of freshly baked fruit pie.

As Halloween closes in, things really start to torque up where the spooky-dooky is concerned in northern New York. On Oct. 26-27, Old Fort Niagara's ghosts come out in force for the Haunted Fortress Fundraiser, and visitors are guaranteed to encounter spirits from centuries past creeping around the narrow 18th century stone corridors. For those less enthusiastic about ghosts, on Oct. 27 the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum will host a Halloween Spooktacular with games, refreshments and - what else - rides on the antique carrousel.

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To make it a two-nation vacation, cross the border and check out the spooky goings on in Canada. Begin by spending a night or two at one of Niagara-on-the-Lake's haunted hostelries. At the Post & Pillar, both guests and employees have reported unearthly occurrences. Or check into The Olde Angel Inn, said to be haunted by the spirit of Capt. Swayze, a British soldier who was accidentally killed in the inn's cellars during the War of 1812. His ghost reportedly still wanders the cellars, but stays clear of the upper floors as long as the innkeepers fly the British flag over the building.

To learn more about Swayze and other local spirits, join a lantern-lit Ghost Walk, which departs from the Olde Angel on selected evenings in October. Or head out to Old Fort Erie, Canada's bloodiest battlefield during the War of 1812. A candle-lit journey through time, guided by costumed interpreters, will include shocking and entertaining tales of ghosts, fighting and other mysterious events that have happened on the fort's grounds.

IF YOU GO

NEW YORK

Niagara Tourism & Convention Corporation: call 877-FALLS-US or
716-282-8992, visit www.niagara-usa.com.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour: phone 716-284-8897, visit www.maidofthemist.com.

Old Fort Niagara, Robert Moses Parkway, Youngstown: phone 716-745-7611, visit www.oldfortniagara.org.

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Becker Farms & Vizcarra Vineyards, 3760 Quaker Rd., Gasport: phone
716-772-2211, visit www.beckerfarms.com.

Lewiston's Haunted History Ghost Walks, 476 Center St., Lewiston:
716-754-0166, visit www.artcouncil.org.

Lockport Haunted Cave & Underground Boat Ride, 2 Pine St., Lockport:
716-738-0174, visit www.lockporthauntedcave.com.

Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum, 180 Thompson St., North Tonawanda: phone 716-693-1885, visit www.carouselmuseum.org.

CANADA

Tourism Niagara, 2201 St. David's Rd., Thorold: phone 905-984-3626, visit www.tourismniagara.com.

Pillar & Post Inn, 48 John St.: phone 888-669-5566, visit www.vintageinns.com.

Olde Angel Inn, 224 Regent St., Niagara-on-the-Lake: phone 905-468-3411, visit www.angel-inn.com.

Lantern-lit Ghost Walks of Niagara-on-the-Lake, 224 Regent St., Niagara-on-the-Lake: phone 905-529-4327, visit www.ghostwalks.com.

Fort Erie, 350 Lakeshore Rd.: Fort Erie: phone 905-871-0540, visit www.niagaraparks.com/heritage/forterie.php.

Ellen Clark is a freelance travel writer.

© Copley News Service