Seven Oaks tour blends ghastly theatrics and local history

History buffs and ghostbusters will be exploring one of Winnipeg’s oldest homes and grounds by candlelight this weekend.

“Spirits of Seven Oaks brings together two things already woven into the place: history and haunting. You’re not just going to hear history, you get to walk through it,” says Tracey Turner, curator and manager of Seven Oaks House Museum.

For more than a decade the national historic site has hosted similar events during the early autumn lead up to Halloween. In the past, the first half, which takes place in rooms throughout Seven Oaks House — the oldest standing home in Winnipeg — were led by a museum interpreter, while the outside portion is led by Matthew Komus, author of Haunted Winnipeg and Haunted Manitoba.

“With ghost stories, I’ve always been interested in tying it to the place,” says Komus, whose book Haunted Winnipeg is now in its ninth printing. “It’s part of who we are. That’s something that we really focus on. Most of the stories we talk about, it’s about a rural settlement. We’re on the estate, though a lot of it is a neighbour.”

Now, the first half of the tour is led by an actor who escorts guests through each of the rooms of the stately home, which has quite the haunted history. The 90-minute candlelit tours started on Sept. 18 and run Friday and Saturday at 7 and 9 p.m. this weekend and next.

“I think that’s what really sets this apart. This is now a theatrical tour: rather than being led by a curator through the house, you’re led by an actor who is playing a ghostly caretaker, weaving the stories as he leads you through the home. The other piece is the dramatic lighting and staging,” Turner says.

Seven Oaks House and the surrounding grounds have a history going back hundreds of years. The house itself, built between 1851 and 1853, is the historic home of the Inkster family, influential Scottish-Métis traders at the time, while their first log farmhouse from 1831, which also acted as a general store, is among the oldest buildings in Manitoba.

John and Mary Inkster, the original owners and inhabitants of the home, had 11 children, nine of whom grew up and lived within the homes.

“It departs from a typical haunted attraction because of the layers of history,” Turner says. “Within the stories shared, you’ll hear an amalgamation of stories that have been brought together from past curators, past board members, visitors and paranormal investigators who have done investigations into the building itself.”

“It’s not where I started doing ghost stuff, but it was certainly the first place I experienced that,” says Komus, who worked as an interpreter at Seven Oaks House and began hosting local ghost tours in 2009.

“You’d hear strange things or footsteps or things falling to the floor without explanation.”

Many of the artifacts on display throughout the house, 90 per cent of which are from the Inkster family, also come with their own paranormal provenance.

“Just this past Friday we had the Winnipeg Paranormal Group on site doing investigations. We’d just brought out the replica wedding dress of Harriet Inkster, and their monitors were off the charts. It was one of the most active areas of the house. I feel as though the house is getting ready to really present itself in an active way,” Turner says.

The grounds and surrounding area, though largely now converted to a residential neighbourhood home to hundreds, was also the land upon which part of the Battle of Seven Oaks was fought on June 19, 1816.

“You’re standing on these grounds where people lived and fought and died,” Turner says, noting that over 20 people were killed during fighting between local Métis and Hudson Bay Company men during the battle.

“Seven Oaks is the only place that is in both of my books. I just keep hearing more content. We keep learning more things about the neighbourhood,” Komus says.

The Spirits of Seven Oaks tours run rain or shine, so visitors should come prepared for the weather. And guests don’t have to be believers to buy tickets — though they may change their minds over the course of the evening.

“This isn’t a jump-scare event,” Turner says. “I don’t think you have to believe in ghosts to enjoy it. It’s an unusual night out with something for everyone. Having the historic stories and paranormal stories come together allows people to come to their own conclusions.”

sheldon.birnie@winnipegfreepress.com

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