A Story About The Watson's Mill Ghost 

Here we have some stunning photos of an old mill near the small Ontario, Canada town of Manotick, 15 miles south of Ottawa, Canada.  These photos were contributed by a friend.

The grounds surrounding this stone Heritage building are now bursting with spring flowers and displaying the fast flowing Rideau River.

This mill is known as Watson's Mill and was built in 1860 by Joseph Currier and Moss Kent Dickenson.  The mill was constructed of limestone quarried from the banks of the nearby river, and is today considered one of the best examples of 19th century grist mill architecture in Canada.  The mill was originally known as Long Island Flouring Mills and later as Manotick Mills, but since 1946 has been Watson's Mill.

This is no ordinary mill, however, for this mill is haunted.  In 1861, just one year after the mill was completed, Joseph Currier married a young woman named Ann Crosby, from Lake George, New York.  Then in January, one month after their wedding, Ann was killed in a tragic accident in the mill.

During a celebration to commemorate one year in business, Ann's long skirts were caught in a revolving turbine shaft on the upper level.  She was thrown against one of the support pillars and killed instantly.  She was 20 years old.  Her husband was so traumatized that he sold his shares in the mill and left Manotick, never to return.

To this day one can see the ghostly apparition of Ann Crosby-Currier on the upper floors of the mill.  The view above is the back of the mill where she is frequently seen.  Most often she appears on foggy or rainy nights.  *Note:  specters are most visible when the air is thick with moisture, causing the ectoplasm of the ghost to have more substance, and therefore be visible to the naked eye.

These second and third storey windows are where most of the sights and sounds appear.  The person seen has always been described as a beautiful, tall, blonde haired young woman wearing a long dress.

This is the second floor area that is most often haunted.  Many years ago I visited this mill--before I knew it was haunted--and found the energy in this room to be very sad and distressed.  It was difficult to stay in this area and I left soon.

The ghostly presence of Ann Crosby is also seen and heard up here on the third floor.  Care to have a look?

 

 

 

Post Script:  From all the literature available, and from the TV programming available on ghostly appearances, most people have come to a better understanding of what is actually happening.  A ghost is a soul that has chosen to stay earth-bound for whatever reason.  Trauma often plays a part, but so too, does the soul's attachment to earthly things, such as wanting to be near their material possessions and their family members. 

Generally a ghost will not stay forever, but may be around for a few hundred years, all the same.  They go when they are ready, or when they develop enough awareness to know they are no longer in a physical body.  Sometimes spiritual adepts and healers help a ghost to leave, because they know that being trapped for hundreds of years is usually a waste of time.  So a healer will try to provide assistance in leaving.  On the other hand, sometimes the healer's good intentions may interfere with the free will of the spirit, and it may be best to leave things alone.

The vast majority of ghosts are not to be feared.  Rather, as you can tell from the story of Ann Crosby, you may feel sadness for her plight.  And you will surely feel her emotional pain if you visit the top floor of Watson's Mill.