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Hopkins Tomb
Oakwood Cemetery - Lakeshore Rd
Built: 1899
Haunted: unknown
History
Samuel Hopkins, a local businessman (and some say pirate), provided for the construction of his imposing mausoleum in his will.
He is said to have placed a curse on the tomb promising misfortune to anyone who should attempt to break-in.
The only way to break the curse is to circle the tomb 7 times, knocking on the door with each pass.
Hauntings
Visitors to the tomb have reported the sound of a dog howling from inside, as well as someone pounding on the inside of the tomb, demanding to be released.
An apparition of a dog has also been seen sitting quietly on the steps leading up to the mausoleum.
Three would-be-tomb-raiders are the most famous vicitms to the curse, including a young man killed in a car-crash, another who lost his arm in an accident, and a third who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Most recently, a local high school had a 30 ton boulder fall on him at the Port Colborne Quarry, a mere 2 weeks after mocking the curse.
Eyewitness Account
"When I was 18 (16 years ago) some friends and I decided we'd head out to check out the legend of Hopkin's Tomb. We had been told that the legend was that anyone who circled the tomb three times and stood in front of the door saying "I believe in Satan" would disappear, or at least have something really bad happen to them. We'd heard stories of nasty things that happened to those who tried, but we shrugged it off as just fluff.
All this is completely true (even the comical bits).
The three of us headed out there on a hot summer night in 1987. When we got to the cemetery, we drove in and promptly freaked out my one friend so to appease him we parked in front of the tomb on the road. The three of us got out and "on three" resolved to jump the small stone fence that encircles the tomb. Two of us went over, one stayed behind too chicken to tempt fate. We heard a call from the car "where are the keys?" to which my other friend answered "right here, come and get them". We laughed. Anyways - down to business. We circled the tomb three times and said the line. Nothing. We hear from the peanut gallery "you went the wrong way!". Fair enough. We circle it three more times and then again say the line again. I notice the door looked like it was moving so I leaned in. My friend reaches over my shoulder and punches the big steel door. I was terrified and leaped over the stone wall and over the hood of our car in about two bounds. My friends said they'd never seen a person move like that. We laughed bout it. Anyway, we go to the door and push on it. We tinker with it a bit and leave. I guess you could say we tried to break in, although that really wasn't our intent. We were more just checking to see if the door would open. Call us inquisitive.
Anyway, on the way home we see this very strange gray dog in the middle of the road. I'll never forget it. It was stone gray, BIG, and its eyes glowed in the headlights of our car. We honked to scare it off the road, but it would not move. We honk again and again but nothing. We are approaching this dog at close to 100 kph and with it motionless in the center of the road, we are forced to swerve in order to avoid killing it (and probably ourselves). At this time the dog moves...his head...to watch us as the car flies past just inches away from its head. We all look over our shoulders to see if the dog is okay. It stood there, motionless still, staring at our taillights. Now, because of the taillights, this dog and his piercing eyes glowed red. We all looked at each other and, although definitely shaken, e laughed at the "dogs of hell" were coming after us.
So this brings me to today - 16 years later - I read, for the first time, that Hopkins's tomb is associated with strange apparitions of dogs. Also, that those who attempt to break in become cursed. Could it be that our excursion that night resulted in a curse being placed on us? Rick was the fellow that I went over the wall with. That was the last night I ever saw him as he was kicked out of his house and decided he'd "make it on his own". I don't know whatever happened to him after that. Jim, the friend who chickened out got involved with drugs and although somewhat happy, his life is fraught with an inability to hold down a job for long and, well, an increasing degree of strange behaviour as he grew older. I've spoken to him once in the last eight years. Our friendship really dwindled because of his instability. Me, well, I am probably the unluckiest person I know. Nothing good happens to me without me having to really work hard for it. Life is ok and I've done fine for myself, but it seems that I bring a dark cloud of unluckiness with me where ever I go. People have bad things happen in their lives, but I've had a lot of bad things happen in my private life. More than anyone person would normally have. I stay clear of things that can be detrimental to my life like drugs and alcohol, but still it seems I get kicked in teeth at every turn. Like I said, just bad luck."
UPDATE:
I can happily say that shortly after I sent this submission in to the site
above, I returned to Hopkins Tomb. I hoped that a heart felt apology could
help me and my situation. I made plans to head to the tomb alone one
evening. I was fortunate to have some friends who wanted to join me (as an
aside, they still recall this night as one of the scraiest nights they have
ever experienced). We headed out from London (where I now live) for the 2.5
hour drive to Wainfleet. We had some strange time keeping issues on the
way, because the drive turned into 4 hours! We had planned to leave at 7pm
and arive at the between 9:30 and 10. We were delayed in leaving and
actually left atl 8. None the less we arrived at midnight (I swear, this is
not a joke and I am not trying to be a jackass). We could not account for
or explain away the extra time. We never got lost and did not stop at any
point along the way. In fact, we did not stop for anything until we reached
the tomb. To make matters worse, about an hour into the trip, the skies
became thunderous and the winds were unbelieveable. It poured on us the
whol eway, until we reached Dunville. Then, it was broken branches and
tricks of the eye to keep us on our toes.
When we arrived, the thunder kept rolling. The wind blew off the lake
towards the Tomb. The gate on the stone fence was closed. Of this matter,
I am positive!! (you'll understand in a moment). I looked down the road and
was TERRIFIED to see a dog with glowing eyes! A passing car revealed that
it was only an election sign, dampened by the rcent rains and lit by the
living room light of a nearby house.
We looked at the gate and climbed over the stone wall, not wishing to
disturb the gate inany way. I say we, because one of my friends decided to
come over with me, the rest watched from the relative safety of the road.
Once on the opposite side of the wall, the wind swirled. Each leaf on the
ground was churned up and fluttered in my face like a bat. I mustered up as
much courage as possible and began circling the tomb. With each pass I
knocked on the Tomb door, and on the final pass. I stood my ground and
apologised to Mr. Hopkins. I explained how I was young and foolish and how
I hoped he could understand and forgive me. With that, we left, climbing
over the wall on the way out.
Back in Dunville, we stopped at a donut shop for a coffee. My friends we
all pumped up with adrenaline and we urged each other on to go back. I was
stead fast that I had done my part and woudl not go back over that wall or
do anything else with the tomb, but the others wanted to go over the wall.
Wen we returned the gate was open. We discussed back and forth whether we
had imagined the gate being closed or not, but as I said, I am positive it
was closed - LOCKED closed.
In any event - since that night, I cn say that life isn't so bad anymore.
In the two years since then, I can say life is constantly getting better.
Of course, there are still life's ups and downs, but it just isn't the same.
Whether the curse is real or not, it was all real enough for me."
Armando
Further Reading
Michael Collins, "Things that Go Bump in the Night," What's Up Niagara October 1986
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Haunted Ontario was first launched July 27th, 2000.
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