Southern Alberta is a Pretty Spooky Place
Photo Courtesy of Travel Alberta / Roth & Ramberg
Many cultures believe that our ancestors remain after their
The ghost is widely believed to be a man named Ed, who was
lives have ended. But what makes southern Alberta different
a caretaker at the theatre in the 1930’s.
is just how many stories there are of sightings, hearings, and feelings of those ghosts and spirits.
Margaret Ann Bianco, the theatre director: “We had a cleaning lady who actually knew Ed when she was a girl, and she saw
Perhaps the most famous tales concern the Empress Theatre in
his ghost regularly. When people didn’t have good energy, Ed
Fort Macleod - and the ‘Ghost Train’ of Medicine Hat.
would cause a lot of havoc! But now, the energy is very warm and welcoming.” Ed is still a prankster. “We put on children’s
Spooky occurrences at the 1912-era Empress Theatre are a
summer theatre camps, and it’s become a game to find your
constant. Staff talk about hearing footsteps approaching only
lunch wherever Ed has moved it to!”
to look up and find no one there. Which, when you’re alone in a big, old 400 seat theatre, could be an experience to have you
‘Ed The Ghost’ has a clearly refined artistic taste, too, as he’s
heading for the doors pretty sharpish!
known to shut off the lights off if an actor is messing up their lines, or the microphone if a singer is doing poorly.
Big changes, events or even parties can ‘wake the spirits.’ After renovations in the 1980’s, things happened more often, like
Whoop-Up - Spook Up
footsteps, lights turning on and off, and even ladders suddenly
Fort Whoop-Up in Lethbridge is another renowned site of
falling. Many people have eerily similar descriptions of the
paranormal activity. Apparitions here are often Blackfoot.
‘ghost’ who sometimes shows up for performances, sitting in
Ticket takers have seen an old Blackfoot couple dressed in
the balcony in his cowboy hat. The same gent has also been
buckskins walk in chatting and go straight into the fort. When
seen in bathroom mirrors, or even selling tickets to latecomers!
sought out, they are nowhere to be found.
30 | Enter Our Photo Contest
