At the early morning hours of May 25th, 1813, American military forces had launched a third invasion attempt against Canada. After U.S. Naval vessels had arrived along the shores of the Niagara River, a relentless two-day assault commenced against the British defense stronghold of Fort George. Despite valiant efforts to defend the fort, the Redcoat defenders were soon overwhelmed by the invading forces and had no other option than to abandon the fort. The Americans soon stormed into the adjacent town of Newark (modern day Niagara on the Lake) with the intentions of burning it to the ground. The siege ultimately led to a local tavern known as the Harmonious Coach House, where a British officer named Captain Colin Swayze would meet his tragic demise.
In order to flush out any enemy troops hiding within the tavern's basement, American soldiers took their bayonets and began systematically impaling the wooden wine barrels as well as any other objects capable of concealing any potential hiders. After being spotted within the confines of an empty barrel, Captain Colin Swayze was promptly stabbed and succumbed to his injuries almost immediately. (Mysteries of Canada, 2024)
Eventually, the Harmonious Coach House was renamed the Olde Angel Inn. Due to the utter brutality of Captain Swayze's death, it comes as no surprise that his restless spirit continues to linger aimlessly throughout the inn. Nestled within the heart of Niagara on the Lake, the Olde Angel Inn remains a popular destination for those intrigued by the many alleged hauntings reported over the span of several years. Being highly publicized in multiple paranormal reality shows, it becomes rather easy to understand why the inn receives such high amounts of revenue in tourism on an annual basis.
My first and only trip to the Olde Angel Inn happened back in August of 2006. I was accompanied by my mother, as well as my sister and brother. We had been informed of an apparent incident that occurred at the inn years prior to our arrival, which fueled our interests to visit. It was said that the incident involved a young American woman visiting the town with a group of her friends and decided to spend the night at the renowned hotel. She apparently wore a T-shirt depicting the image of a waving American flag. After exiting her room and nonchalantly traversing the hall, she abruptly stopped in her tracks, as she claimed to have felt the intense sensation of being slapped across the face. Though there was no definite proof to explain the encounter, it could be surmised that the vindictive Captain Swayze still continues to express his distain for those who happen to share the same nationality as the lone individual responsible for his departure.
We had finally arrived at the inn in the late afternoon. Though we were all mildly nervous, we were still highly excited and decided to help ease the tension by making jokes about the encounters reported by former guests. After an evening of bike riding, followed by an extended tour of Fort George, we decided to head back to the inn and go to sleep. For the first couple of hours, I struggled to fall asleep. Once I had begun to gradually calm myself down, I began to drift off and abruptly awoke, feeling as if someone had forcibly grabbed my shoulders. I was perfectly aware that I was the only one fully awake, as the others were peacefully sleeping in the adjacent bedroom. Despite the bewildering experience, I soon managed to fall asleep and woke up the following morning feeling well rested. The hotel had even given us a certificate to confirm our stay at the inn. As a humorous gesture, my mother decided to hang the certificate on our refrigerator. In spite of the strange experience, I still hope to one day return to the Olde Angel Inn and perhaps share even more personal stories.
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