The Ontario County House of Refuge was built in 1903, and is now known as the High Street Manor. It is currently a renovated apartment complex. The complex is quite lovely, and houses luxury apartments, but its roots are much less pleasant. Initially this building was a home for the very poor of Whitby. The people that stayed there quite literally had no place else that they could go. Some of these people are listed as suffering from alcoholism, weak mind, improvidence, blindness, old age, ‘idiocy’ and epilepsy. When they passed on residents were given burials in both Union Cemetery in Oshawa and Groveside Cemetery in Brooklin. Their graves were unmarked.

Reports of spirits, and haunting activity at this location are all benevolent in nature according to the witnesses. People enjoy living there, and do not mind these gentle ghosts.

Are you familiar with this location? Do you have information that you would like to share? Can you share other ghost stories from around Whitby Ontario? Please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Resource:

Paranormal Frontiers - Whitby Ghosts October 2003

Photo Credits: Ronda Walfield