Several legends are in existence as to why screams and paranormal activity take place in this abandoned railway tunnel.
The Screaming Tunnel is located in the northwest section of Niagara Falls Ontario at the end of a quiet road accessible from the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW).
The tunnel was in the 1983 movie The Dead Zone in which Christopher Walken used it as a place of refuge.
History of the Screaming Tunnel
The Grand Trunk Railroad built this tunnel in the early 1900s with the intent of constructing a rail line connecting Niagara Falls to Toronto and New York City. This line was designed to follow along the old Welland Locks.
The GTR had financial problems after World War I so the project was scrapped and the tracks were never laid. The tunnel is out in the middle of nowhere.
Legends of the Screaming Tunnel
The most popular legend is about a family who lived in a farm house near the tunnel. The house caught fire and a little girl ran into the tunnel with her clothes on fire. She was unable to extinguish the flames. Unfortunately, she collapsed and died near the middle of the tunnel.
Another legend involves a little girl who was chased down and burned by her angry father when he found out he lost his children to his wife in a bitter custody battle.
There’s another story of a girl who was raped inside the tunnel and her body was burned by her attacker in order to hide the evidence.
Another variation is a girl who was kidnapped by a butcher and was held captive in his house near the tunnel. She managed to escape into the tunnel. The butcher put on a pig’s mask and caught up with the girl and set her on fire.
Paranormal Activity in the Screaming Tunnel
No matter which story is true, the observations are the same. People who go to the middle of the tunnel at night and light a match find that it will be blown out by a wind and the screams of the little girl can be heard. It is also noted that the middle of the tunnel is quite cold, even on a hot summer day.
People report that when they are in the tunnel, they have a feeling of being watched. Orbs are very noticeable on photographs taken inside the tunnel.
Some locals also call the Screaming Tunnel the “Stinky Tunnel”. Some say it’s due to garbage left behind by teenagers who have drinking parties at the tunnel. The real reason is due to sulphur pools located near the tunnel.
Of all the legends surrounding the Screaming Tunnel, the one about the family whose farmhouse burned down seems to be plausible because it is said the family is buried in the Warner cemetery on the other side of the QEW.
Whether they are urban legends or true stories surrounding the Screaming Tunnel, they all have a commonality of a female dying in the tunnel.
Sources
- Niagara Falls Library
- Haunted Ontario
- Haunted Hamilton
- Wikipedia
