Kingston, Ontario: A Frightfully Wonderful Experience

By Sandra Scott


 
 


Kingston, Ontario, is a frightfully wonderful destination during the Halloween season. John and I started our visit of the city on the Confederation Trolley Tour that took us to all the important sites in Kingston, including the home of John A. MacDonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister. We also enjoyed a free tour of City Hall, which was right across the street where we boarded the trolley.

Kingston is located where the St. Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario. The city was under threat of attack from those pesky Americans during the War of 1812 so they built Fort Henry for protection. The fort was never attacked but battles did rage along the New York State’s Lake Ontario. But, that’s another story.

We toured the various parts of the fort and stayed to watch the Noon Day Gun Salute. The fort offers a commanding view of the 1000 Island area, the best view of the Kingston area. While touring the fort the staff was getting ready for Fright Night, claimed to be Ontario's Best Haunted experience when the site is transformed into "terrifying Fort Fright."

On the tour, Sergeant Cybulski, our guide, pointed out the Commander’s Room explaining that it was one of the haunted rooms. It seems that one of the ghosts of Fort Henry is that of Nils Von Schultz. In the 1830s Von Schultz led an attack on Canada in an attempt to free Canada from the perceived oppressive reign of the British Empire. He was captured by the British and charged with war crimes. Von Schultz said that he would plead guilty to all crimes as long as none of his men were hanged. Even the support of John A. MacDonald and others did not sway the court and he was hanged along with five of his men. He was held for a time in the Commander’s Room where it has been reported that objects move around and some visitors feel faint and have difficulty breathing.

Later in the day, we visited Bawn Bons, a frightfully good chocolate shop, where Sarah Huffman, one of the chocolatiers, was busy getting ready for Halloween making chocolate bats, Frankensteins, and jack o’lanterns.

Even though the seasonal chocolates are popular, Erin Armstrong, owner of Bawn Bons, says they are best known for their truffles, which they make the old- fashioned Belgian way. She explained that. Bawn Bons chocolates are made from Callebaut Belgian Chocolate and European compounds and flavorings.

The store’s name comes from the maiden name of Arnstribg’s grandmother who worked for Purdy's Chocolates, a well established chocolatier in Vancouver, British Columbia. That led to a family owned chocolate shop. After 13 years of experience the Armstrong family relocated to Kingston and Bawn Bons was born. Armstrong said that the most popular chocolates are her Some Like it Hot truffle made with chili, curry, and cinnamon and her Rock-a-Berry, a milk chocolate truffle filled with raspberry puree center coated with raspberry granules. Ah, like everything else, it is frightfully yummy.

Visit www.kingstoncanada.com and www.bawnbons.ca.

 


Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Creators Syndicate
and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.

Photos by J. J. Scott.

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