History

The Ottawa International Hostel, formerly known as the Carleton County Gaol, was one of the most disheartening buildings in Canadian history.
The Carleton County Gaol operated from 1862 to 1972, when it was closed for unsanitary conditions,

During the early history of the gaol, conditions were horrid. Prisoners were seldom allowed showers; they were given 1 meal a day; and some were never allowed to see daylight, kept in filthy, unlit quarantine areas of the basement.

Bodies were burned in the courtyard, including victims that were illegally hanged inside the building. During the construction of the Mackenzie King Bridge, workers discovered 140 unmarked graves in the courtyard. It is generally assumed that there are hundreds more near the building and beneath the parking lot.

After just a year of renovations, the gaol reopened as a hostel in 1973. Curiously, during the renovations, an unexplained inscription was discovered on the main stairwell:

"I am a non-verdical Vampire who will vanquish you all. One by one I will ornate your odorous flesh with famished fangs. But Who? Are there 94 or 95 steps to the 9th floor? A book on the top shelf will lead you on the right path."


Hauntings
Given that it was a prison, it's not surprising that many stories emanate from Death Row. Apparitions include a man, sitting at a desk, writing something; and a figure sitting on a bed, his head in his hands. Guests have reported the feeling of a heavy presence and flickering lights, as well as the feeling of someone sitting down on your bed. The sound of knocking has been heard from inside the 3rd cell (the door of which has been jammed shut for years). Cell doors lock on their own, despite the fact the locks were removed years ago. The sound of cell doors closing can be heard, along with banging on pipes and disembodied voices reciting the Lord's Prayer. For guests, it is not uncommon to come out of showers and find your clothes strewn down the hall.

In the Office, hot water has been known to come out of cold water taps, the door locks itself, computers turn themselves on and print out pages of incoherent text, and the phone just keeps ringing.

On the 6th floor stairwell, guests have reported the feeling of being watched, along with a feeling of extreme cold inside a nearly-bricked up arched alcove.

Station 6, the former residence of the governor, is known for a strange 'vampire' spirit that even prisoners claimed "tries to push your soul out of your body." The apparition of a shadow was once seen disappearing into a corner, precisely where a secret passage was later discovered behind the lockers.

On the 9th floor (the former hospital/women's cells), the sound of children's voices and women screaming can be heard.

In the debtor's portion of the prison, the sounds of moaning have been heard from a partially-filled tunnel.