5 ghost towns near Toronto to visit this Halloween season

As Halloween creeps upon us, perhaps one way to get into the spirit is by visiting a ghost town. These towns aren’t actually filled with ghosts, they’re abandoned (or nearly abandoned) areas that still have visibly eerie remains of buildings and infrastructure (so still kind of creepy). As it turns out, there are quite a few deserted towns near Toronto that you can visit — so pack a lunch (since no restaurants will be operating in these settlements) and make it a day trip!

Here are five must-see ghost towns near Toronto that you should visit:

Coopers Falls

This small town in Simcoe County was populated in the mid to late 19^th century. According to Ghost Towns, in 1863, Thomas Cooper built the area’s first sawmill. Within a decade, a school was built, followed by two churches, a general store, a blacksmith, and even a cheese factory. In 1878, the town’s first post office opened (aptly named Cooper’s Falls). Much of the town’s economic prowess came from lumber, so when supplies declined, the town started dwindling.  The general store closed in the late 1960s, although you can still find its structure standing today. The remains of the town hall, both churches, and a few other relics can also still be found in this ghost town.

Directions from Toronto: Head north on the DVP, continue on Highway 404 until it merges with Highway 11 North toward Orillia and Gravenhurst. Exit on Rama Road (County Road 44), turn onto Cooper’s Falls Road (Monck Road/County Road 45). Keep driving until you reach Cooper’s Falls, near Severn Township.

Speyside

This once-thriving settlement is now a relic of its former self. You can find the town’s remains in Halton Hills, Ont., at Regional Road 25 and 15 Sideroad, between Acton and Milton. According to the Esquesing Historical Society, this historic settlement experienced its heyday back in the mid-1800s — it had two hotels, a tannery, sawmills, a shingle mill, a few general stores, a blacksmith, a village hall, and even a stone quarry. By 1873, the population grew to 200, which led to the opening of the town’s first post office at the southeast corner of the small district. Shortly after, schoolhouse S.S. #10 Dufferin was constructed one mile south of the village, near St. Helena Rd.

A recent profile on the town notes that plans for streets and lots were once laid out, suggesting that there were plans to grow this bustling village (which, unfortunately, didn’t come to pass). Neighbouring communities offered more enticing prospects when it came to jobs and houses, so people began moving out. By 1908, the population dwindled to 40 residents.  By 1914, the post office shut down. Today, all that remains commercially are remnants of the corner store and school (and few inhabit the area).

Directions from Toronto: The town is about a 45-minute drive northwest of Toronto, off of Highway 25 in Halton Hills. Park off 15 Sideroad in the Bruce Trail parking lot and head for a walk in the Speyside Resource Management Area, you’ll find all sorts of treasures in this historical area.

Dufferin Bridge

This small town was once located along the Nipissing Road in Magnetawan, Ont., about a 3-hour drive from Toronto. In the late 1800s, it primarily acted as a small lumbering and stopping center, but it still contained a Methodist and Anglican church for Sunday services. A post office was soon built followed by the Dufferin Bridge Store in 1888. According to Ominous Abandoned Places, the town’s population dwindled when the railway service allowed easier access to more suitable farming land up north. By the early 20th century, the town was pretty much abandoned. Today the road has no full-time residents, although you’ll find remains of the Dufferin Methodist graveyard along the Nipissing Road.

Directions from Toronto: Head north on Highway 400 toward Barrie, merge onto Highway 11 North toward Orillia and North Bay, and exit onto Highway 124 West toward Parry Sound. Take a left onto Nipissing Road. Follow this road north toward Seguin Falls. Dufferin Bridge is about 5 km north (along Nipissing Road).

Cheltenham Brickworks

This abandoned site in Caledon, between Cheltenham and Terra Cotta, was once home to a thriving brickyard and village in the early 1900s.  According to GhostTownPix, in 1914, the Interprovincial Brick Company built massive kilns that enabled the company to boost brick production. The company also built workers’ houses directly on-site (so a lot of the workers lived on-site because rent was cheap, and work was plenty). Unfortunately, by the 1950s, the village of Cheltenham was dying — it was only alive due to brick workers. In 1958, the brickworks were shut down and the houses were demolished. However, the giant kilns remain — although they’re fenced off and inaccessible, they’re a reminder of the area’s industrial history.

Directions from Toronto: Head west on the Gardiner Expressway. Take the Highway 427 North exit toward Etobicoke before merging onto Highway 401 West. Exit onto Highway 410 North toward Brampton. Exit onto Mayfield Road and head west toward Chinguacousy Road. Turn onto Mississauga Road. Turn left onto King Street until you reach Creditview Road. Cheltenham Brickworks is located along Creditview Road (close to the Cheltenham Badlands area).

Armstrong Mills

This small mill town and hamlet in Wellington County, Ont., near Eramosa Township, was founded in the mid-1800s by the Armstrong family (who first arrived in the area in 1822). According to Rural Routes, in 1845, the family established the Speedside Congregational Church, and in 1856, the family constructed a successful mill. A school was added in 1863, and so, the community was aptly renamed Armstrong Mills! Although the mill was used until 1950, the community didn’t experience much growth. By the 20^th century, much of the area was abandoned. Still, people appreciate the town’s history — in the 1960s, the abandoned mill was bought by Ken Danby, an acclaimed realist painter who restored the mill. It still stands today, as well as the remains of a few other early remnants of the town.

Directions from Toronto:  The site is about a 1.5-drive from Toronto. Head west on the Gardiner Expressway. Take the exit for Highway 427 North, and merge onto Highway 401 West. Exit onto Highway 6 North toward Guelph. Take Wellington Road 51 (Jones Baseline) north toward Eramosa Township. Armstrong Mills is located along Jones Baseline in Wellington County.