By: Jamie Kosten, Contributor
Canisius University has a vast and rich history. Countless people have walked these halls, lived on this campus and called this place home, but Canisius is also said to have had other, eternal residents. With a school as old as Canisius, there are bound to be alleged ghost sightings, but Canisius has more than just a sighting or two. There are many who claim to have encountered some of the ghosts of Canisius. There are several locations on campus in which people have made these claims over the years. Which includes the fourth floor of Frisch, fourth floor of Old Main, fourth floor of Dugan (what is it with fourth floors?), the Marie C. Mayday Theatre in Lyons Hall and parts of Churchill Tower. Since we are in the midst of spooky season, it seems the perfect time to discuss some of these locations, encounters and the stories behind them.
Some of the most well known haunted locations on campus are the fourth floors of Old Main and Frisch. The fourth floor of Old Main is said to be haunted by the ghost of a little boy whose name is unknown. It is in the bathrooms where most encounters with him have allegedly happened. He is said to wander the fourth floor and make sounds in the bathrooms. There have been several encounters where students claim that stall doors will open and close randomly, lights turn on and off and that toilets tend to flush on their own in empty stalls. The absolute most trustworthy and unbiased source on the internet, Reddit, has a discussion on paranormal activity at Canisius. In the subreddit r/Buffalo, a Reddit user posted their encounter with the fourth floor ghost. They claim to have been in the bathroom late at night with the entire floor being empty when they heard three knocks on the bathroom door, and even heard the knocks repeat as they were leaving the fourth floor. Not much is known about why he is there and what his backstory is, but Canisius student Lio Salazar, who has encountered this ghost, says, “He is just looking for companionship or just a chat because who is going up to the fourth floor in Old Main to talk to a little boy? No one. He’s lonely up there.” For those looking for a possible interaction, know that he wishes no harm and there is nothing to fear, he just doesn’t like big groups.
The fourth floor in Frisch is also known for paranormal activity. It is said that it is haunted by the ghost of a former student. This one is known to be slightly more “disruptive and active” than the other ghosts at Canisius. Several students who have lived on the Frisch fourth floor claim to have heard running through the halls when no one is there and that the cupboards in the common room have opened and shut randomly. The fourth floor of Dugan also has strange activity in its halls. Canisius student and resident of Dugan 4, Alyce Heller has said, “I have entered the bathroom closest to the elevator, and the shower would be running with no one inside.” She felt “an unsettling feeling that I am being watched” when entering that particular bathroom, especially at night.
One can not go into detail about every haunted location at Canisius in just one article, but the fact there are numerous locations goes to show Canisius has an interesting and rich history. For those on campus who may feel unsettled or even afraid after reading this, know that there have been no encounters where anyone felt threatened, so no need to fear! The ghosts here don’t wish to cause harm…at least from what we know.
But whether you believe in the ghosts of Canisius or view them as just fun stories that have been passed down, you can still appreciate the history of Canisius from the stories of the spirits who call Canisius home.
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