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The Ottawa Jail Hostel is a
The Nicholas Street Gaol was the main jail of Ottawa for over a century. The structure was built in 1862 next door to the
Carleton County Court House, foreground and Gaol, background, ca. 1870 - 1880.jpg, Foreground and Gaol, background, ca. 1875
Carleton County Goal - Female inmates in front of their cells.jpg, Female inmates in front of their cells, 1895
Carleton County Gaol - Prison cell 1895.jpg, Prison cell, 1895
Ottawa Jail Hostel in photos
{{Hostels 1973 establishments in Ontario Hostels in Canada Hotels in Ottawa Defunct prisons in Ontario Execution sites Reportedly haunted locations in Ottawa
hostel
A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared b ...
operated by Saintlo Hostels and located at 75 Nicholas Street in Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada. The hostel was originally the Carleton County Gaol (jail), more commonly known as the Nicholas Street Gaol or Ottawa Jail. When the jail closed in 1972, Hostelling International purchased and converted the building, but left much of the structure intact, allowing guests to experience spending a night "in jail". The top floor, which had served as the jail's death row
Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting Capital punishment, execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of ...
, has been restored to much of its original condition and daily tours are conducted.
In 2009, the hostel's bar, Mugshots, was opened to the public. In July 2011, the courtyard space of the former jail was converted into an outdoor bar for the summer months.
As of April 1, 2022 the hostel is no longer affiliated with Hostelling International. The hostel intends to reopen in April 2023 under Saintlo Hostels.
History
The Nicholas Street Gaol was the main jail of Ottawa for over a century. The structure was built in 1862 next door to the courthouse
A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...
, and connected by a tunnel. Designed by Henry Horsey, the jail was the site of the hanging of Patrick J. Whelan on February 11, 1869, for the assassination
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...
of Thomas D'Arcy McGee
Thomas D'Arcy McGee (13 April 18257 April 1868) was an Irish-Canadian politician, Catholic spokesman, journalist, poet, and a Father of Canadian Confederation. The young McGee was an Irish Catholic who opposed British rule in Ireland, and w ...
. Over 5,000 people witnessed Whelan's hanging, which was a large number considering the size of Ottawa at the time. Staff and guests have reported that Whelan's spirit is one of many that haunts the hostel and will appear at the end of guests' beds or in his death-row cell. The third (official) and final execution at the jail took place on March 27, 1946, when Eugène Larment, who had killed an Ottawa police detective, was hanged. The building remained in use as a jail until 1972 when the outdated facility was closed. The original gallows, however, are intact and remain fully functional. While open, the jail inflicted very inhumane conditions upon those imprisoned there and modern day excavations of the property have revealed numerous unmarked graves. Up to 150 prisoners
A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison.
...
, consisting of men, women, and children, would be forced to share 60 small cells (1x3 meters) and 30 larger cells (2x3 meters); as well as six solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a form of imprisonment in which the inmate lives in a single cell with little or no meaningful contact with other people. A prison may enforce stricter measures to control contraband on a solitary prisoner and use additi ...
units. Inmates included murderers, the mentally ill, or those incarcerated for minor infractions such as drunk and disorderly conduct.
Television
The hostel was featured in the third episode of the Canadian television show ''The Girly Ghosthunters
''The Girly Ghosthunters'' is a 30-minute Canadian paranormal TV series. It was first broadcast on Friday, January 14, 2005, on the Canadian SPACE speciality channel. The thirteenth and last episode was broadcast April 15, 2005.
The show featu ...
'' that aired on Space
Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...
in 2005. It was also featured on the second episode of the Canadian television show ''Mystery Hunters
''Mystery Hunters'' is a Canadian documentary television series aimed at a young audience. It aired on YTV in Canada and on Discovery Kids and MeTV in the United States. It was also dubbed in Japanese and aired in Japan on NHK.
Teenage hosts A ...
'' in 2002.
See also
*List of designated heritage properties in Ottawa
This is a list of properties which have been designated by the City of Ottawa under Part IV of the ''Ontario Heritage Act'' as having cultural heritage value or interest. At many properties, a bronze plaque gives a bilingual description of the pro ...
Notes
External links
*Ottawa Jail Hostel in photos
{{Hostels 1973 establishments in Ontario Hostels in Canada Hotels in Ottawa Defunct prisons in Ontario Execution sites Reportedly haunted locations in Ottawa