hello fellow travelers graham here today we're at the abandoned ruins of the stone butter church
legend has it that locals won't step a foot inside because this place is haunted
mysterious stone butter church in duncan british columbia is haunted
sitting atop a windswept hill overlooking the ocean
it's easy to see how it could have gotten that reputation
it was constructed around 1870 by roman catholic missionary priest father peter rondeau
the priest also worked as a farmer and the church gets its name from the pounds
of butter that he sold in order to raise funds for its construction although it's made out of
sandstone and built to last it was abandoned less than 10 years after the construction completed
when the church decided to rebuild on a spot of church-owned land less than a mile away
the new church came into service around 1880
but several years later it burned down and had to be rebuilt a final time
around that time father rondeau passed away at the age of 76
and was laid to rest on church grounds near that final church
the stone butter church has weathered the test of time and has stood for 140 years
more or less in the same shape as when it was first constructed
during that time it's been exposed to the elements with the doors and windows having
been removed the stained glass windows were moved to a nearby church on salt spring island
there has been some minor upkeep done to the church over the years
in 1958 a new roof was installed by the native sons of british columbia
in 1968 a plaque was installed to commemorate the history of the church but was later stolen it read
this landmark was built in 1870 by father peter rondeau pioneer oblate missionary to the couch
and indians helpers were paid through the sale of butter churned by the priest it was abandoned
in 1880 in favor of saint anne's at tzouhalem restoration was a 1958 centennial project of
the cowichan indians native sons of british colombia and duncan area residents and firms
in 1931 the stone butter church gained notoriety
when it was highlighted in a ripley's believe it or not story
always with a flare for the dramatic ripley's claimed that the church had never had any services
and no congregation had ever gathered
according to ripley the local indians would not go near the church because
everyone involved with the construction of the church had died under mysterious circumstances
of course we know that the church had held services for a period of about
10 years before being abandoned and the rumors of deaths were never substantiated
but that didn't prevent the stone butter church
from gaining a reputation as a haunted and forlorn place
rumors persist about strange sounds echoing through the church on dark cloudy nights
and visitors have experienced eerie feelings cold spots and the feeling of being watched
guests have even claimed that spirits have
followed them home after they visited the stone butter church
the source of these spirits is uncertain they could stem from
the fact that it's built on native land where sacred sites are not to be disturbed
it could be from the graveyard which is adjacent to the abandoned church
or the happenings could even be due to its close proximity to mount zulahem where the
apparition of a first nations warrior's been reported chief tzouhalem was known
as a mystic who talked to spirits including a cannibal spirit that helped him kill people
but for whatever reason it's easy to see how the imposing figure
of this abandoned church could cause imaginations to run wild
thanks for joining we're heading off on another adventure soon please remember