The haunted history of Victorias Rithet Building

A few paces away from Bastion Square, in the heart of Old Town, is a well haunted by a boy who was accidentally killed there long ago. For more than 115 years, the existence of the well was forgotten until the building was renovated in 1975 and the boys ghost was released from its lonely resting place. The story provides a vivid link to Victoria during the formative gold - rush era and a macabre reminder that life can be nasty, brutish and short.

The 1100 - block on the east side of Wharf Street is comprised of a picturesque row of buildings reminiscent of San Francisco in the 1850s. In 1861, construction began on Commercial Rows warehouses, stores and offices, which were built for some of Victorias leading businessmen, such as Richard Carr and Robert Burnaby. The row of seven side - by - side buildings, some with common walls, were unified in appearance by decorative cast - iron columns along the front facade. The columns were cast in San Francisco, providing a very tangible link to the city which supplied Victoria with most of its goods. Commercial Row is considered to be British Columbias first strip mall.

Richard Lewis, later a mayor, was the cabinet maker - cum - architect responsible for the design of Commercial Row, but like others in his profession at the time, he was forced to diversify his employment. Among other things, he was an undertaker, quite possibly the one who was called upon to prepare the body of the boy who died in the well. It may be fitting, therefore, that the very persistent ghost of the young boy still lingers in the building Lewis designed.

Before Commercial Row was built, the ground on which it stands was an empty lot outside the west side of Fort Victorias wooden palisades. The fort itself had been built by the Hudsons Bay Company in 1843 and, in todays terms, occupied about four city blocks. In the middle of the empty lot was a stone - lined well. Its origins are uncertain, but it had probably been there since the 1840s.

In the spring of 1858, Fort Victoria was overrun by thousands of gold prospectors heading from San Francisco to the Fraser River Gold Rush. There were no hotels, so the men pitched their tents wherever they could, some near the well. As one of them tried to get water from it, his bucket fell to the bottom. He was afraid to go in after it, but convinced a nine - year - old boy to do so.

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To the miners horror, the boy plunged to the bottom and an avalanche of stones crushed him to death. The body was recovered and soon afterwards buried in the cemetery, but because of the tragedy nobody would use the well. It was abandoned and heavy planks were placed directly on top of it. Eventually, a rear addition to Commercial Row covered the well.

Though the boys body had been taken away, paranormal experts believe that his sudden death left a lasting energy imprint inside the well. As often happens, a lingering spirit can take on a dormant state, but can become active if it is disturbed. This explains why the boys ghost remained undetected in the hidden well over the years while Commercial Row went through many changes.

In the 1880s, most of Commercial Row was acquired by R. P. Rithet and Company, general traders and insurance agents. In 1948, part of the property became a storage building for a local moving firm; it then sat vacant for several years.

In the mid - 1970s, the provincial government acquired the derelict building and refurbished it as the showplace headquarters for the Ministry of Tourism.

It was officially re - named the Rithet Building after its most prominent former owner. During the extensive renovation, the long - forgotten well was rediscovered and transformed into an intriguing feature in the lobby, serving as a combination wishing well, fountain and sculpture. However, no one involved knew the story of the boy or that his energy imprint had been inside the well for over a century. By disturbing the place, the boys ghost became extremely active.

A typical sighting of the ghost took place a few years ago by a tourist from Oklahoma. The woman and her family were looking at a popular tourist attraction that once occupied part of the Rithet Buildings ground floor. She asked where the washrooms were located and was directed to the lobby, just past the well. The first time she walked past the well, she encountered a cold spot and felt an eerie sensation; when she returned from the washroom, she felt the same things and then saw the apparition of the boy. This was like nothing the woman had ever experienced before, and she tried to convince herself that it was just her imagination playing tricks. At the time, she knew nothing about the boy or his ghost. She had almost forgotten the episode until that same evening when she was attending a Ghostly Walks tour with her family. One of the stops was in Helmcken Alley, where a window provides a vantage point from which to see the well. The woman hadnt known that the haunting of the well would be included that night. When she heard the guide relate the story, she began to faint, but her husband and children supported her and fanned her face with air.

As it was a hot night, the rest of the group paid little attention to the episode, thinking that the woman had become overcome by the heat.

She really was on the verge of fainting, but for a very different reason: she was in shock, having just realized that her morning encounter was with the ghost.

A sudden death such as the boy plunging into the well can give rise to a haunting because the soul is not prepared. It is not surprising that the little boys ghost is one of several spectres that haunt the Rithet Building. Since the building has been used for offices, employees in certain parts of it have reported cold spots, phantom footsteps, a sense of foreboding and shadowy images. Though these effects are manifested throughout the building, they are particularly prevalent near the well.

The boys ghost apparently also likes to have its picture taken and has been the subject of many spirit photographs.

The Rithet Building, formerly Commercial Row, is one of the oldest office buildings still in use in downtown Victoria. It has a fascinating history dating back to the days of Fort Victoria and is home to one of the citys most enduring ghosts.