Ontario Abandoned Places will be rebranded as Ominous Abandoned Places

Wanstead (ghost town)

Historic Location Ghost Town in Plympton-Wyoming, Ontario, Canada

Apr 12 2012

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Recent status Historic Location
Location # 4479

Wanstead began in 1858 with a hotel, post office a few businesses and a sawmill. In 1887 a fire destroyed the entire town. The people here rebuilt it and were instrumental in helping the survivors of a horrific train crash December 26, 1902 here until help came. The 'Chicago Flyer' slammed into the rear of a frieght train in the middle of the night during a violent blizzard. Thirty-eight died [other reports 31 died 35 injured] as the frieght train didnt reach the siding tracks in time to get out of the way. [Follow Link for complete story]Wanstead was named after suburban village of London, England and dates back to the time of the Saxons and mean's "Woden's Place." Wanstead, Ontario Train Collision, Dec 27 1902

Unofficial list of identified dead:
ALEXANDER STEWART, Petrolia, Ont.
MRS. ALEXANDER STEWART, Petrolia, Ont.
A. RICKETTS, fireman No. 5, Sarnia Tunnel.
J. GILLIES, engineer freight, Sarnia Tunnel.
MRS. J. TROTTER, Petrolia, Ont.
MR. H. B. LAWRENCE, Watford, Ont.
F. S. FREEMAN, Oil Springs, Ont., or Hensall, Ont.
NICHOLAS JEFFREY, London, Ont.
GUY DE RENIER, ticketed to La Crosse, Wis.
DR. PENNWARDEN, ticketed for Petrolia, Ont.
MRS. DR. PENNWARDEN.
J. H. BROCK, Brucefield, Ont.
O. B. BURWELL, Port Huron, Mich.
WILSON MORTON, Chicago.
MISS LOTTIE LYNCH, Port Huron, Mich., died in the hospital.
MR. and MRS. CLEM BODLEY, Port Huron, Mich.
EDWARD BOYCE, Prescott.
J. H. BROCK, Brucefield, Ont.
VIOLET BROCK, aged 11 years, Chicago, formerly of Brucefield, Ont.
GEORGE BURKHOLDER, Sarnia, Ont.
ALEXANDER CAMERON, Strathroy, Ont.
EDWARD DE BEAUS, Prescott, Ont.
ARCHIE DOUGLASS, Alvinston, Ont.
MISS NELLIE GEDDES, Sarnia, Ont.
WILLIAM JOHN LUCAS, Strathroy, Ont.
GLEN ROALGY, Port Huron, Mich.
D. SMITH, trainman.
GEORGE STACEY, Sarnia, Ont.
ROBERT STEVENSON, of Wyoming.
MRS. JULIA BARNES, Woodstock, Ont.
The Injured:
ALEXANDER M. STEWART, Wingham, Ont.
MRS. J. J. CULBERSON, Port Huron, Mich., fractured jaw.
MISS FLOSSIE CULBERSON, Port Huron, Mich.
JAMES P. RAMPLIN, Toronto, Ont.
MRS. SAMUEL CUMMINGS, Port Huron, Mich.
HATTIE NORBEY, Peterboro, Ont.
JAMES B. NORBEY, Peterboro, Ont.
NELLIE COOTE, Chicago.
THOMAS COOTE, London, business address Chicago.
FRANK E. BAKER, London, Ont., dislocated shoulder.
WILLIAM M. MORSE, wife and child, Sarnia.
ROBERT JACKSON, Petrolia, Ont.
HOBART STEWART, Oshkosh, Wis., fractured hip.
JAMES BARNES, Woodstock, Ont.
GEORGE STACEY, Wanstead, Ont.
EDWARD D. EVANS, Prescott, Ont.
DR. BASIL HARVEY, Chicago.
MRS. J. M. STEWART, Oshkosh, Wis., fractured jaw.
RUSSELL QUINN, Chicago, burns, considered serious.
BEATRICE GEDDER, Sarnia, Ont.
JOHN BIRD, Chicago, fractured arm.
J. A. LAMONT, Wyoming, Ont., fractured leg.
MRS. W. GOTT, London, Ont.
MARGARET GOTT, her daughter, London, Ont.
J. S. LAWLER, Strathroy, Ont.
W. H. COLE and wife, Flint, Mich.
R. K. McDONALD, Strathroy, Ont.
MRS. P. M. BYRNES, Sarnia, Ont.
ANNIE SINCLAIR, Komoka, Ont.
MRS. PUGSLEY, London, Ont.
EARL STEWART, Oshkosh, Wis., broken arm and collarbone.

Comments

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3 years ago

I am the grand daughter of the owner of the general store. My last visit to the property was in 1993. I have vivid memories of all seasons playing outdoors, sleeping upstairs, a lasting love for trains as the tracks were busy with trains full of goods, and VIA rail came through lots! If anyone is in the area exploring in 2020-21, please, update the photos of the old store and barn across the street.

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11 years ago

Actualy I live on Hyw. 29 near Jasper on campbell dr.

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11 years ago

@Tundratilly , I'm glad, ya you were just down the road, in the big city lol. There is that back road in Wanstead that you feel like you are driving through everyone's back yard.It's nice the station still stands. It's still a train stop. You live in a similar small town I see[Jasper].

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11 years ago

Brings back a lot of memories for me as I was born and raised in Wyoming Ont.