This Canadian City Is Haunted By A Persistent Humming Sound And No One Knows Why

Residents of Windsor, Ontario consider their city amongst cities that have also been plagued by unnerving hums. A mysterious sound known as “The Windsor Hum,” came to the city seven years ago, and has affected over 220,000 people since it was first reported. Taos, New Mexico, Bristol, England, and a handful of other locations have also made the news with unexplained sounds. Discover more about the persistent humming that has been haunting Windsor!

Since around 2010, residents of Windsor have reported a humming sound. Over the years, the hum has come and gone, but it never stays away for long, in fact it has only grown louder over time. The sound has been compared to idling trucks or rumbling bass notes from subwoofers and has even been known to cause windows and picture frames on walls to rattle. For some residents, it’s more like a vibration, making the experience even more maddening for them.

Conspiracy theories link The Windsor Hum to UFOs, secret tunnels, as well as covert military operations. An official Canadian government report in 2011 discovered the sound comes from something a little more dull, a U.S. Steel plant on Zug Island, a heavily guarded American area, surrounded by fences, and located several miles down the river from the bridge that separates Windsor and Detroit.

Although unconfirmed, because requests to access the island have not been granted (unfortunately U.S. Steel won’t let anyone investigate the site or even discuss what it is for), the report suggests the blast furnaces at the plant may be the culprit. A University of Windsor report in 2014 also pointed to the same thing. Speaking to The Guardian, Colin Novak of the University of Windsor said, “We didn’t identify the smoking gun, but there’s enough evidence there to strongly suggest [the U.S. Steel plant is] the likely source.”

Zug Island – a view from the truck ferry on the Detroit River in Delray

The locals find the noise a disturbance and a drain on their quality of life. For some residents the noise has caused nausea, sleep disturbances, as well as plenty of mental and emotional distress. Local Parliament member MP Brian Masses has asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a federal investigation, believing there is a real need to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if that means a serious chat with their neighbors.

Meanwhile, the local residents feel ignored by the government and believe that there may well be a real conspiracy involved over the silence of U.S. Steel. They don’t want anyone from the plant to lose their job but would like for the source of the sound to be acknowledged — and something to be done about reducing the disturbance. Windsor just needs some peace and quiet!

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.