10 Haunted Places in Connecticut

By Wendy Ann Mitchell (Patch Staff) and Jaimie Cura

October is traditionally the month of spooky scenarios, when people’s thoughts turn to thrilling times and mysterious moments.

Connecticut has quite the sampling of spine-chilling stories in its past. Have you been to any of these haunted places? Do you know of a haunted site not on the list? Tell us in the comments.

Dudleytown, Cornwall

Dudleytown, also known as the “Village of the Damned,” has hundreds of accounts of curses, ghostly stories, demons and unexplained events. According to local legend, the founders of Dudleytown were descendants of Edmund Dudley, an Englishman beheaded for treason during the reign of King Henry VII. The Dudley family was cursed and that curse followed them to Dudleytown in Cornwall, Conn. Residents in the area are said to have gone insane, two local women committed suicide, and hikers said they have seen spirits and orbs in the area.

Fairfield Hills State Hospital, Newtown

Fairfield Hills State Hospital opened in 1931 to house criminally insane patients. The patients lived in the 16 buildings that were connected by underground tunnels. It is said to be haunted as a result of the apparent tragic history of patient abuse and questionable deaths. The hospital closed in 1995.

Charles Island at Silver Sands Beach, Milford

Legend has it that notorious pirate Captain William Kidd visited Milford during his final voyage in 1699 and supposedly hid a portion of his fortune on Charles Island, underneath a huge boulder called Hog Rock. Captain William Kidd cursed anyone who would go looking for his hidden treasure.

Curtis House Restaurant & Inn, Woodbury

In an episode of Hotel Hell, Gordon Ramsay and his team gave this iconic inn a makeover. During their time there it was said that the ghost of Betsy dwells in one of the rooms. Other accounts state that a male spirit dressed in 17th-18th century attire has been seen in many rooms, along with the ghost of a confederate gentleman in the liquor room.

For more info, visit “The Spirits of Christmas Still Living at the Curtis House Inn.”

Ed & Lorraine Warren’s Occult Museum, Monroe

This museum is the creation of world-renowned ghost busters Lorraine Warren and the late Ed Warren. See the doll that inspired the movie Annabelle; the mirror from the true-life story turned movie, The Conjuring; child tombstones used as satanic altars; assorted cursed items and more. If this won’t scare you, nothing will.

Ledge Lighthouse, New London

A picturesque lighthouse is allegedly the after-life home of one of the most distinctive ghosts in the area, the spirit of former keeper, dubbed “Ernie.” According to Damned Connecticut, in the 1920s or 1930s, the Ledge Lighthouse keeper was so distraught that his wife had run off with a local ferry captain that he jumped from the roof to his death and has haunted the lighthouse ever since.

Devil’s Hopyard, East Haddam

Legend has it that Old Scratch himself sat on top of a large boulder at the top of Chapman Falls at Devil’s Hopyard.

He would play the fiddle while his minions cavorted below. Potholes toward the bottom of the falls were thought to be impressions from the devil’s hooves.

People have reported seeing dark shadows, phantoms and spirit orbs and hearing unexplained laughing.

Hearthstone Castle, Danbury

Located on the grounds of Tarrywile Park and Mansion, Hearthstone Castle is said to have spirits that come out sometimes to mess with hikers by throwing sticks at them. Reports of shadowy figures and glowing orbs in the windows have also been noted.

Union Cemetery, Easton

Ed and Lorraine Warren published the book Graveyard: True Hauntings from an Old New England Cemetery in 1992, all about ghost stories involving Union Cemetery. Orbs, mists, light rods, and apparitions have appeared in photos people take of the cemetery. The ghost known as ”The White Lady,” has been seen here and in nearby Stepney Cemetery. Another ghost named “Red Eyes is known to haunt the grounds. A person walking by the cemetery at night claims to have seen a pair of red eyes staring at him. When he turned to run he heard footsteps following him.

Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine, East Granby

In 1773, this became the first prison in the United States, after being used as a mine. New-Gate Prison housed prisoners for 50 years, until 1827, when it was closed. New-Gate Prison has gained a reputation as a haunted spot after people seeing spirits roaming the grounds and hearing “ethereal voices” in the tunnels.

What are some of the spookiest spots you’ve heard of in Connecticut?

Photos

• Chapman Falls at Devil’s Hopyard in East Haddam; photo by _jmeeter, via flickr creative commons
• Easton Cemetery; photo by Eben Regis, via flickr creative commons
• Hearthstone Castle in Danbury; photo by likeaduck, via flickr creative commons
• Ledge Lighthouse in New London; photo by slack12, via flickr creative commons