Ghostly Happenings in Connecticut

Innumerable Spirits

The 1754 House Inn in Woodbury was formerly known as the Curtis House Restaurant & Inn and is known as a very haunted place. The structure is haunted by innumerable spirits, some going back over 200 years. Built in 1754, it is the oldest inn in Connecticut. People who stay in the rooms here have encountered the ghostly apparition of a Confederate soldier and the spirit of a former employee, Joseph Hardesty, as well as a female ghost who likes to wake up visitors in the middle of the night. A lot of strange noises can be heard like footsteps and disembodied voices.

A Curse and Unexplained Phenomenon

In Cornwall, Dudleytown is said to be one of the most haunted places in the state. All people who go by the name of Dudley are said to trace their family line all the way back to a Saxon man named Dudd, the Duke of Mercia who died in the early half of 700 AD.

A curse was placed on all Dudley family members, and the origin of the curse dates back to England circa 1510. At that time Edmund Dudley was beheaded because he made plans to overthrow King Henry VIII.

When Dudley family members came to America, they settled in Cornwall, and the area was named Dudleytown. Residents have seen strange things. While hiking, people have seen strange orbs of light and other unexplained events.

Agonized Ghostly Spirits

In Newtown, one of the most haunted places in Connecticut is the Fairfield Hills State Hospital. At one time this mental hospital was known for the barbaric and inhumane way they treated their patients. There were many treatments used, such as psychosurgery, electric shock therapy, and lobotomies. Now visitors can hear disembodied voices, screams, and crying. The agonized spirits of the long-dead patients are not at rest but roam the facility.

Disembodied Voices, Dark Shadows, and a Feeling of Fear

In East Haddam, the state park of Hopyard is known for its natural beauty. The highlight is Chapman Falls, a 60-foot cascade of water flowing over rock ledges. Legend has it that Satan likes to hang out here, sit on the top of the falls on a huge boulder, and play a fiddle. Native Americans once conducted rituals here. Visitors coming here have seen dark shadows and phantoms moving in the woodland as well as spirit orbs and mists.

Disembodied Voices and Strange Paranormal Phenomenon

In Preston, the Norwich State Hospital first opened in 1904 with 95 patients and over time, became a facility with 20 buildings and some 2000 patients. The patients were mentally ill, and some had tuberculosis. The first death came when a patient hung himself. In 1919, in a hot water explosion, two employees lost their lives. The hospital closed in 1996.

The most active spot with paranormal activity is the Salmon Building, which once housed criminally insane patients, and now disembodied screaming can be heard. Some of the other unexplained events include a sobbing woman, sudden cold spots, doors slamming, and children running about.

Shadowy Figures

In Bridgeport, the Remington Arms opened in 1867 as the Union Metallic Cartridge Company. During the early 20th century, the company became one of the biggest munitions companies in the US, producing tons of munitions every year. There have been accidental deaths here, like two employees who fell into a giant vat of molten metal and an explosion in 1942. In the explosion, seven employees died and 80 suffered injuries. It is believed that the shadowy figures seen here are the dead employees.

The Spirit of Charles Sterling and a boy named Andy

In November 1968, the Sterling Opera House, constructed in 1889, became the first structure to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house closed up in 1945 but had hosted top acts such as Harry Houdini and Red Skeleton. In 2011 the opera house was the focus of an investigation conducted by the Ghost Hunters TV crew. The spirits here are of the building’s namesake Charles Sterling and a boy named Andy who prefers to be around the seats in the balcony and plays with a soccer ball.

The White Lady and Red Eyes

The Union Cemetery in Easton has become a known burial ground that has restless spirits. Among the most popular is the White Lady who shows up with long dark hair dressed in a nightgown and matching bonnet. She has been seen by the famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren and they’ve captured her on film. In 1993 a motorist passing by along the road collided with the apparition, and it left a dent in his car.

And there are also the “red eyes." An apparition shows up only as a pair of glowing red eyes peering through bushes. Witnesses to this have turned to run away but then heard footsteps as if someone were in pursuit and have been too afraid to look back.

The Ghost of Alice Conley

In Torrington, the Conley Inn first opened in 1891 and later was called the Yankee Pedlar Inn, which has a haunted reputation. Visitors have heard disembodied voices and figures seen lurking in rooms.

The most well-known ghostly spirit is that of the original owner, Alice Conley. She passed away in Room 353 and now her spirit roams about the hotel. In the room, odd odors are smelled, and a female apparition is seen. In the hotel lobby is a rocking chair with a sign that warns visitors not to sit on it because Alice still rocks in it.