Connecticut Launches Brand New Haunted History Trail

The Connecticut Office of Tourism launched the new Connecticut Haunted History Trail yesterday. I was lucky enough to be able to get a sneak peek of some of the trail before it officially launched last night. Me and other creators were bussed around the Hartford area to visit some of the sites on the trail before it was officially released.

Love haunted history? Check out: Haunted Spots You Can Visit Around Connecticut

My Honest Thoughts About The Trail

I will be honest, I was skeptical about the trail going into this. I am someone who is very much a believer in the paranormal, and while I think it is important to talk about haunted history, I think it needs to be done in a respectful way. I don’t love the idea of exploiting real people who have passed on as a way to bring in tourism dollars.

My biggest concern was that there were going to be a bunch of made-up tales. I’ve been on my fair share of haunted tours, and I hate when things are clearly made up just for reactions. Thankfully, many of the tours I go on are well researched by historians or folklorists. While folklores might not be true, at least there’s a record of them being passed down. I’ve been on tours where I haven’t been able to find any evidence of the stories the guides have told.

I’m happy to report that Connecticut did a great job putting together their statewide tourism trail. The spots were clearly well-researched. It seems that they not only worked with actual historians, but also with the people who run the places that are on the trail. It’s clear that a lot of time and effort was put into the creation of this map. And, I think it was done in a way that honors the people and their stories.

The Connecticut Haunted History Trail map is broken up into nine different sections:

Haunted Homes, Museums, and Theaters (my personal favorite category given my love for historic buildings)
Haunted Cemeteries
Haunted Hiking Trails
Ghosts & Paranormal Tours
Haunted Restaurants
Haunted Lighthouses
Witch, Occult, and Metaphysical Collections
Haunted Hotels
Witch Trial History

One thing I found interesting was the inclusion of metaphysical shops on this trail. I understand the connection, but when I hear “haunted history trail,” I think of locations with dark histories and hauntings…not shops. However, one of the shops we stopped at the day of the launch did have a resident ghost (more on that later). But, I’m not sure that’s the case for all of the shops included on this list.

One major criticism I have of the trail is the lack of spots in southeastern Connecticut. My part of the state often gets forgotten, with the exception of Mystic, Connecticut. More than half of the southeastern Connecticut locations on the map are located in Mystic. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a ton of haunted history in Mystic, but there’s so much more to southeastern Connecticut than just Mystic.

I was shocked to not see Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park in Groton, Seaside State Park in Waterford, or the Garde Arts Center in New London. Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park was the site of the 1781 British massacre of the colonial militia. Seaside State Park was once home to Seaside Sanatorium, where a lot of deaths happened. The Garde Arts Center was literally featured on the show Ghost Hunters. These are just a few that come to mind when I think of haunted spots in southeastern Connecticut.

A large, abandoned brick building with a central steeple stands behind overgrown grass and sand under a clear blue sky. — Seaside Sanatorium in Waterford, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

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I understand not putting Norwich State Hospital in Norwich, which is arguably one of the most haunted locations in the state of Connecticut (also featured on Ghost Hunters). That spot isn’t accessible to the public, and the most people could do is drive by. However, the spots I mentioned above are extremely accessible to the public.

Also, when you look up at the poor Quiet Corner of the state, there’s only a handful of locations. For the northeastern part of the state, I was absolutely shocked to not see Old Trinity Church in Brooklyn, Connecticut. The church is said to be one of the most haunted churches in the state.

A small, beige, two-story building with arched windows stands among leafless trees and snow-covered ground under a clear blue sky. — Old Trinity Church in Brooklyn, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

So, while I think the trail is great and focuses on the history and stories of the places on the trail, I think there is some room for improvement.

A Look At The Launch Day

I was lucky enough to be a part of the launch of the Connecticut Haunted History Trail. As someone who loves all things spooky and historic, I was extremely excited to be a part of the launch.

I’ve always been drawn to spooky things. I grew up watching Ghost Hunters and many other paranormal shows and documentaries. While I was definitely afraid of the unknown, I was also so interested to learn more (perhaps to help alleviate those fears).

The Curated Tour For Creators to Check Out Spots on the Trail

The day of the launch, our curated experience started at 9:30am. We loaded up onto the bus in front of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum in Wethersfield. While most people think of Salem, Massachusetts for witch history, Connecticut’s witch history started about 30 years earlier than Salem’s. The Hartford Witch Trials were the first large-scale witch trials in the American colonies.

On the bus, we had a guide to tell us stories as we made our way to the different stops. The guide was Stephen Gencarella, a folklorist and author of Spooky Trails and Tall Tales Connecticut: Hiking the State’s Legends, Hauntings, and History. He was extremely engaging, and I loved that he challenged us to think about some of the stories we heard. You could tell he’s extremely passionate about his work.

A person in a witch hat sits on a bus, facing a man with glasses and gray hair who is leaning on a seat and smiling. — Stephen Gencarella aboard the bus. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

The first stop on the tour was the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, Connecticut. This is the oldest historic site in Hartford, dating back to the 1600s. From 1640 to the early 1800s, anyone who died in Hartford was buried here. During our time in the burying ground, we learned about the witch trial history that reached a crisis point in the 1660s.

A woman in historical clothing stands and smiles in a graveyard, while another person in a black witch hat sits in the foreground, writing on a notepad. — Guided tour through the Ancient Burying Ground. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Old gravestones and an obelisk memorial stand in a historic cemetery with green grass, benches, and city buildings visible in the background. — Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Our next stop was Connecticut’s Old State House, which was walking distance from the Ancient Burial Grounds. The building was home to all three branches of the Connecticut state government from 1796 to 1878. Today, it serves as a history museum. It’s been on my list of places to check out for quite some time, and I was really excited to check it out.

Historic brick building with a clock tower, surrounded by modern office buildings, under a clear blue sky. — Exterior of Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

As for ghost history, it’s said to be haunted by Joseph Steward, who was a minister, painter, and curator of the “museum of curiosities” (which you can see in the museum today). During our tour we learned about the history of building, events that happened there, and about Joseph Steward.

A taxidermy calf with two heads stands on a wooden display base inside a glass case. — Two-headed cow on display in the museum of curiosity room in the Old State House. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

After Connecticut’s Old State House, we headed to Abigail’s Grille and Wine Bar in Simsbury, Connecticut. The building is said to be haunted by Abigail Pettibone, who was murdered by her whaling captain husband when he unexpectedly came home and found her with another man. If you’re looking for a haunted restaurant to check out, this spot is worth dining at. We were able to sample many different items, and I enjoyed everything I tried.

Two-story house with tan siding, white trim, a red front door, two dormer windows, and large trimmed bushes in front, under a partly cloudy sky. — Abigail’s Grille and Wine Bar in Simsbury, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

After, we headed to the Mark Twain House in Hartford. This is another spot that has been on my list for years. This house is considered one of the most haunted spots in Connecticut. It has been investigated by Ghost Hunters several times and they have captured a lot of compelling evidence during their investigations.

A large, red-brick Victorian house with ornate woodwork sits on a grassy slope, partially framed by two tall trees, capturing the charm of spring in New England. — Exterior of Mark Twain House. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

While I’ve visited the grounds and photographed the exterior before, this was my first time touring the interior of the home. I had the privilege of being allowed to take photos and videos inside the house, which is typically strictly prohibited. Due to time constraints, we only toured the first floor. Typical tours will take you up to the second floor, so I’ll need to go back.

Indoor garden with hanging ferns, assorted potted plants, a small central fountain, wooden chairs, and three hanging lanterns under a glass ceiling. — The conservatory off of the library in the Mark Twain House. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

After the Mark Twain House, we headed to Wethersfield’s Cove Park where we learned the story of Captain Kidd’s hidden treasure, and what happened to those who tried to look for it. The story actually took place in Bulkeley Park in Rocky Hill. The story goes that Captain Kidd sailed up the Connecticut River and buried two chests of treasure in the area and then put a curse on it.

A large, weathered wooden barn with small windows sits atop a stone foundation, surrounded by green grass and trees under a cloudy sky. — The Cove Warehouse, built in 1697. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

After, we were dropped back off at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum. Here, we split into two groups to check out four different spots in Old Wethersfield. My group started in the Silas Deane House. Here we got a glimpse into the funeral of Silas Deane’s wife Elizabeth.

A woman in colonial-era dress stands in a historic room with antique furniture, wooden floor, large windows, and a covered object in the corner. — Silas Deane House. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Then, we headed to the Blackbird House, which is a metaphysical giftshop and healing center in Wethersfield. During our visit, the owner told us about the doctor that haunts the building. The building that houses the shop and healing center was built in 1830.

A sign for The Blackbird House in Old Wethersfield reads “Healing Center, Gift Shop” with a blackbird silhouette. Outdoor string lights decorate the signpost. — The Blackbird House in Old Wethersfield, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

After, we headed to the Buttholph-Williams House. This house was the inspiration for Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond. The house was built around 1711. We were able to tour the inside and learn a bit about the history of the house.

A two-story, dark wooden colonial house with diamond-paned windows, a central chimney, and trees partially shading the front façade. — The exterior of the Buttholph-Williams House in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Phot credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Our final stop before the press conference was Wethersfield Village Cemetery and Ancient Burying Ground, which dates back to the 1630s. We had a great guide who gave us some interesting information about some of the people of Wethersfield who are buried there.

Rows of old gravestones stand in a cemetery with sunlight filtering through trees, casting shadows on the grass. — Wethersfield Village Cemetery and Ancient Burying Ground. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

All in all, I had a great time exploring different spots on the Connecticut Haunted History Trail. The tourism board did a great job putting all of that together for content creators to sample the tour and gather content.

The Press Conference and Official Launch Party

The press conference and official launch party for the Connecticut Haunted History Trail was hosted at the Webb Barn, which is a part of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum. The food was all made by businesses that were local to Connecticut. The decorations in the barn were spooky and fitting for a haunted history trail launch.

A pile of chocolate chip cookies on a tray, labeled with a sign, sits on a purple cloth near three tarot cards and a candle holder. — Brown butter pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies from Heirloom Market in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

There were a lot of great speakers at the event. I hate to pick favorites, but as someone who has watched a lot of Ghost Hunters, I was very excited to hear two of the paranormal investigators from the show speak. Steve Gonsalves and Shari DeBenedetti spoke a bit and mingled with those in attendance.

A man in a patterned shirt and cap holds a microphone and gestures while speaking on stage, with his shadow visible on a screen behind him. — Steve Gonsalves from *Ghost Hunters*. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

A woman with long dark hair speaks into a microphone while standing in front of a projection screen. — Shari DeBenedetti from *Ghost Hunters*. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

I was also interested in the group reading from Angelina Diana, who is a psychic medium. This was not the first group reading that I have been to. For my birthday in 2018, I begged for tickets to see Theresa Caputo (The Long Island Medium) at Mohegan Sun. The group reading at the launch party was obviously much more intimate.

A woman in a green shirt and beige pants speaks into a microphone, gesturing with her left hand, standing in front of a projected screen displaying the words “Connecticut Haunted History Trail.”. — Angelina Diana, a Connecticut-based psychic medium. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

It was a phenomenal event and experience. I am so thankful to the Connecticut Office of Tourism for inviting me to be a part of the launch of the brand-new Connecticut Haunted History Trail!

If you’re into hauntings and history, this trail is definitely worth checking out.