The Westport Library Resource Guides: Haunted New England: Spooky Destinations

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Connecticut's 'Haunted' Nature Lies in its History

With movies like "A Haunting in Connecticut" and being home to two of the most famous paranormal researchers of all time, Ed and Lorraine Warren, Connecticut has earned a reputation for being a "haunted" spot. But why is that?

According to Charles Rosenay, author, ghost tour host and founder of Stratford’s Fright Haven, Connecticut stands as a “barometer” among other states for its supposedly “ridiculously haunted” nature.

“People from other states conceive that Connecticut is a haunted state,” Rosenay said. “People know Gettysburg. Gettysburg is known to be very haunted but people in Gettysburg will say ‘yes, we’re haunted, but not like Connecticut.’"

He believes this reputation is due to the state's sometimes violent history. “Connecticut is very historic. It has had many brutal wars through the years and what I think happens in certain places is that if it has a history of bloodshed or suffering, then the original powers, feelings and entities that had those sufferings continue,” Rosenay said he believes. “It never goes away.”

Among the first major instances of strife in Connecticut was the Pequot War, which was fought between the Pequot Tribe and early colonists starting in 1636. At the end of the two-year war, which led to events such as the “Mystic Massacre,” approximately 600 Pequot Tribe members were killed, and many were sold into slavery, according to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum. The ensuing Revolutionary War had many battles in Connecticut, most notably in Groton and Ridgefield, which led to a number of casualties. Continue reading from CT Insider