by Chris Garafola

Happy 4th of July! Are you all feeling patriotic? Looking for ways to enjoy your summer? Here’s the deal: it’s sunny; it’s warm; and it’s the season for outdoor activities. Indeed, it’s beach weather. Still, being the loyal ghostbusters that you are, I’m sure you’re all wondering how you can tie some weirdness into your summer fun. With Independence Day in the air, you’re also thinking that you want to toss a bit of good old-fashioned American history in the mix. Now you’re just being difficult! Actually, I have just the recipe to match your wacky cravings. So grab your bug spray and hiking boots; we’re off to the forest for an adventure.

Have you ever taken a drive around this area and allowed your gaze to stray from the road ahead of you? Don’t worry; I’m not a cop. Anyway, if you happen to do this once in a while, (hypothetically speaking of course) you might notice some old stonewalls or structures popping out among the sea of trees. See, that’s one of my favorite things about living in New England. It’s so damn old compared to the rest of the country! We have a long history of settlers and their settlements that littered this entire area. Most of the towns we live in were established in the late 1600’s or early 1700’s. Hell, Danbury has been around since 1685. For every one of the towns that made it, there were dozens that didn’t. All of these little villages that either got eaten up by the bigger ones or that just failed completely usually leave some sort of trace to mark their place in our history books. A stone wall here, a busted up cemetery there; there’s always some little piece left behind to puzzle us in the present.

When you step away from the heavily developed areas and venture out into the woods, you’re bound to come across something interesting. Why is this of any interest to a ghostbuster? Well, most of these “ruins” are pretty old, at least by American standards. I say the older the better, in terms of chances for a haunting. Plus, many of these places didn’t provide happy memories for their now deceased residents. Think about it; these towns and settlements that didn’t make it went through all kinds of hell. It’s no easy task trying to build a town up from scratch. So, it wouldn’t be a far stretch to say that these places probably are imprinted with all kinds of negative emotions. Look at Dudleytown! One of the most notoriously haunted places in the area, this is a site that sums up exactly what we’re talking about. Years and years of struggle with the land resulted in disaster. My father used to wear a t-shirt that said, “I fought the lawn and the lawn won”. I’m sure the early settlers of this area could sympathize.

So what else is out there? I’m sure you’re sick of hearing about Dudleytown by now. It’s been mentioned, I’ll leave it at that. How about Putnam Park? While this isn’t the same type of situation, it serves our purpose. It’s a place in the woods filled with the skeletal remains of constructs built by people who have long since bit the dust. Creepy, wouldn’t you say? It may not be a settlement just like Dudleytown, but it’s right down the street for most of us. Yes, it’s convenient and you won’t get arrested on the spot for walking around up there. There are a few more around the state, in terms of “lost villages”. There’s one up in the northeast corner of CT that I’ve heard a lot about. This “Haunted Village of Lost Voices” is located in Pomfret and is supposed to be similar to the scene up in Dudley. Look up Bara-Hack Settlement sometime.

For me, this whole thing started recently while I was driving up Rt. 58. Since I moved to Bridgeport, I take that route up to Bethel a few times each week. If you’re sick to death of cityscapes and you’ve never been down that stretch of road, I highly recommend it for a weekend drive. When you do, and if you’re coming from Bethel, pay close attention to the woods around you right when you exit Redding. The road will dip down and you’ll notice the sign marking the change of towns. If you keep your speed down (tickets are expensive!), you’ll be able to see all kinds of structures in the woods around you. Sure, you’ll notice the usual long stonewalls right away. However, you’ll also see some foundations where buildings used to stand, along with what appears to be a cleared out “road” that leads further into the woods. Coming from Bethel, right over the Redding line, make sure to pay close attention to your left. Not far in, you’ll see a cliff standing proud above a steep slope. Yes, those stones standing on top do look a bit odd. Yes, they are gravestones. Gravestones! Set apart from the road, and standing atop a small cliff is a tiny graveyard. Who knows how long it’s been sitting there, silently watching oblivious cars pass by?

The entire site has had a spell on me ever since I noticed something strange about the number of stone structures centered in the woods there. I felt a strong need to go explore the area. This was before I noticed the small cemetery. Now, I’m going nuts thinking about it all the time. The gravestones did it for me. I remember hearing stories about a cemetery out in the Newtown woods somewhere. If anyone has any information about that place, PLEASE let me know. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be out there soon enough taking pictures and documenting any interesting finds so I can report them back to you. Anyway, for next article, that is exactly what I intend to do over at this place off RT 58. As always, I’ll keep you posted. If you don’t hear from me, I’m either in jail or lost in the forest someplace, covered in poison ivy and living off of tree bark (like I’d ever be able to catch a damn thing to eat out there!).

Be safe, and happy hunting.

Chris the Ghostbuster can be reached at