Haunted History in Mystic Country

Showtime for the spirits. Strange noises, seats moving without the aid of a person, unexplained shadows. A figure called the Lady in Blue, believed to be the wife of an owner or employee, supposedly resides in the theater and is often seen in the balcony during rehearsals.

Photo courtesy of Bradley Playhouse

The story of Whitehall Mansion begins in 1771 when Dr. Dudley Woodbridge purchased a plot of land where a tavern and stagecoach once stood. The house served as Dr. Woodbridge’s office and clinic for many years. Over the years, guests of the mansion have reported strange sounds and sightings throughout the rooms of the mansion. Lucy, Dr. Dudley’s daughter, is said to be the “main” ghost in the house.

Find out about the ghostly legends of Mystic with one of these tours by Seaside Shadows. Your tour guide will take you by lantern light where history will be explained and questions will be answered. The downtown tours go through the bustling landscape of shops and restaurants surrounding the famous drawbridge. The cemetery tours allow guests to walk through the Whitehall Burial Ground associated with the famously sighted ghosts of Whitehall Mansion. Downtown tours are offered Friday and Saturday nights. Graveyard strolls are offered on Sunday evenings. Tour times vary seasonally.

The lighthouse has stood guard at the mouth of the Thames River since 1909. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of “Ernie,” a former lighthouse keeper who leapt to his death after learning his wife had run off with a local captain.

Recently featured in an episode of Syfy's Ghost Hunters, this historic movie palace has been filled with paranormal activity for years. Some of those who work late at the Garde believe that a handful of spirits may be keeping them company, possibly former inhabitants of the former 1798 Williams Mansion that once stood in the theater’s place. Others have claimed to see a little girl with a balloon wandering the balcony.

Photo courtesy of the Garde Arts Center

Captain Daniel Packer’s  7-year-old niece, Ada Clift, is said to haunt the restaurant and pub since her death from scarlet fever. They say her favorite place to play is in the stairwell.  Some employees say that the Captain still roams there as well.

Employees, volunteers and visitors have reported many sightings, unidentified lights and voices over the years. Connecticut’s state hero Nathan Hale's parents built the house in 1776, the year he was captured by the British and hung as a spy.

Photo courtesy of Connecticut Landmarks.

The boyhood summer home of the Nobel prize-winning playwright Eugene O’Neill.  Registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1971, the Cottage is the setting for two of O’Neill’s most notable works, Long Days Journey Into Night and Ah, Wilderness! Said to be haunted by O’Neill’s mother, Ella. The cottage is currently closed — be on the lookout for its reopening!

Photo courtesy of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center

The world’s last wooden whale ship is a National Historic Landmark. Approximately 1,000 men worked aboard the wooden ship during her 60-year career, and various shipyard workers of the Mystic Seaport Museum have claimed to have felt the presence of someone – or thing – onboard.
 

Photo courtesy of Mystic Seaport

Legend has it that every year at midnight on Halloween, Benedict Arnold rides up to his mother’s gravestone on a white horse.

Known locally as The Mill Museum, this building complex was once part of Willimantic’s thriving textile industry. Visitors to the 18-century landmark have experienced cold spots, strange noises and feelings of being watched.

Many people have reported hearing the ghost of 9-year-old Hannah Tracy Huntington at this 341-year-old inn-turned-tavern-turned-museum. The exact year of her death is unknown, but it is said that she passed away at the house. A piece of her needlework remains on display at the Museum.

The story of Whitehall Mansion begins in 1771 when Dr. Dudley Woodbridge purchased a plot of land where a tavern and stagecoach once stood. The house served as Dr. Woodbridge’s office and clinic for many years. Over the years, guests of the mansion have reported strange sounds and sightings throughout the rooms of the mansion. Lucy, Dr. Dudley’s daughter, is said to be the “main” ghost in the house.