Is the eerie reputation of a Connecticut town just myth, or is it the reason for its prohibition on visitors?
The very fact that it’s illegal to set foot in this town in southern New England likely makes it even more appealing to horror enthusiasts.
For those who find themselves yelling at the screen when a character investigates a mysterious noise, the chilling tales about this town might have you covering your eyes.
In the early 1740s, settlers made their home in a part of Cornwall, CT.
Many of these settlers were from the Dudley family and fittingly named the area Dudleytown.
Situated in a valley known as the Dark Entry Forest (a name that speaks volumes), the valley served as farmland until the 19th century, when many residents left seeking more productive lands.
Fortunately, they did leave, as others were not so fortunate. Imagine the scary soundtrack playing.
When Nathaniel Carter moved to the town, six of his relatives succumbed to cholera. The remaining family members relocated to New York, only to be killed there.
Another local, Gershon Hollister, met an untimely death while constructing a barn for his neighbor, William Tanner. Tanner reportedly became fixated on tales of creatures emerging from the woods at night, as did his neighbor.
In 1804, General Herman Swift lived in the town when his wife, Sara Faye, was fatally struck by lightning on their porch, leading him to die from grief shortly after.
Over time, more residents died, with numerous accounts of people witnessing creatures in the surrounding woods.
By 1900, nearly all residents had either died or left, and the town was completely deserted when the last family either died or vanished.
Years later, Dr. William Clarke discovered the town and wanted to use it as a second home. After returning from a trip to New York in 1918, he found his wife distraught, claiming to have seen creatures in the woods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGWef6g9qWI
Clarke moved away but helped establish the ‘Dark Entry Forest Association’ to preserve the area’s remnants and the forest.
Today, only cellar holes and stone foundations remain, and it is illegal to visit to deter trespassers and vandals.
Nonetheless, many still try to visit and have reportedly experienced the sensation of phantom hands touching them as they do.