Governor Lamont, Tourism Officials Announce Launch of the Connecticut Haunted History Trail

New Statewide Tourism Experience Brings Together Nearly 400 Years of Haunted Landmarks, Paranormal Lore and Some of Connecticut’s Most Mysterious Places

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism today announced the launch of the Connecticut Haunted History Trail, a new statewide tourism experience featuring more than 130 locations across Connecticut connected to haunted landmarks, paranormal lore, witch-trial history, and centuries of unexplained stories.

The trail spans nine categories, including haunted homes, museums, and theaters; cemeteries; hiking trails; ghost and paranormal tours; restaurants; lighthouses; witch, occult, and metaphysical collections; hotels; and sites connected to Connecticut’s colonial witch trials.

“Connecticut has nearly 400 years of stories to tell, including chapters of our history that deserve to be remembered and understood,” Governor Lamont said. “This trail gives people an opportunity to learn more about that history, while also discovering the extraordinary places, legends, and stories found throughout our state, and supporting the many small businesses and attractions that make Connecticut so unique.”

Visitors can explore the Connecticut Haunted History Trail and view the interactive map at CTvisit.com/haunted-history.

The new experience draws upon one of Connecticut’s most compelling—and often overlooked—chapters of history. Connecticut’s witch trials began in 1647, approximately 45 years before Salem, when Alse (Alice) Young of Windsor became the first person executed for witchcraft in the American colonies. At least 49 people were accused of witchcraft in colonial Connecticut, at least 34 were indicted and at least 11 were executed. In 2023, nearly four centuries later, the Connecticut General Assembly adopted House Joint Resolution 34, formally acknowledging the injustice committed against those accused and convicted of witchcraft in colonial Connecticut and apologizing to their descendants.

The Connecticut Haunted History Trail extends far beyond the state’s witch-trial history. It includes historic homes and theaters associated with reported paranormal activity, centuries-old cemeteries, reportedly haunted restaurants and hotels, mysterious lighthouse lore, ghost tours, abandoned places, unusual collections and locations connected to Connecticut’s longstanding fascination with the unexplained.

The trail launches as haunted-history and paranormal travel continue to attract visitors looking for experiences that combine history, storytelling and a sense of mystery. Connecticut has long earned a reputation as being one of the most haunted states in the country, with centuries of ghost stories, paranormal lore and historic sites associated with unexplained activity.

“Travelers continue to seek experiences that give them a story to take home with them, and Connecticut has extraordinary stories hiding in plain sight,” Morgan Nyerick, director of the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism, said. “Our tourism strategy is about finding unexpected and highly memorable ways to connect people with the places, businesses and history that make Connecticut different. The Haunted History Trail takes something people are already fascinated by and turns it into a reason to travel across the state, discover communities they may never have visited and experience Connecticut through an entirely different lens.”

Building on Connecticut’s successful tourism trail strategy

The Connecticut Haunted History Trail builds on a series of statewide tourism initiatives that have generated significant national attention for Connecticut, including the Connecticut Pizza Trail, Christmas Movie Trail, and Connecticut Oyster Trail.

The trail strategy allows visitors to build their own itineraries around a shared interest while driving visitation to communities and tourism businesses throughout the state.

The nationally recognized Pizza Capital of the U.S. initiative demonstrated the power of that approach. According to Connecticut’s latest H2R Brand Perception and Health Study, 60% of the state’s target audience recalled seeing, hearing, or reading coverage about Connecticut pizza in 2025, while 62% agreed that Connecticut has great pizza—an increase of 17% over the previous year.

The Christmas Movie Trail similarly capitalized on Connecticut’s growing profile as a filming destination, transforming locations featured in holiday movies into a seasonal visitor experience.

“Trails make it incredibly easy for travelers to turn an interest into an itinerary,” Connecticut Tourism Director Rachel Lenda said. “What makes the Connecticut Haunted History Trail especially exciting is the range. Someone might come because they are fascinated by witch-trial history, another visitor may want a paranormal tour, and someone else may want to stay in a historic inn, visit an old cemetery, or hike somewhere with a great local legend. With more than 130 stops across the state, there isn’t just one way to experience this trail—and that gives visitors a reason to explore more communities, stay longer and come back again.”

Haunted History Trail officially unveiled at Wethersfield event

The Connecticut Haunted History Trail was formally unveiled Wednesday evening during a special event at the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum in Wethersfield, following a daylong preview experience for invited media and content creators.

The evening featured Steve Gonsalves and Shari DeBenedetti of “Ghost Hunters;” author and Connecticut witch-trial historian Beth M. Caruso; psychic medium Angelina Diana; and additional experiences including Tea and Tarot, along with programming highlighting Connecticut history, folklore and paranormal traditions.

Tourism continues to grow in Connecticut

The new trail launches amid continued growth for Connecticut’s tourism economy. Connecticut welcomed 72.2 million visitors in 2025, an increase of 3.1%, more than twice the national growth rate of 1.5%, according to the latest Annual Tourism Economics Report.

Tourism generated $20.1 billion in total economic impact, including $12.3 billion in direct visitor spending, and supported 125,167 jobs—approximately 5% of all jobs in Connecticut. Visitor activity also generated $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue.

That momentum has continued in 2026. Through June, statewide hotel occupancy increased 4.3%, compared with growth of 1.3% nationally and a 0.8% decline across New England.

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