Dudleytown, Connecticut, Litchfield County is often called a “cursed” ghost town due to its mysterious and eerie history, filled with tales of misfortune and tragedy. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Litchfield County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 41.8206° N, 73.3365° W
Elevation: Approximately 1,345 feet (410 meters)
Time Zone: Eastern Time Zone (ET)
Established: Around the mid-18th century
Disestablished: Not formally disestablished, but effectively abandoned in the late 19th to early 20th century
Comments: The Dudley family founded Dudleytown in the mid-1700s. The town’s reputation for being “cursed” began when a series of unfortunate events, including mysterious deaths, mental health issues, and financial ruin, plagued its residents.
These events have sparked numerous legends and paranormal investigations over the years. A local rumor that has been frequently shared on the internet alleges that the founders of Dudleytown were descended from Edmund Dudley, an English nobleman who was beheaded for treason during the reign of Henry VII.
From that moment on, the Dudley family was placed under a curse, which followed them across the Atlantic to America. This curse is blamed for instances of crop failures and mental illness in the village.
Local historians, however, have found no genealogical link between the Dudley family of Cornwall and the English nobleman, and have noted many other factual inconsistencies in the rumors.
Remains: Few physical remains of Dudleytown exist today. The area is mostly overgrown with forest, and visitors might find some stone foundations and cellar holes that hint at its past habitation.
Current Status: Dudleytown is located on private property owned by the Dark Entry Forest Association, which strictly prohibits public access to preserve the land and prevent vandalism. Trespassers are subject to fines and prosecution.
Remarks: Despite its haunted reputation, historians suggest that Dudleytown’s decline was more likely due to practical challenges such as poor soil for farming and its remote location, which made sustaining a community difficult.
Nevertheless, its atmosphere and history continue to capture the imagination of those interested in ghost towns and the supernatural. The village’s decline has been attributed to its distance from clean drinking water and soils unsuitable for cultivation.
One confirmed case of suicide of a village resident took place in New York state rather than within Cornwall. Since at least the 1990s, police in Cornwall have responded to numerous cases of vandalism, getting lost, or trespassing at night in Dudleytown.
The 1999 movie The Blair Witch Project, about a haunted forest, prompted increased interest in the allegedly haunted village, increasing the frequency of such incidents.
The owners of the Dudleytown property have closed it to the public, and neighbors and town police keep a lookout for trespassers.
