Connecticut doesn’t have traditional ghost towns, but you’ll find something better—haunted historic inns where spirits haven’t checked out for centuries. You can sleep in Room 353 at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, where Alice Conley’s presence still lingers, or brave the Revolutionary War-era Captain Grant’s Inn with its phantom children. The 1763 Blackberry River Inn offers encounters with Mrs. Keyes in Rooms 8 and 9, complete with cold spots and mysterious noises. These properties blend authentic colonial architecture with documented paranormal activity that’ll keep you wide awake.
Key Takeaways
- Connecticut offers haunted inns rather than ghost towns, with historic properties like Captain Grant’s Inn and Blackberry River Inn available for overnight stays.
- Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington, established in 1924, closed in 2015 but was a notable haunted lodging destination during operation.
- Curtis House Restaurant and Inn, built in 1770, provides overnight accommodations with documented paranormal activity and colonial-era spirits.
- Heritage Inn in New Milford operates as an 1870 tobacco warehouse conversion offering lodging with reported friendly ghost encounters.
- The Griswold Inn, dating to 1776, remains an operational historic inn with maritime ghost stories and overnight guest accommodations available.
Blackberry River Inn: Where Mrs. Keyes Still Watches Over Her Guests
Nestled on 27 acres in Connecticut’s southern Berkshires, the Blackberry River Inn at 538 Greenwoods Rd W in Norfolk has welcomed travelers since the Schwarzhaupts converted it from a working farm in the 1940s.
A historic 27-acre Connecticut inn, transformed from farmland to welcoming guest retreat in the 1940s by the Schwarzhaupt family.
The historical architecture dates to 1763, featuring semi-elliptical arches added during 1920s renovations and a cherry-paneled library with hearth fireplace. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the early 1980s, recognizing its architectural and historical significance.
You’ll find Mrs. Keyes‘ spirit particularly active in rooms 8 and 9, where she died in the early 19th century. Guests report cold spots and unexplained noises, though she’s considered protective rather than threatening.
The Lady in White—Francis—roams second-floor hallways, while a Revolutionary War soldier and young boy also haunt the property.
For paranormal research enthusiasts, the underground tunnel network suggests Underground Railroad connections, adding historical depth to your overnight investigation.
The inn provides modern amenities including free WiFi and parking, ensuring comfortable accommodations despite the property’s supernatural reputation.
Captain Grant’s Inn: a Revolutionary War Haven With Lingering Spirits
You’ll find Mercy Adelaide Avery’s spirit most active in her namesake room, where guests report her yanking shower curtains and appearing alongside ghostly children.
The inn’s paranormal activity caught national attention in 2003 when CNN crowned it a top haunted destination, later attracting crews from A&E’s Psychic Kids and the Travel Channel.
If you’re hoping to capture evidence yourself, previous investigators have recorded chilling EVPs whispering “Come back in here” and “I love you” throughout the property’s colonial halls.
Built in 1754, the Captain Grant Home originally served as a Revolutionary War garrison for Continental Army soldiers before becoming one of Connecticut’s most haunted inns.
Beyond the main house, visitors can explore the front cemetery across the street where Captain Grant and his wife Mercy are buried, with graves dating back to the early 1700s.
Mercy Adelaide Avery Sightings
Since 1754, visitors to Captain Grant’s Inn have reported encounters with Mercy Adelaide Avery, whose spectral form still wanders the halls in Colonial-era dress with two ghostly children clutching her hands.
You’ll most likely spot her in the Adelaide Room, where she’s knocked down shower curtains and switched on televisions without warning.
She appears on the main staircase and materializes at guests’ bedsides, forever waiting for Captain Grant—her star-crossed lover lost at sea.
The inn’s owners describe Mercy as protective rather than threatening.
During renovations, workers discovered hidden secret passages used by Continental soldiers, adding another layer to the property’s paranormal activity.
The property also served as refuge for escaped slaves during the Civil War, contributing to its rich and layered history.
Paranormal investigators have captured whispered words and sentences on EVP recordings throughout the inn, with over ten distinct voices documented in locations like the billiards room.
With Poquetanuck’s first cemetery directly behind the building—where Mercy herself rests—you’re positioned at Connecticut’s most documented Revolutionary-era haunting.
Paranormal Investigation Television Features
You’ll find compelling evidence captured by investigators: whispers saying “Come back in here” near Adelaide’s room.
And a child’s voice confessing “I love you” among historical artifacts.
They’ve even recorded floating objects on video.
The proximity to Poquetanuck’s 1600s cemetery, combined with Revolutionary and Civil War connections, creates intense paranormal activity.
Visitors have witnessed a Colonial-era woman accompanied by two children in The Adelaide Room, adding credibility to the documented supernatural encounters.
These nationally-televised investigations validate what guests experience nightly.
Yankee Pedlar Inn: Alice Conley’s Eternal Residence in Room 353
You’ll find the Yankee Pedlar Inn standing silent in downtown Torrington, its boarded windows hiding decades of paranormal activity centered on Room 353. Alice Conley, who died there in 1910 after managing the elegant hotel with her husband Frank, allegedly never left.
Guests reported shadowy figures, unexplained smells, and an overwhelming presence that made even cleaning staff refuse to enter alone. Her spirit became so synonymous with the property that a rocking chair in the lobby, perpetually moving on its own, bore a sign warning visitors not to sit where Alice might be keeping watch over her beloved inn.
The inn closed in 2015 when lack of funding made necessary renovations impossible, but the spirits are believed to remain in the silent building.
Room 295 also earned a sinister reputation, where guests experienced flickering lights, moving objects, and unsettling dreams that seemed shared between different visitors who stayed there.
Alice Conley’s Tragic Death
After decades of tireless dedication to the Conley Inn, Alice’s life came to an abrupt and mysterious end in 1910. You’ll find no clear records explaining exactly what happened in her final moments, adding to the property’s enigmatic allure.
What’s certain is that Alice spent her last days within the walls she’d helped create—the same structure with marble floors and antique oak furnishings that she’d managed since 1891. Frank died the same year, leaving their niece to inherit the legacy. The property was expanded and sold in 1912, marking the end of the Conley family’s direct ownership.
Through subsequent historic renovations and changes to the hotel architecture, Alice’s presence reportedly never left. Staff and guests claim she still wanders the halls, particularly room 353, where many believe she drew her final breath in the building she loved most.
Room 353 Paranormal Activity
Though countless rooms fill the Yankee Pedlar Inn’s historic corridors, Room 353 stands apart as the epicenter of Alice Conley’s afterlife activity. You’ll encounter spiritual energy that’s impossible to ignore when staying in this notorious space.
Guests and staff report these ghostly manifestations:
- A woman in a white wedding dress checking on occupants throughout the night
- Invisible forces climbing into bed and tucking blankets under your feet
- Phantom odors and strange smells permeating the air without source
- Shadow figures and unexplained voices that follow you around the suite
Staff members once refused to clean Room 353 alone after experiencing doors slamming shut and overwhelming presences. During paranormal investigations, researchers felt blanket movements and detected intelligent responses through their equipment, confirming something otherworldly lingers here.
Griswold Inn: The Sea Captain Who Never Left Port
Step through the heavy wooden door at 36 Main Street in Essex, and you’ll find yourself in a time capsule that’s been welcoming travelers since 1776. The Griswold Inn’s maritime history runs deep—built to serve shipbuilders constructing the Continental Navy’s Oliver Cromwell. It’s witnessed British occupation, Prohibition rum runners, and countless sailors seeking refuge.
Since 1776, this riverside inn has sheltered shipbuilders, sailors, and rum runners through revolution, occupation, and peacetime.
Legend speaks of a sea captain who still roams the original 1776 structure, now the hotel lobby. Staff report unexplained footsteps echoing through corridors and doors opening on windless nights.
The hospitality evolution here spans six family ownerships, yet something—or someone—remains anchored to this riverside landmark.
Visit the Tap Room, crafted from a 1738 schoolhouse, where locals swap ghost stories over drinks. The inn operates 364 days yearly, maintaining its supernatural reputation alongside New England cuisine.
Curtis House Restaurant and Inn: Nancy Crary’s 250-Year Presence
When the Crary family constructed their colonial home in Woodbury in 1770, they couldn’t have imagined Nancy Crary would still be watching over it 250 years later.
This gray-haired guardian in a shawl famously awakened guests during a fire, preventing tragedy through supernatural intervention.
The building’s historical significance draws visitors seeking authentic ghostly encounters in Connecticut’s oldest inn.
You’ll find multiple spirits roaming Curtis House:
- Nancy Crary haunting the North Room on the second floor
- A colonial-era man wandering various guest quarters
- A Confederate soldier occupying the liquor room
- Joseph Hardesty, a former worker, still making his rounds
Expect disembodied footsteps, phantom music, and unexplained voices throughout your stay.
Nancy’s protective presence transforms this from mere lodging into an encounter with Connecticut’s living history.
Heritage Inn: New Milford’s Mysterious Overnight Experience
Nestled at 34 Bridge Street in New Milford, the Heritage Inn‘s 1870 tobacco warehouse bones still creak with stories from another era. You’ll sleep beneath 12-foot ceilings where original beams frame twenty spacious rooms, each appointed with period touches that honor the building’s National Register status.
Local legends whisper of two friendly ghosts wandering these halls, though they’ve managed to rattle even seasoned paranormal seekers. The historical architecture speaks louder than any ghost tour—every corner reveals authentic artifacts from Connecticut’s agricultural past.
Rates start at $191 nightly, and you’re just 1.2 miles from downtown exploration. Take Route 7 from I-84, then Route 202 East. Call (860) 350-3097 to book your stay where history and mystery intertwine without pretense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Children Allowed to Stay at These Haunted Connecticut Inns?
You’ll find it’s your lucky night—these haunted Connecticut inns welcome children without age restrictions. Family policies embrace all adventurous souls seeking ghostly encounters. Pack your bags fearlessly; Captain Grant’s, Yankee Pedlar, and Blackberry River Inn don’t limit your family’s paranormal exploration.
What Is the Average Nightly Rate at Connecticut’s Haunted Hotels?
You’ll find rates varying widely, from $150 per person at Shanley Hotel to $2,299 at Warren House on weekends. Each haunted hotel’s history and unique ghost stories in inns justify different pricing, so you’ll want to compare based on your experience preferences.
Do Guests Need to Book Ghost Tours Separately or Included?
Like telegram-era travelers seeking adventure, you’ll find ghost tour packages separate from room rates at Captain Grant’s Inn. However, Halloween events bundle haunting experiences with accommodations, giving you complete paranormal access and ultimate flexibility in your spooky getaway.
Are Pets Permitted at Any of These Haunted Inns?
Pet policies aren’t documented at these haunted inns based on available information. You’ll need to contact each property directly about their haunted inn rules before booking with your furry companion, as they don’t advertise pet accommodations online.
Which Haunted Inn Is Closest to Major Highways or Airports?
Like a phantom highway beckoning travelers, you’ll find Yankee Pedlar Inn closest to I-84 and Bradley International Airport. Despite its haunted inn history and paranormal activities reported, you’re just sixty minutes from Hartford’s freedom-filled roads and convenient flight connections.
References
- https://hauntedhotelstays.com/usa/connecticut
- https://www.captaingrants.com
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33894-d125467-r17841912-Captain_Grant_s_1754-Preston_Mystic_Country_Connecticut.html
- https://shoreline-connecticut.com/blog/most-haunted-locations-ghost-stories-legends
- https://www.cthauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/hotels.aspx
- https://frightfind.com/state-frights/connecticut/c/real-haunted-houses/real-haunted-hotels/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4V-3Wpuetw
- https://ctvisit.com/articles/haunting-eastern-connecticut
- https://frightfind.com/blackberry-river-inn-moseley-house-farm/
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/connecticut/haunted-blackberry-river-inn-ct
