- A Haunting in (Camp) Connecticut - Part 2

Main sign inside the campground

So..... I woke up this morning at 1:30 am... don't ask my why, but I've been up since... SOMETHING told me to get on the computer and find out what I could about Camp Connecticut. So that's what I did and that's what I did. I'm pretty happy that my super-sleuthing skills are up to par. Although many questions remain unanswered, I think I did pretty good for a "virgin"... DRUM ROLL !!!!!!!!!

As with everything in life, there are rumors, speculation and flat out made up stories with regard to the closing of Camp Connecticut - AND controversy... despite very little information being available.

When I first starting reading a message board, I got the impression that the camp was a day camp for kids. However, later in the thread it sounded more like a family campground - you'll SEE why - as a couple of the poster's on the board actually spent quite a bit of time there growing up in the 80's. Also, there were 2 posters that shed an ENORMOUS amount of light on the subject

Facts: This is what I know for sure... LOL

• There is a former camp in Colchester named Camp Connecticut
• Camp Connecticut dedicated (opened ?) in 1977
• Camp Connecticut is OWNED by.... the "IOOF".... um, the Odd Fellows - one of the participants in that thread belonged to the organization and offered to get permission to take people through the camp.. although that post was last year and he never posted after that.

Basically that's all I can be sure of at this point. Certainly there were people discrediting the claim that the camp is haunted but there also several people who claimed to have visited both during the day and at night and either their imaginations played tricks on them or something really is going on over there.

Rumors: Here's a few stories about what happened to probably close the camp

• A (the) camp counselor went crazy and killed up to 60 children
• A bus full of children caught fire and several of them died
• A girl drowned in the pond
• A girl was murdered in one of the fields
• The owner murdered his daughter
• Satanic rituals and activity

Happenings: These are the claims of some of the visitors

• As in every paranormal hot-spot, claims of light "orbs" - red, blue and white
• "Ghostly" mist floating above the ground
• Dark figures crossing paths in front of them
• Up to 40 apparitions at the gate
• Screams and voices - most often involving a little girl
• Cold drafts and cold hands touching them
• "Phantom" truck drivers of a seemingly silent truck
• Areas where flashlights flicker and/or new batteries die
• Several claims of cell phones and cameras malfunctioning
• Stories of ghosts following some of them home to haunt them

Pretty standard stuff for people to claim as many of them seemed to consider themselves ghost-hunters. Many of them described the camp and all descriptions seem to coincide with each other, although I have purposely omitted any detail, so apparently there's a camp there with a pond and some structures.

NOW for the good part... and you can thank me for having a MySpace account later. Although I never use it, I needed it to.... see pictures posted by visitors !!!!!!!!! SOOOOOOOOO... here ya go !!!!!!!!! keep in mind that these pictures were taken by 4 different people on 4 totally separate visits - not even in the same year...

Check me if I'm wrong but that's kinda spooky mist... Anyway, I'll also share some photos from the same people that show what the camp looks like.. THEN, I have a treat in store...

Apparently there's some sort of outdoor "church", complete with pews, altar and pulpit.

Now here's a treat... one of the visitors actually had her pictures on Photobucket... SO OF COURSE I GRABBED THE SLIDESHOW TO EMBED IT !!!!!!!!!

NOW, obviously this property does contain some structures, vehicles, STORAGE trailers - there are even outhouses as apparently there was never any electricity or running water to the camp.

AND, what there is NOW, is activity... but apparently human activity. A day sleuth reported that it looked liked it was being used as a logging camp. Others report it looks like a hunting camp - with MANY shell casings to be found - and being chased away by a man in a hunting vest... AND several report having visited day and night and there being active fires in one of the fire-pits. (and then NOT)...

Now, there was also someone that supposedly had an EVP recording taken while at the camp posted on his MySpace profile - although that was over 2 years ago and he must have removed it or I would have posted that too...

BUT, I'm not done yet !!! Along with obtaining the above during my few hours of pre-dawn research, I was reading a thread and one of the ladies from Ghost Chat New England posted that she had visited Camp Connecticut and had taken some video... WOO HOO !!!!!!

So I searched their archives and found the Google Video of a show they aired in early 2008. The narrative is basically a history of the Odd Fellows so you may want to turn the volume down... also these 2 ladies are a bit funny... but there's some good daytime footage of what the camp looks like if you want to check it out. (anyone know how to embed google vids?)

So, is my quest over ??? HELL NO !!!! I called this "part 2" NOT "the conclusion" - I'm a show me kinda guy and it'll take at least that and more to convince me that there isn't something unusual about this camp... Certainly there are accounts that seem to say there are things going on there and certainly ones that say there aren't. I think I'll just find out for myself, thank you very much.

Add'l Resources:

Ghostvillage.com - this is the site where I read the thread on the message board

Odd Fellows CT - offices - apparently these would be who to contact to gain legal access - "F" THAT !!!

The Hunt - MySpace profile that has an album with pics of the camp from his visit

And obviously Photobucket and Ghost Chat New England.