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- 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.

11 screams:

John Silveira said...

I've gotten word that at least one "ghost" had a problem posting a comment... shoot me an email if anyone else experiences difficulty. thanks and Happy Haunting

Stephen B said...

The reason that the video that Ghost Chat New England presented concentrated on the Odd Fellows history rather then any paranormal activity is two-fold: one, that there was no consistant paranormal story-line or evidence that any real occurances of either ghostly activity, or for that matter, incidents that had ACTUALLY occured (deaths, tragedies ets) on the property that might lend itself to paranormal activity. And two, the International Order of Odd Fellows, who had owned and run the camp, is a worthy organization that has done a great deal of good in the community, and yet many people were ignorant of it's origins. That is why the piece was produced as with an historical bent to it. So if you are interested in actual history, and not just made up speculation for your entertainment, I would encourage you to actually listen to the narration. I want to thank John for referencing the peace, glad to provide some light on the subject.

Signed

Stephen B

The one who was there, the one who did the piece, and therefor should know why the piece was what it was.
Ghost Chat New England

PS I don't think you can embed google vids, but our newest episodes are uploaded on Motionbox, which allows embedding. Watch us with the East Coast Paranormal Police, Lorraine Warren, and others!!

GCNE

John Silveira said...

Thank you Stephen for that fantastic feedback. I honestly did listen to the narrative and that led me to research the IOOF... and I certaiunly understand GCNE stance on not reporting things that aren't founded.. as I noted, the only things known are that it was a camp and that the property is owned by the IOOF. Also, thanks for the heads up about Google vids and redirecting me. I will be watching.

John

Anonymous said...

i went there once and when we went through the entrance it was fine, we found an old work out vhs on the ground from like the 80s near a trailer. we also went down toward the pond where we saw a group of people in gowns in a circle. when they saw us one of them started to walk around the pond toward us. we ran out and on the way out a giant still fully alive tree was laying across the entrance. we drove by the next day and it wasnt there. weird....scariest place i have ever been. im not a ghost hunter. i was just a bored local. 90% of my friends ahve been there at one point or another out of curiousity..
-jennie

John Silveira said...

Wow Jennie, that's pretty spooky... I also am a local and have just formed a ghost hunting team. We'll be doing an investigation when the weather warms up with another team. That's not the first account I've read about a mysterious fallen tree either. Thanks for your comment

Anonymous said...

ok, so i live 5 minutes away from this place and me and my friend went down there bout 2 hours ago and we didnt go all the way because it was to dark for just the 2 of us. but when we came back out flahs light flickered on and off once. at the time i did not kno that this has happened before so i just thought i'd let you kno that i think the place is haunted somehow someway. but going back tomoro, let you kno what i find!

Anonymous said...

Me and a group of people are planning on heading down there at some point and we want to visit the so called "outdoor church;" where on the property is it?

John Silveira said...

I wouldn't advise going there. Along with the bobcats, wolves, coyotes and possibly bigger wildlife, there is usually someone there... with a shotgun.... just saying

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