In the eerie realm of abandoned settlements, few can match the unsettling aura of Dudleytown, nestled within the foreboding Dark Entry Forest in Cornwall, Connecticut. Legend has it that the desolate town is ensnared in a curse akin to the eerie storyline of the 1999 thriller, The Blair Witch Project.
Dudleytown’s tragic history unfolded as a series of calamities drove its residents to flee, paving the way for paranormal enthusiasts, troublemakers, and vandals to later converge on the secluded rural enclave.
Established in the 1740s by Thomas Griffis, Dudleytown saw subsequent arrivals of Gideon Dudley, Barzillai Dudley, Abiel Dudley, and Martin Dudley. Despite its modest populace, the town began to wane in the 19th Century as inhabitants sought new horizons elsewhere.
The onset of Dudleytown’s ill fate can be traced back to the arrival of Nathaniel Carter, whose family was struck by cholera, leading to their untimely demise. Subsequently, a series of mysterious events unfolded, including the unexplained death of Gershon Hollister and the descent into madness of William Tanner, fueled by talks of lurking shadows.
Further tragedies befell Dudleytown, such as the lightning-induced demise of Sara Faye Swift in 1804, plunging her grief-stricken husband, Herman, into inconsolable sorrow before his own unexplained passing. By 1900, the last inhabitants had either perished or departed, leaving Dudleytown a ghostly memory. Some attribute the town’s misfortunes to a curse stemming from a Dudley descendant’s execution by King Henry VII of England for treason.
By the 1990s, Dudleytown had become a target for vandals and thrill-seekers, exacerbated by the release of The Blair Witch Project, drawing in ghost hunters captivated by the village’s haunted lore. Branded as a real-life “Village of the Damned,” Dudleytown is reputed to harbor poltergeist activity, misfortune, and madness.
To curb unwanted behavior, the landowners have enforced a strict closure of the area to the public, making it illegal to access Dudleytown, now designated as private property.
