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*WARNING: This episode discusses suicide and mental health crises. Listener discretion advised.*

Deep in the Connecticut wilderness lies the abandoned ruins of what might be America’s most cursed settlement. Dudleytown was founded in the 1740s by families carrying a supposed generational curse from Tudor England - and for nearly a century, tragedy after tragedy struck its residents until the entire community was abandoned to the forest.

In this episode, we dive deep into the dark history of this notorious ghost town, from the political executions that allegedly cursed the Dudley family line, to the mysterious deaths, disappearances, and psychological breakdowns that plagued the settlement’s residents. We’ll explore the documented accounts of colonial-era hauntings, the modern paranormal investigations that captured ghostly figures on film, and the reason why this Connecticut forest has been completely closed to the public for over 50 years.

Was Dudleytown the victim of a supernatural curse, or just a failed settlement whose tragic history spawned one of New England’s most persistent ghost stories? The evidence suggests the answer might be more disturbing than either explanation alone.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

-Cornwall Historical Society Archives - Original settlement records and land deeds

- CT State Library - Colonial census data and death records for Litchfield Cty

- Reverend Samuel Peters’ Journal (1760s-1780s) - Contemporary observations of Dudleytown residents

- Yale University Manuscripts & Archives - Dr. William Clarke’s 1928 psychological study

- Dudley family genealogical records, English Historical Society

- Thomas Griffis land purchase records, 1747

- Cornwall town meeting minutes regarding the “abandoned settlement” (1830-1850)

- Hartford Courant archives - 1892 hiker incident reports

- Environmental Psychology and Anomalous Locations - Dr. Sarah Chen, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 1994

- Robert Chen Photography Collection - Mystic Seaport Museum archives (1934 Dudleytown expedition)

- Dark Entry Forest Association records and incident reports (1969-present)

- CT State Police records of trespassing incidents and psychiatric emergencies

-Cursed Places of CT - David Phillips, 1971

- Ghost Towns of New England- various authors, CT Historical Society, 1985

- The Dudley Curse: Fact or Fiction? - New England Folklore Quarterly, Vol. 23, 1967

- Abandoned Settlements of the Litchfield Hills - Robert Morrison, University of CT Press, 1989

- Paul Morrison paranormal investigation report, *Anomalous Phenomena Quarterly*, 1988

- UConn student incident documentation, university

Hello to all my fellow wanderers of the weird... the curious collectors of the uncanny... the strange and unusual souls who feel most at home in the shadows. Welcome to Creepy Shit.

Each week, I'll take you on a journey through genuinely haunted locations where the veil wears thin, unravel forgotten folklore that explains why that cold spot won't leave your bedroom corner, and share the essential knowledge.

No bullshit, no over-dramatic whispers, just the authentically creepy stories and spiritual survival skills you crave. Think of this as your paranormal field guide – equal parts campfire tales, cultural history, and "what to do when that shadow in the hallway definitely isn't your coat rack."

So come on, strange and unusual friends. Let's explore the unexplained together. New episodes weekly – for those who know the night has always held more truth than the day.

Follow on Instagram @creepy_shit_podcast for haunting images, paranormal evidence, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the research behind each episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Step inside America’s most notorious haunted house, where documented historical atrocities created a supernatural legacy that spans nearly two centuries. The LaLaurie Mansion at 1140 Royal Street in New Orleans isn’t just haunted—it’s a monument to human evil so profound that it seems to have permanently scarred reality itself.

Discover the documented evidence behind 150+ years of unexplained phenomena: why security systems malfunction, why delivery drivers refuse to approach the door, and why this mansion has earned its reputation as the most haunted house in America. We’ll separate historical fact from folklore embellishment, revealing that the truth is far more disturbing than any ghost story.

This isn’t just another haunted house tale—it’s a deep dive into how extreme human evil can leave permanent marks on the physical world, creating a location so saturated with malevolent energy that it continues to impact lives nearly two centuries later.

**WARNING: This episode contains detailed discussions of historical torture, murder, and slavery-era atrocities that some listeners may find disturbing.**

**RATING:** Mature (16+) for historical violence and disturbing content

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

Historical Documents:

- *The New Orleans Bee*, April 11, 1834 (eyewitness fire accounts)

- *Louisiana Gazette*, November 12, 1823 (Dufilho pharmacy advertisement)

- William Cullen Bryant’s travel journal, 1834 (shipboard encounter with LaLaurie)

- Orleans Parish property records, 1831-present

- New Orleans funeral registers, 1830-1834

**Academic Sources:**

- Martineau, Harriet. *Retrospect of Western Travel* (1838)

- Long, Carolyn Morrow. *Madame LaLaurie, Mistress of the Haunted House* (University Press of Florida, 2012)

- Miles, Tiya. “Madame LaLaurie: French Quarter Fiend” in *Tales from the Haunted South* (University of North Carolina Press, 2015)

**Archival Collections:**

- The Historic New Orleans Collection

- Louisiana State Museum archives

- New Orleans Public Library Louisiana Division

- Notarial Archives Research Center

**Contemporary Accounts:**

- New Orleans Historical Society records

- BlackPast.org historical documentation

- 64 Parishes magazine archival research

- Louisiana state licensing board records

**Modern Documentation:**

- Orleans Parish property transfer records

- New Orleans city planning commission reports

- Published interviews with Nicolas Cage (2009-2012)

- Security company incident reports (publicly available records)

Hello to all my fellow wanderers of the weird... the curious collectors of the uncanny... the strange and unusual souls who feel most at home in the shadows. Welcome to Creepy Shit.

Each week, I'll take you on a journey through genuinely haunted locations where the veil wears thin, unravel forgotten folklore that explains why that cold spot won't leave your bedroom corner, and share the essential knowledge.

No bullshit, no over-dramatic whispers, just the authentically creepy stories and spiritual survival skills you crave. Think of this as your paranormal field guide – equal parts campfire tales, cultural history, and "what to do when that shadow in the hallway definitely isn't your coat rack."

So come on, strange and unusual friends. Let's explore the unexplained together. New episodes weekly – for those who know the night has always held more truth than the day.

Follow on Instagram @creepy_shit_podcast for haunting images, paranormal evidence, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the research behind each episode.

Share your thoughts or send a request

We’re back with another spine-tingling bonus episode that’s going to blow your minds! Fresh off Monday’s cemetery deep-dive, we’re staying in that beautifully dark headspace to chat about something absolutely incredible - author Gina Black and her fascinating book “Etched in Stone: Decoding Hidden Meanings in Cemeteries” available on Amazon .

This bonus episode is the perfect companion piece to our cemetery exploration because, let’s be real, the vibes are immaculate. We’re diving deep into Gina’s expertise as a seasoned explorer who has traveled the world researching cemeteries, unraveling the mysteries of their symbolism Amazon . If you’ve ever wandered through a graveyard wondering what those intricate carvings, symbols, and designs actually mean, this episode is your new obsession.

Gina’s book is the ultimate guide to understanding the meanings behind the designs and etchings in headstones, plus the artwork on mausoleums and monuments RSS.com . We’re talking about decoding secrets etched in weathered stone monuments overlooked by time, from majestic iron gates to lavish mausoleums Amazon .

Whether you’re a cemetery enthusiast, a history buff, or just someone who gets fascinated by hidden meanings and symbolism, this episode hits different. Gina guides us on an illuminating journey into the past, unveiling extraordinary insight that weaves a deeper connection to our ancestors and breathing new life into the enduring legacy of these sacred stone gardens

For More with Gina be sure to follow her on instagram @shehaunts

Hello to all my fellow wanderers of the weird... the curious collectors of the uncanny... the strange and unusual souls who feel most at home in the shadows. Welcome to Creepy Shit.

Each week, I'll take you on a journey through genuinely haunted locations where the veil wears thin, unravel forgotten folklore that explains why that cold spot won't leave your bedroom corner, and share the essential knowledge.

No bullshit, no over-dramatic whispers, just the authentically creepy stories and spiritual survival skills you crave. Think of this as your paranormal field guide – equal parts campfire tales, cultural history, and "what to do when that shadow in the hallway definitely isn't your coat rack."

So come on, strange and unusual friends. Let's explore the unexplained together. New episodes weekly – for those who know the night has always held more truth than the day.

Follow on Instagram @creepy_shit_podcast for haunting images, paranormal evidence, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the research behind each episode.