“Mysteries once thought to be supernatural or paranormal happenings—such as astronomical or meteorological events—are incorporated into science once their causes are understood.”
—MICHAEL SHERMER
The investigation of the house on Lindley Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut (the subject of my book The World’s Most Haunted House), profoundly changed me. There was no preparation, however, for what lay in my immediate future. The singular, malevolent essence I had encountered in studying the case on Lindley Street would be replaced by a vast variety of fascinating, if often irritating, entities whose existence seemed to intrude not only on one another, but more specifically on the lives in an extended family, which for generations had occupied the farmhouse that sat there at the vortex of a paranormal flap.
There are some areas that are just ripe for paranormal activity. It doesn’t mean everyone in that area will experience phenomena. Far from it. Some will go their entire lives without an incident. Others, however, will experience a small piece of phenomena at these virtual paranormal crossroads. They will see a UFO or hear the cry of an unknown animal and then see a new species with their own eyes. Or perhaps a few odd things are happening in their house and have been for years. And some, the few, lie at or near the epicenter of all such activity and experience a mix of all things paranormal.
Litchfield Hills and its surrounding towns contain just such a crossroads. And located in Torrington and Goshen, Connecticut, lies one of the most fascinating and unusual paranormal flaps ever discovered.
Like most wanna-be paranormal investigators, I, too, found myself in the somewhat awkward position of wanting to be a part of it—to witness the unearthly, unexplainable things for myself. My friend and mentor, Paul Eno, explained to me how one has to be psychologically ready for this sort of journey, and it is most definitely not for the unprepared, run-of-the-mill curiosity seeker. One has to adroitly tread the fine lines between that of investigator and intruder, friend and professionally detached skeptic. However, one has to start somewhere and, as is so often the case, it begins with a boundless portion of curiosity. On that count, I certainly fit the bill. I trusted Paul’s advice and proceeded with care and caution.
It was during one of our regular luncheon meetings—paranormal investigators Paul and Ben Eno and I—that we began discussing one of the most interesting and varied cases they had ever investigated. This investigation had been ongoing since 2005!
Paul said, “This is more in your neck of the woods, Bill. Right down your alley. Would you like me to introduce you to the family? I’m sure we can arrange for all of us to meet there at the house.”
Boy, would I, I thought. It seemed almost too good to be true. Once again, I was filled with the wide-eyed anticipation and heart-pounding joy of a little boy hurrying down that long winding stairway on Christmas morning.
Not long after, it was arranged for Paul, Ben, Marc Dantonio (an astrophysicist), and me to meet at the 1700s farmhouse that sits at the center of the paranormal crossroads in Litchfield Hills, Connecticut. The family was cordial and open, and the relationship built easily and comfortably.
After our initial meeting, as we walked around the knoll and down the hill, Paul turned to me and said, “Perhaps this is book two for you. It certainly is worthy of it.”
That paranormal flap is the subject of this work. And one home in particular, located at the epicenter of this activity, is the subject of the haunted diaries contained within and will be our focus for identifying the broad scope of phenomena that transverses this rural area.
Paul was right. And this is it.
—Bill Hall
Plainville, Connecticut
November 2014
Figure I-1. Aerial still taken from the drone filming of the land for the investigation. Photo still used by permission of Marc Dantonio.