By Susan Banning Associate Editor

Reprinted with permission
The Norwich Bulletin, October 16, 2006

Checking Out Some Old Haunts

SOME GHOSTS ARE UNWELCOME. The people who owned that notorious house in Amityville , N.Y. , for instance, probably found no allure in the approach of Halloween. But for those of us who live a relatively poltergeist-free existence, ghost-stories and October make the whole season that much more fun.

If your Halloween sense of adventure goes beyond dressing up in costume, why not spend it in a graveyard? Far from being macabre, this is an increasingly popular choice thanks to two local tours.

The Norwich Tourism Office is presenting it’s fourth annual graveyard walk in conjunction with the ConneCtions tour group. Ghost hunter Donna Kent leads the one-hour guided tour of the Norwichtown Burial Ground and the Norwichtown Green, and local experts such as Norwich City Historian Dale Plummer also add some fun to the proceedings. “We’ve had great turnouts,” says Jacquie Barbarossa of the Norwich Tourism Office. “It’s a very exciting event with a lot of folklore. Every year, I’m looking to find something new, a new orb...We really get into it, serving bloody cider and that kind of thing.” If that sounds appetizing, be sure to make a reservation for the tour and meet the group at the Norwichtown Green at 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 30.

ConneCTions, a tour operator based in Darien that covers the state, offers a popular package that makes the graveyard visit part of a daylong event, with a tour of haunted eastern Connecticut, dinner at a “haunted” restaurant and finally the stop at the cemetery. “We do a lot of business from word-of-mouth,” says Betty Cordellos of ConneCTions. “We break it down into groups when we get to the graveyard. Some people are into ghosts and legends, others are interested in psychic photography. And in this age of digital, we’ve very often been able to see some interesting things right away on their cameras, mysterious orbs and streaks and that kind of thing.” And everyone loves a good night of spookiness, as Cordellos can tell from the demographics of the crowd. “We get a great mix, from families with youngish kids to senior citizens,” she says. “It’s really the entire spectrum, which I just love. It’s great to see. It just shows we’ve been getting better at this every year.”

New London gets in on the fun with it’s own homage to history with a tour of Cedar Grove Cemetery , a fun event presented by the Hempsted Houses. Even thought it’s held on Halloween, this tour will do more to enrich your appreciation of an interesting genre of art than scare you silly. Hempsted Houses executive director Bill Hosley will lead a tour of Cedar Grove, the vast cemetery off Broad Street that you pass between Jefferson Avenue and Colman Street, and focus on the decorative art that is part of many of the gravesites. You’ll even see some genuine Tiffany glass that adorns one of the tombs.

Cedar Groves dates to the 1850's, when the elite of New London decided they needed a final resting place that reflected their social status. Even some long gone inhabitants of the city, including Joshua Hempsted, were exhumed and reburied at Cedar Grove. “The Hepmsteds felt they were among the most prominent families in the city, firmly in the upper crust, so there they were, digging up poor old Joshua,” says Jeanne Shelburne, site administrator for the Hempsted Houses.

To reserve a spot for the Lantern Light Graveyard Walk tour in Norwich , call the Norwich Tourism Office at 886-4683. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $3 for children under 10. If you are interested in the daylong excursion, call ConneCTions at 866-656-0207 or visit connectionsgrouptours.com