Dizarranged is back with day 8 and 9 of 31, exploring haunted places across the globe you can travel to. In case you missed one, check out the full section here.
Locations: Cornwall, Connecticut, Tonopah, Nevada
Places: Dudleytown, The Mizpah Hotel
Dudleytown History
All right, this Earth-based Dudleytown location sounds really cool. Blending history with your worst nightmare in some timeless landscape even gives an alien-human hybrid like me goosebumps. Formed in the 1740s as part of Cornwall, Connecticut, Dudleytown was never really its own “town,” more like a cursed outpost tucked inside what’s now called the Dark Entry Forest. The Dudley family, said to have been cursed dating back to England in 1510 when Edmund Dudley was beheaded for treason. While Edmund remained headless and dead, the Dudley family eventually settled in Dudleytown. The hex or curse surrounding the family didn’t go away with a relocation. Things went wrong: brutal winters, rocky soil that refused to grow food, and a string of unfortunate events, including madness, murder, and disappearances. By the mid-1800s, families packed up for the Midwest.
By 1924, the private organization Dark Entry Forest Association acquired the land. Today, it’s marked with no trespassing signs, not only to protect the spirits from ghost-hunting thrill-seekers but also because vandalism and wild rumors have gotten way out of hand.
While the site remains off-limits, you can head towards Windsor, CT to Dudleytown Brewing, which appears to pay homage to the legend with craft beer and a lively taproom.
Mizpah Hotel History
Earthlings built the Mizpah Hotel in 1907 for $200,000. Constructed with stone walls and stained glass, Tonopah’s mining boom demanded a palace in the desert. At five stories, it was the tallest building in Nevada. With its oak furniture, hot and cold water, and one of the state’s first elevators, it was a landmark for the wealthy. Through the decades, it became a hub for politicians, gamblers, and travelers, before it closed in 1999 and was later restored and reopened by 2011. The hotel remains open today, with 47 rooms, restaurants, and a casino. You may check in if you dare and experience it for yourself.
Beyond historic buildings and ghostly tales, factual myths stand on their own, claiming Wyatt Earp ran the saloon and that heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey worked the door as a bouncer. While these myths have proven to be untrue (or have they?), these stories remain part of the Mizpah Hotel, which includes a Wyatt Earp Bar and a Jack Dempsey Room. Senator Key Pittman allegedly died of a heart attack on election eve in 1940, with his body kept on ice in a Mizpah bathtub until after the vote. Ghosts, myths, and politics all bleed together here, just like unexplained phenomena, making it unclear which extraterrestrial story is true or a fabrication.
Reported Activity
Dudleytown
Apparitions:
Visitors have claimed to see ghostly figures moving between the cellar holes and stone walls, often linked back to tales of settlers who vanished, like John Patrick Brophy’s children who disappeared into the woods and were never seen again.
Strange lights:
Paranormal groups have reported glowing orbs in the forest, some connecting it to General Herman Swift’s wife, who was struck and killed by lightning near Dudleytown in 1804.
Phantom sounds:
There are reports of eerie sounds for humans, such as whispers and footsteps, within the area. Many tie this to Gershon Hollister, who died suddenly in a barn accident in 1792.
Physical encounters:
The horror intensifies, leading to one of the scariest locations where reports of scratches, pushes, or the sensation of unseen hands have been made. Many have linked these occurrences to the spirit of Mrs. Harriet Clarke, who allegedly saw “strange creatures” from the forest before her sudden breakdown and suicide in the early 1900s.
Overwhelming dread:
That crushing fear, nausea, or sense of being watched is linked to the so-called “curse” of the Dudleys themselves. Abiel Dudley died insane and penniless in 1799, and many say the same madness still clings to the soil.
The Mizpah Hotel
The Lady in Red
Fifth floor, room 502. Known as the Lady in Red, or some humans may say the Mizpah’s leading ghost, goes back to the tragic legend of a woman named Rose. Legend says a jealous lover or husband murdered a woman. Guests claim to hear her footsteps, see blood spots near the door, or even find a pearl beneath their pillow, thought to be from her broken necklace. The hotel markets the lore that you can even book the “Lady in Red” suite.
Children’s laughter
Third floor. Heavy footsteps and giggles of children are heard through the hallways, though no living child is there. There’s no record of kids dying in the hotel, but the sounds persist.
The Miner
Basement or halls. A transparent man with a pickaxe has been commonly spotted. Going back to Tonopah’s silver rush days, some believe he represents the countless miners who lived and died in the Queen of Silver Camps.
The Bank Robbers
Basement legends. Two outlaws are said to have been betrayed by a partner after a job gone bad, with their blood staining the foundations. Now, reports of shadowy figures and phantom footsteps remain.
The Soldier
Third and fourth floors. A uniformed figure appears. Presumed to be linked to the WWII-era Tonopah Air Force Base. Though no clear records connect a soldier’s death to the Mizpah, sightings suggest one never made it home.
Senator Key Pittman
According to legend, as stated before, when Nevada Senator Key Pittman suffered a fatal heart attack on the eve of the 1940 election, his body was kept on ice in a Mizpah bathtub until after the vote. While historians deny this, claiming he died days later in Reno, it is rumored his spirit continues to roam the halls.
Too many expired humans are packed into one desert hotel. And these are just a few. Murdered lovers, laughing children, miners, robbers, soldiers, and even a frozen senator, it’s no surprise this place makes one of the “most haunted hotels in America.”
How to Visit
Dudleytown
While you can’t visit Dudleytown, you can drink the sorrows of the unfortunate news at Dudleytown Brewing while checking out this informative site about someone who has excessively tried to reach out about granting access for investigative purposes here.
The Mizpah Hotel
Unlike Dudleytown, the Mizpah Hotel embraces the paranormal activity and history associated with it, offering ghost tours, listing other events in the Tonopah area, and more. You can even host an event at the site, dine, and sleep there at your own risk.
Nearby Haunted Sightseeings
Dudleytown
Bara-Hack, Pomfret, CT – 2 hours
Once a settlement in the 18th century, Bara-Hack is now an abandoned ghost village. Visitors claim to hear disembodied voices, singing, wagon creaks, and see spectral figures wandering among the ruins.
Fairfield Hills State Hospital, Newtown, CT – 2 hours
This former psychiatric facility has a dark history with reports of disembodied voices, screams, paranormal activity in the abandoned wards, and apparitions in white roaming the grounds.
Union Cemetery, Easton, CT – 2 hours
Often listed among Connecticut’s top haunted cemeteries, Union Cemetery is said to host the “Lady In White,” ghostly orbs, and shadows drifting near old headstones.
The Mizpah Hotel
Tonopah, NV is filled with paranormal activity; you won’t get bored here. Unlike Dudley, a short drive or nice walk will take you to plenty of haunted sights. Here are a few:
Belvada Hotel – 5 minutes
Rumors of a 10-foot shadow figure lurking in the basement have surfaced in paranormal investigations. Some claim the hotel’s deep subterranean corridors harbor a malevolent presence. Book a paranormal tour here and experience it firsthand. Hopefully, you’ll make a return to share your findings.
Tonopah Historic Mining Park – 5 minutes
The visitor center is said to be haunted by Bina Verrault, an elegant woman who fled the law in New York, died here, and is now allegedly seen gazing from windows or drifting through the park grounds. The park is open; you can wander around if you’re brave enough.
The Clown Motel & adjoining cemetery – 5 minutes
The motel itself looks horrifying to the naked human eye, decorated with thousands of clown figures and backed by an abandoned cemetery. But it goes beyond the third dimension. Visitors frequently report odd noises, mysterious shadows, and ghostly activity from the graves. You can book your stay at this location, creepy clowns included.
Nearby Accomodations
Dudleytown
Candlewood Suites Windsor Locks Bradley Arpt by IHG
Homewood Suites by Hilton Windsor Locks Hartford
Simsbury Inn
The Mizpah Hotel
You can check in at the Mizpah hotel, if you dare.
If you’re too scared, stay here but warning, this is haunted too. Everything’s haunted in the desert of Tonopah, Nevada: Belvada Hotel