Bara-Hack, Pomfret
By Ray Bendici | Category: Hauntings, Weird PlacesThe Damned Story: The sparsely populated Northeastern region of Connecticut has long been called the Quiet Corner. But whoever named it may not have ever been to the abandoned settlement of Bara-Hack.
According to local history, a pair of Welsh families first settled Bara-Hack in 1780; and although the name is odd, considering what some towns are called in Wales, it could’ve been called Barrffynng-Hheaggnnogg or something equally appealing. By 1890 the settlement was history as the last residents left, and as is wont to happen, the surrounding forest slowly took the land back . . . allegedly though, it forgot some of the noise.
Modern visitors to Bara-Hack can see the interesting remnants of old foundations and walls as well as a cemetery — the damned part starts when they start hearing the sounds of the long-gone settlement! Everything from the noises of children playing and people singing to the sounds of livestock and the rumble of wagon wheels have been said to have been heard.
Over the years, various investigators have recorded the sounds, while others have also claimed to have seen the ghost of a bearded man and the spirit of a young child.
Bara-Hack may be gone, but clearly, it doesn’t want to be forgotten.
Our Damned Experience: We have never been to Bara-Hack and back.
If You Go: Bara-Hack is on clearly marked private property (“No Trespassing” signs abound), is very closely watched and you need permission from the land’s owner to visit.
In 2000 we were encouraged to go here for extra credit for a high school class (can’t remember which class, sociology perhaps), so a group of us finally found it and explored a while. We didn’t encounter any noises but took several pictures, upon getting them printed they had many bright spots and specks. From what we could tell it wasn’t a problem with the lenses and we certainly didn’t see them in person.
We weren’t aware of any trespassing problems at the time, I don’t think it was marked. It was interesting, though.
Me an a few of my friends we are planing on a trip to Barra Hack because we are trying to start our own profesional ghost hunters society and we where wondering if you have any information on how to contact the ownere to get permission on to the . Want to do the right thing an not to offend or anger any one. If there is any help you can share that would be very helpful. thank you
Hey Patrick, I will check with Ray for you.
Steve
Hello,
My sister and I have been going to so called “haunted” places to check it out for ourselves. I would greatly appreciate if someone could give us the information to contact the owner of Bara-hack so we may explore. Thank you
I have been looking for a contact for Bara-Hack, but have not come up with one yet. I will keep looking and asking around …
thanks ray for all your help, i been looking around to but have come up empty handed as well
I’ve been there once with a group that had permission…I don’t know who the owner is and I am desperately looking for them as well so I can go back!
Tania, your boss is very, very wrong about the owners not making an effort to keep people out. It is posted quite well and watched very closely. It is NOT okay for anyone to be there without permission from the land owners. Anyone caught on the property will be arrested for trespassing.
I am a friend of the Townshend family. “eyes and ears” is correct. The family has had much trouble with “ghost hunters” illegally stealing artifacts, vandalizing the site, camping to photograph spirits etc.
One needs a permission card from the family to park by the access road. Otherwise, neighbors will call the police to complain. The author and her husband are now justifiably wary and “did not want any more publicity for crazed ghost hunters” to try to find the address and exploit the site. They have told me that they want to keep everything PRIVATE now. There is extra police surveilance before Halloween…Please respect the landowners wishes.
Thank you, Family Friend!
Funny how you didn’t even remember what site you were on! And now look, a new post. Problems??? You can’t even begin to imagine. Thanks!
Some post were removed from this forum.
We would like to reiterate- This site is located on private property, the owners will call the cops as will the neighbors. Please have respect for the history of this site and leave it be.
Thanks
Steve
http://www.damnedct.com
i had a very strange experience there, iwas there at night with myfriend walking around and i heard footsteps behind us we stopped and the footsteps continued. then in the cemetary we could hear people talking very close. it was freeky
LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT. THIS LAND IS JUST LAND, RIGHT. NO HOUSE? NO PEOPLE ALIVE THERE TO BE BOTHERED? AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY THINK THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL OTHERS NOT TO WALK ON THEIR LAND????????WALK?? AND LOOK??
SCREW THEM AND ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL PEOPLE WHERE TO GO. I COULD UNDERSTAND IF THEY ACTUALLY LIVED THERE. THATS A DIFFERENT STORY ENTIRELY. BUT THEY KEEP PEOPLE OUT JUST BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY CAN????
ARREST THE VANDELS. LEAVE THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LOOK ALONE. OHHHHHH, THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE GUTS TO CAMP AND TAKE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHAT SCUM!!!!!!!!!!
Actually, Nick, we do live here. I am sorry you believe yourself to be above the law. And property owners actually do have the right to tell people that they cannot trespass. There is also this little thing called respect. You should try it sometime.
I guess Nick is a member of the “we are entitled to everything” generation. Sad that peoples idea of right and wrong has deteriorated to this point.
I’ve been to bara-hacks several times years ago. Many times I saw nothing but I saw the figure of a child the last time I went. Its too bad the owners dont want people to be on the property its a very interesting environment but I do agree that their property should be respected.
me and a few friends went to bara hack it was one of the creepiest expieriences of my life we took pics and vidio of unexplained noises and orbs . we never asked 4 permission and were not bothered NITE TIME!!! if u need directions contact me via email… as long as people dont touch anything or creat distubsnces every one should be able to expierience this place…
[...] Bara-Hack, Pomfret – A former 18th-century settlement where all sorts of odd sounds, disembodied voices and [...]
How do you even get there, and how do I contact the appropriated people to conduct a search on the premises?
Let me ask this question to all who feel it is their right to trespass here….Can I have your address so I can go through your yard whenever I feel like it, day or night, without permission? May take pictures, start fires, and leave all my garbage there? Sometimes, you will not even see or hear me, or even know I was there until you go outside and and see the damage I have done and have to clean up after me. I am willing to bet you wouldn’t like this at all and you might even call the police.
If you want to go there, do some research that has nothing to do with how “spooky” it is, find the owners, and give them a call. There is more on the internet than ghost stories, you just need to look.
Oh, and one more thing, we do check at night and are in the company of the state police.
eyes and ears…I totally understand how you feel, being a landowner myself and having a large parcel also. We have problems all the time. People have even pulled down our NO TRESPASSING signs. A couple years back a worker here was almost hit by a bullet from a hunter who was on the property illegally and thought the worker was a deer. I have always been interested in the paranormal but only heard about Bara-Hack today from a friend. There is quite a bit of interesting bits and pieces about it online and I’m content to learn of it’s history that way. It’s very scary to read what some of these people have posted. Thank Goodness for the State and Local Police who help protect our PROPERTY RIGHTS!
Maybe if people were nice and helped the owners clean up the garbage of the people who weren’t so nice, and maybe if they asked permission it might help?
Now isn’t this place fairly close to some sort of scout camp or something? I remember checking the area out with satellite view on my computer, from directions given me by a friend.
For any of you people who are all worked up about property rights and trespassing, you should have the common sense to not live in places that are thought to be haunted.
PS — I don’t see a story about the old church in Brooklyn.
Would eyes and ears happen to be Jackie..?
Its really too bad that immature and greedy people have to ruin it for anyone else. The owners of this property are preserving local history by not allow people to run wild on their property.
This family is one of the most generous familes and for many years allowed people to enjoy this amazingly beautiful place.
In recent years people have been littering, knocking over headstones and actually organizing group tours charging people to come on this property in packs. “We are not all worked up” about trespassing we are all worked up over the people ruining this land. Its called PRESERVATION!!!! This land is special for its beauty and rich history. Gee maybe we should all go to Yellowstone and have bonfires and keg parties, leave all the crap behind. How do you think that would go???
And when your ready to spend your millions on “just land” let us know so we can come there and wreck it! Have a great day!!
I am a little confused, Are the land owners still allowing people to explore this land but only with permission, or now are the landowners not allowing anyone at all on the property? I like to do some research as a hobby on interesting properties such as this. I have always asked permission, I have always been granted access by the land owners where ever I explore. I think the land owners always seem to be optimistic when someone actually takes the time to look them up and ask before entering they’re land. I also am having trouble with the “Dudley Town” I think the town of Cornwall owns the land.