Lake Compounce, Bristol
The Damned Story: As the oldest continuously operating theme park in the United States, Lake Compounce in Bristol is well known as a spot where people congregate for summertime fun. From rides like the storied Wildcat and Boulder Dash to other attractions such as the water park and the lake itself, the park has a long history of good times and great enjoyment.
However, Lake Compounce also has a long history of tragedy and accidents, and not coincidentally, a reputation for being haunted.
For whatever reason, it seems as though Lake Compounce has been cursed from the very beginning — legend has it that shortly after John Compound (the Native American chieftain who the park is named for) traded the property in 1684 to a group of white settlers, he drowned in the lake “while trying to cross it in a large brass kettle.” (Hey, that’s the story!) Another version has Compound killing himself when he realized he hadn’t gotten fair value for the land, while yet another suggests his own tribe murdered him in retaliation for giving away their sacred ground. Whatever happened, it didn’t subsequently dissuade people from visiting the scenic lake, nor did it prevent eventual Lake Compounce owner Gad Norton from opening the park to the public in 1846 for picnicking and other amusements.
In the ensuing decades, the park grew steadily, adding more picnic and swimming areas as well as the state’s first 10-pin bowling alley and a ballroom. In 1911, a carousel was built, followed by a roller coaster in 1914. A few years later in 1927, the renowned Wild Cat wooden roller coaster — a ride you can still enjoy to this day — started thrilling visitors. More attractions were added, and the park grew in stature — during its heyday in the 1940s, famous big bands came to play Lake Compounce’s Starlite Ballroom, including Tommy Dorsey’s band featuring a young Frank Sinatra.
The later half of the 20th century saw the park’s business slowly fade, struggling and passing through the hands of multiple owners in the 1980s and 90s. It was finally purchased by Kennywood Entertainment Co. of Pennsylvania in 1996, and has enjoyed extensive renovations and expansions to become the family-friendly destination it is now.
You can read the park’s official unabridged history here.
As you might expect with any decades-old amusement park, there have been fatal mishaps. Unfortunately, there isn’t much in the way of documentation before the last half century, although there are vague stories about workers being killed in construction accidents and children drowning in the lake. In more recent times, however, there have been many all-too-verified events. In 1981, a 16-year-old girl fell off a moving roller coaster when she tried to stand up; in 1999, a 16-year-old park employee was struck and killed by the Tornado ride; in 2000, a 6-year-old boy drowned while riding the park’s Lake Plunge water slide; and in 2001, a 23-year-old maintenance worker was killed while working on Boulder Dash. And in a tragedy that hit too close to home, in 2004, a 5-year-old Shelton boy — who was in my son’s preschool group and we knew well — was killed when a tree branch fell and struck him (a sad, freak nightmare occurrence that still haunts me).
As you might expect with so many tragic events and such a long history, there are many stories of supernatural goings-on surrounding Lake Compounce. Dark shapes and spirits have been seen in and around the ballroom, strange music and the disembodied voices of revelers past have been heard, and there are reports of inanimate objects moving and lights turning on and off of their own volition. Nighttime security guards also allegedly have seen strange things after hours.
The good news is that despite the unfortunate tragedies and accidents, many people have enjoyed themselves immensely at Lake Compounce Amusement Park over the past 153 summers, and will do so again this year.
Oh, a final note: Possibly the most tragic death of all happened at the park on the night of July 21, 1989 — it’s the night that marked the extinguishing of the bright light that was Milli Vanilli as Rob and Fab were performing “live” on the stage at Lake Compounce when their record started skipping. The boys were quickly outed for being lip-synching frauds, and fell from grace faster than if they were riding Down Time. Girl, you know it’s true.
The horror.
Our Damned Experience: Like many of you, we have been to Lake Compounce many times, most recently in summer 2008 — and aside from the screams and shrieks of people on thrill rides, have yet to experience or see anything unusual or otherworldly.
If You Go: Lake Compounce is located in Bristol, and chances are if you’ve grown up in Connecticut, you’ve probably already been there!
If not, it’s located just off of Route 229 in Bristol, directly across the street from the ESPN campus — you can’t miss the array of satellite dishes. The park is open daily from May through September (admission prices and hours vary), and then on weekends in October for the always-fun Haunted Graveyard, where the scares, spooks and spirits are fake . . .
. . . or are they?
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When my mom went into their recent “Haunted Graveyard” she said she saw a man with blood on him.She was SUPER freaked out ‘cuz he was see-through.And she asked my cousin Joey (he works there) if he was a new recrute (I probobly spelled it wrong) And my cousin didn’t say a word.We later found out that it was a ghost, not only for its filmy figure, but Joey didn’t have any clue who she was talking about…Creepy right?
Many fond memories from the late 50′s and early 60′s of Lake Compounce. My dad would take us there on Sunday afternoons in the summer to listen to the live “cowboy music.”
This is crazy. I have been to Lake Compounce 17 times in the past 4 years (with a season pass) and I’ve never heard or seen anything bad. Sure, in the past there were a few accidents, but every park has some. Most of them, however, have been caused by people not paying attention to any signs or anything. Lake Compunce is a wonderful park- it just had some bad mishaps. IT IS NOT HAUNTED.
I grew up in Bristol and spent most everyday there, as my dad, Wally (ior Ralph) Gray, and Walt Swenton were carpenters that took care of the wild cat. The only thing bad that happened was on the high diving board- my brother took a dive and when he landed he hit another swimmer and split his head open. Never did see any ghosts, but there were some scarry people!!!
iv been the once and we saw a shadow of a little 6-year-old boy and trust me it was creepy
“iv been the once and we saw a shadow of a little 6-year-old boy and trust me it was creepy”
LOL. how did you know this shadow was of a 6 year old boy?
Loved Lake Compounce when I was a kid. We used to get free ride tickets from the local tv studio, and we would spend the day. The old rides were great. I remember the Jet boats, the Laff in the Dark, the Old Bumper Cars, Rocket Ships. Wish it was like that again.!
I worked at Lake Compounce for two years, and have walked through the park alone and at night plenty of times. Aside from the silence and darkness being a bit creepy, I’ve never experienced anything strange then.
But last year, I worked at the front of the haunted maze in Starlight Theater. Some of the maze employees and I saw a thick smoke coming from down an abandoned hallway. When we went to investigate, we saw that it was a fire extinguisher with a gash in it–which was very odd, considering that absolutely no one went down that hallway prior to us.
IV BEEN GOING TO LAKE CONPOUNCE FOR THREE YEARS AND I SAW WHAT APPERED TO BE A GHOST IT WAS NEAR THE LAZY RIVER AND ALSO AT THE STAR LIGHT THEATER IT SEAMED TO BE A LITTLE BOY AROUND 7-OR-8 YEARS OLD HE SEEMED AS THOUGH HE WAS HAVING FUN
I saw what appeared to be a ghost/corpse making strange noises but as I came closer I realized it was only Abe Vigoda eating a taco
Call in TAPS!!
Soo, all my life I have lived in Ct.. and Every summer I go to the park to my friends and I also go to the haunted graveyard. Neither of which are “haunted”..
(:
My mom sang there in the 1940′s. Her stage name was Shirley Lee. She was in her teens.
Does anybody remember her? My e-mail address is:bent4500@aol.com
I visited there since I was a child and now I bring my family for years. I never seen or heard of ghost. Eventhough I would love to see one but I think the stories are mad up. I can only tell you this, if families has been bringing their family generations for many years, then you know that this place is the place for you and your family. Visit the Park fir your self and make up your own experience and bring out the kid in you. See you there…
people are just making up stories to get comment I go to lake compounce like everyday over the summer every summer I’ve never been freaked out or heard of anything from my friends or someone about ghost until now in these comments that are made up.
I have also been to lake compounce and i have never see a ghost or anything creepy? Maybe there are strange accournces but i doubt it very much i feel bad for all the people that did lose there lifes on crazy rides.
Look, I have been to Lake compounce ever since I was a little girl. That place is freaking awesome! But, I must say I have NOT seen any ghosts or heard any wierd noises. Nor have I seen any unsightly images throughout the park. Maybe once I had a little chill here and there, but that’s only from being near the water park so much. So if you believe that Lake Compounce is HAUNTED, well then I don’t know what to tell you. Besides, all parks have a little mystery to them. That’s what makes them so great!
i went to lake Compounce for the first time the other day which was 7/02/2011 and decided to ride the wildcat and i banged my knees on the metal when my body slid forward and they are still swollen from that…never again!!!!
i go to lake coupounce alot and it is not haunted
i use to work at the lake as house keeping..i loved it…but the one place i did not love was the ballroom at nite…..every nite that my partner n i went to clean the ballroon we always felt like someone was lookin or was behind us…we never saw anything but we would here footsteps near the dreesing rooms..on stage…n around the ballroon floors….other then that i loved going to the parkwith my kids n having fun under the sun…
**you got the date wrong on that Milli Vanilli show – it was July 29, 1990. I was there…it was magical.
i have worked at the haunted graveyard, which is in the middle of the woods, for the last two years. I have had to walk through the show (and park) forwards and backwards countless times both during the day and in the middle of the night, alone and i have never seen anything. it’s not haunted.
I have been going once every summer for quite a while. I’m a camp counselor and we like to bring the kids there for a field trip. This is the first that i have heard of ghosts at the lake. But if you do go, avoid the water park…it is disgustingly scary and full of very large people. (men, women, and children) We brought the camp about a week ago. At the water park I played a game with a co-counselor where he would count the normal sized people walking by and I counted the larger park goers. Let me tell you, we played for 5 minutes and only counted the people who walked directly in front of our chairs. I won 100 to 25. What does that say about our countries health? It was so repulsive that walked around the park looking for something healthy to eat for dinner…i didn’t have much to choose from.
[...] sacred land. Nevertheless, none of this has stopped visitors from enjoying the lake, now or then. There are some out there, of a superstitious bent, who have linked the cursed lake to a number of tragedy’s that have [...]
I found this site Googling “rumors of ghosts near the boulderdash at lake compounce”.
We were there yesterday….my daughter & husband went to go on the boulderdash and when they were near the covered bridge in line my husband heard a man’s voice speaking frantically in his ear….but he couldn’t understand what was being said…..there was no man standing near him.
Later my daughter & i were in line…..same spot….my daughter looked at me and said “what?” I said “I didn’t say anything” and she replied “I know I was looking at you and your mouth wasn’t moving – but someone just said something really fast in my ear”……I was LOOKING at my daughter and no-one was *that* close to her.
By the way….spirits are everywhere…..not so much “Haunting” but just there – amoungst us
The ferris wheel is closed this season in 2011 because an eleven year old boy, while at the top, jumped off the gondola! That explains why there is one missing at the top. I don’t know why he commited suicide, he was so young.
I grew up in bristol and knew many people who have worked there over the last decade. All will ttify that they have seen lights go on and off …midway games that were.closed make noise and odd figures in the starlight ballroom. So yes it is haunted.
I’m kinda weirded out, because I wanted to go to the haunted graveyard, and now, im thinkin im gonna run into a ghost or something!
It is def. haunted. As a former employee there are many little things that happen there all the time. And Jessica, there was no incident at lake compounce regarding their ferris wheel. an incident happened at another park, and it forced them to shutdown theirs.