Courtesy of Travel Channel
The Damned Story: If you’re not familiar with Travel Channel‘s “Ghost Adventures,” the basic premise is this — three guys (l-r, Nick Groff, Zak Bagans and Aaron Goodwin) go around the country to investigate allegedly haunted locations. They research the sites and interview witnesses before locking themselves in for the night, during which they aggressively search for and try to contact ghosts.
At the end of summer 2009, the team visited Bridgeport’s notorious Remington Arms, the former munitions factory — now abandoned — which was the scene of multiple unfortunate deaths. In addition to various lethal industrial accidents (workers falling into kettles of molten metal, ammunition inadvertently going off, etc.), there was a large explosion in 1942 that claimed the lives of seven workers. As such, many now claim the site is haunted: Shadowy figures have allegedly been seen at various spots on the property; others say they’ve heard disembodied voices and unexplained noises.
The good people at Travel Channel were nice enough to send Damned Connecticut an advance screener of this episode of “Ghost Adventures” where Zak and the boys spend the night locked down in Remington Arms.
The episode airs for the first time on Nov. 20 at 9 p.m., and obviously will be repeatedly repeated.
The description of the episode from Travel Channel:
The Remington Arms munitions factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut has been abandoned since 1986, but a dark history looms over the buildings. In a place that once was the largest supplier of munitions on Earth, mysterious explosions, electrocutions, and bodies turned to liquid in melting pots, have left the specter of death all around its confines. This investigation into the dank and decrepit Remington Arms Munitions features eyewitness accounts of fires, spirits, shadow people, and even sabotage.
Sounds like fun!
Image by Ray Bendici
Our Damned Experience: We watched the entire episode and can report that it lives up to standard “Ghost Adventures” fare. Not surprisingly, it follows the simple formula that the show has established:
- Provide a general overview of the site
- Interview various witnesses
- Scout the site during the daylight
- Lock in the three-man crew after dark with the cameras rolling
- Let the ghost adventures begin!
As you might expect, while talking about the history of the site, there are multiple shots of the dilapidated buildings that at one time comprised the bustling Remington Arms complex, illustrating just how far into decay it has fallen. In daylight under ideal summer conditions, it’s shown as the dangerous place any old munitions factory might be, with all sorts of broken windows, rotting floors and staircases, collapsing walls and abandoned machinery. In short, it’s not a place fit for four-legged vermin, let alone any place a rational human would want to visit, even if they were up on all their tetanus shots.
Oh, and as anyone who has dared go to the area of Bridgeport could tell you, the crew needs a police sweep of the site for their safety against the other types of vermin that occasionally prowl the vicinity.
They interview a few people associated with the site — the property manager and a former employee — as well as Mr. East Coast Paranormal Police himself, James Myers and our old friend (and first Damned Connecticut interviewee) Donald Carter, the author of Connecticut’s Seaside Ghosts.
The crew also takes time to trek up the road to Stratford to interview renowned ghost hunter John Zaffis, who is kind enough to show them the paranormal museum he has in his basement. Creepy, cool stuff!
Zak, Nick and Aaron find out that in addition to the dark history of Remington Arms itself, there is a cemetery across the street where a woman was alleged to have been buried alive. Extra bonus creepy!
Time comes for the investigation to begin, and the crew is locked down for the night. And in typical “Ghost Adventures” style, that’s when the real fun begins. Zak brashly challenges entities to bring it on, while Aaron and Nick take turns freaking out accordingly. With the green night-vision cameras running, they investigate the site from top to bottom throughout the night, as well as analyze some interesting footage from their stationary cameras.
Not to give too much away, but the crew sees and records a few seemingly unusual events and apparently experience a few odd moments, all of which will do nothing to dispel the reputation of Remington Arms as one of the most haunted places in Connecticut.
In short, if you like these kind of shows — and if you’re reading this, chances are that you do — and appreciate the local connection, then you should enjoy this episode of “Ghost Adventures.”
If You Watch It: As mentioned, this episode of “Ghost Adventures” is scheduled to be first broadcast on Nov. 20, 2009. After that, look for it in re-runs on Travel Channel.
31 comments
I have always knew the place was Haunted. For Years, I’ve wanted to go and take pictures of it’s Dereliction, but have never had the guts to do it alone….. can’t wait to see the outcome this Friday night on Ghost Adventures….
is the factory really cursed or is that just a myth?
I am a local historian who has always been fascinated by the Remington Arms plants and the Shot Tower. The show “Ghost Hunter” which I watched on Friday night, seemed pretty convincing although I am not sure if the sounds were being picked up outside of the place.
It would not beckon me to want to go in there, considering it decaying from the inside and out, and it is deemed unsafe by the city.
The cemetary “St. Augustine”s is very old, and Charles “Charlie The Bum” is buried in there from 1965. An Italian man named “Nunzio” who worked at Lakeview Monuments, right next to Lakeview cemetary made him a really magnificant headstone. It is located in last row to the back of the cemetary. There was a Hungarian woman who was buried alive in there. I’m pleased to see that they cleared the headstones so that you can read them,
Alot of people would find this area depressing to visits, such as alot of areas in Bridgeport, where there is urban decay, unless you knew the history. There is still alot of charm left in Bridgeport because of it’s rich history.
With all that being said, I am an awe of the fact that Bridgeport was once the industrial capital, and it is hard to believe that now there is hardly any industry. “The Bridgeport slogan was “Industrius cremisus””which means in Latin ” In industry, we thrive”. I am a historian, and I am pleased that city is still dotted with factories such as Remington Arms. I would rather look at these building from a historical viewpoint rather than a supernatural viewpoint.
I do live near this building I have heard no history about it what so ever. Can someone please give me a link to descirbe this building.
I really enjoyed reading this post, keep up writing such interesting stuff!
We’d like to do a ghost hunt sometime at the Remington Factory!
I happen to live right in front of the building and after watching the show believe it even less. It was entertaining, but there’s about three homeless people who live there and go in and out daily and it seems odd that they have not commented on the place being haunted. this just made the show seem to be a fraud.
I am a local historian. The Union Metallic Cartridge Company started in the 1800’s. It was the taken over by Remington Arms by 1915-1916. It was then called Remington UMC. The building occupied the site on Boston Avenue, where the former General Electric stood. General Electric leased the plant for 7 million in 1920 and eventually bought it by 1922 during peace time. Remington Arms did not only make ammunitions, by the way, but also, typewriters, bicycles, and sewingmachines. The building on Boston Avenue was a mile and a half long and sometimes workers would have to ride their bicycles from one end of the plant to another.
The gun powder was stored in “The Powder Park” in what is called Remington Woods right in back of GE off asylum street. The powder was stored in magazines or what is commonly referred to as “bunkers”. You cannot get into “The Powder Farm” since the area is fenced off with barbed wire. Everything has been taken out of there years ago so the only thing remaining are the bunkers which are covered in metal.
There was a train that came off the main line on Seaview avenue which was a yellow railcar that brought gunpowder and coal into the Remington Arms plant on Helen Street on the East Side of Bridgeport. The rails went over Artic Street, and then eventually made their way up to the Remington Plant on Boston Avenue which the two buildings were inter-connected as far as the making of ammunitions and other items.
Hope this tells you a little about the history. As far as the factory being haunted, well…I wouldn’t understand why “any self-respecting ghost” would want to hang out in a building that is so decayed?
Sue
hey i live write down the street of it when the ghost hunters were on the roof u coiuld see a brown building and across a light one the dark one is the old waltersville school i used to go there but then it was to old so they built the light brown one i go there now my grandfather use to work in remington arms factory and made bullets there he is retired and it was very spooky when i went there to bring lunch its cool to see somthing down my street bye
yes disz place is haunted ive been dere u here vOices and weir noIses its crazy
omg i cant believe you guys do this! but if you need anyone to help you scream your heads off, im here to call!
I live on the E Side & have been by this place umpteen times. They were thinking about making artists lofts near there or in there (forgot which)
I am trying to get my pals to go with me to snap pics indoors (during the day)
at night would be fab but theuires no lights & we dont have that kind of equipment.
I always got the willies from the place if you go over to the Barnum Ave side of the building (its so huge! a shame they dont make it into cheap housing, sect 8, for ppl on SSI, ppl formerly homeless, etc.) cuz God knows we need it!
Anywho across the street is another factory, I dont know if its related to it or not.
So, I just begged my boy Dave & my bro in law Brian to go with me next week possibly, I also wanna hit up the guy in Stratford who has a museum in his basement.
Anyone interested? email me java.gurl@yahoo.com
I am a local historian, and just in case any one didn’t know this…they have plans underway at in a few months to take down the General Electric Plant on Boston Avenue, which was once Remington Arms. That building was built in 1915. After Word War II, General Electric leased it for 7 million from Remington Arms, and then bought it in 1922, where it operated for decades as a factory that made toaster, washers, dryers, stoves, etc. When it operated as Remington Arms-UMC(Union Metallic Cartridge) it was heavily guarded and under tight security. They even still have the guard shacks in front of the place. On the side of the GE plant is the power house, that big tower on Stillman’s Pond that harnessed the power off the water to make the generators work. It was called hydro-electric power. It was cheaper to run than just straight electric.
Too think that this historical landmark is going to be dismantled soon, is a shame, for the reason that it could be used for future industrial uses. But, the official word, is the official word, and it doesn’t look like they are going to stop the demolition, unless there are multitudes of protesters, and even then, I don’t think it would work.
there is no other paranormal team like you guys zak. the activity you get on your investigations is amazing stuff. i hope you guys come further south to the coast line to do investigations like @ norwich state hospital i know u ll get alot more evidence than ghost hunters
You guys are babies when it comes to Ghost Hunters, The Ghost hunter show is better they don’t jump like you guys do or run like syssies.. your shows suck that’s why I don’t watch it.
i would love to investigate with zack nick and arron!
and gary they get scared becues they investigate the most said hanted places in the world!
i love your show.
Pretty scarey stuff! Ghosts MAY exist… I agree with Sue Delbianco that Remington not be the best place to spend the night. Oh, the Bridgeport motto is “Industria Crescimus”, btw. I hope Bridgeport thrives once more!
I heard that they are thinking of dismantling General Electric on Boston Avenue, which was once The Remington Arms Company, and before that it was The Union Metallic Cartridge Company in the 1800’s. I think they should just leave the integral part of the building alone and mabey gut it out and bring some industry alive in there again. That building is a historical landmark, and Bridgeport is starting to lose more and more historical landmarks. If they take it down, I will never forget the big clock in the front of GE and the guards shack. That building is a mile long, and workers had to bike down the corridors to get from one place to the next. I wish they would leave the power house next to it alone. The equipment in there is considered so outdated, the same for The Remington Shot Tower on Helen Street where they would take molten lead and drop it down 197 feet so they could make perfectly round shot shells. The shot tower ran for many years and it was a well-oiled machine as far as how they made the shells. As far as it being haunted…I won’t negate it, but I’ve never seen any ghosts looking out the windows of the place. However, it does have an eerie cast over it. What self-respecting ghost would want to hang out in there anyway?
I am a true paranormal investigator and find that Ghost Adventurers and TAPS are for entertainment purposes only. I am not saying that places they visit are not haunted. I believe they are. But if you truly watch these shows, every place is haunted. Do not believe everything you see on television. But believe what you see. You might be surprised at what you find.
If you want to find personal evidence I’d take the same equipment to the same haunted locations and try it yourself.
I’m skeptical about the Ghost Hunters show (too many chairs and objects moving around.) Ghost Adventures seems legit to me because of the rare findings they collect. And Zak is too hard of a worker; meaning he takes his job serious. I’d say two thumbs up to Ghost Adventures.
i went in reminton with my friends it was crazy
Pssh. This episode was awesome, and I do believe Remington Arms is cursed. Love Ghost Adventures, especially Zak <3 Great episode… really feel bad for all the people who died there. I hope the rest in peace.
My husband is currently involved in the tear down of the Remington Factory. We are not big fans of Ghost Hunters, but do believe there is something there. His first day he was looking around and thinking of any spirits that were there and a large piece of metal snapped and sliced his head open. Not a good start!
There was a huge explosion in one of the buildings of The Remington Complex on Helen Street. It happened in 1942. Someone, so they said, was banging a nail or something into a box that had a primer in it. A few people died in that explosion, including Ethel Gunther, Doc Gunther’s sister. Strangely to say, she is buried right across the street in The Lakeview Cemetary, almost in front of the building that had the explosion. However, I never knew of an explosion that happened in the shot tower which is building 99 and 100. Also, I want to say how saddened I am to see General Electric taken down. That was once, The Union Metallic Cartridge Company back in the 1800’s, later becoming part of Remington Arms. By 1920, Remington-UMC leased it to General Electric and then General Electric bought it outright from Remington in 1922 for 7 million. I will never forget the place; complete with toasters, refridgerators, fans, stoves, washing machine, and much more. The building was a mile long. Most of all I will miss the building facing Boston Avenue that had the lit-up GE sign, and the fact that the clock on the top is gone and so is the building has broken my heart. I saw that majestic edifice made out of brick, standing there for over a decade. The only thing that remains of General Electric are the two guard shacks and across the street on Boston Avenue is the Commons which once housed the guards during the Arsenol of Democracy.
That day, March 28, 1942 when the explosion occurred, my mother took me by my hand to our front door to see what happened and she was crying. I was 5 years old. It was daytime and outside it became pitch black, I couldn’t see a thing. We lived about 4 or 5 blocks away. The war was on and my mother may have thought we were being bombed.
There is one house that is on Noble Avenue that is off the Gothic Design, that looks really, really creepy. It is on Bridgeport’s East side. Dr. Dugas lived in there. Alot of people remember him. When you go by the house, it looks like it is one of those authentic haunted houses. The place is really old, and you can really pick up the malvolence when your near it. I wonder why this house wasn’t investigated. I think someone lives in the house. I see a dim light on in the back, and there is a dog outside. By looking at the house, you would wonder why any self-respecting ghost would want to occupy it?
The house on Noble Ave,
The house you are speaking of was not only the residence of Dr. Joseph Dugas and his elderly mother, but served as his office as well. He had been our family doctor beginning with my great-grandparents. I was terrified of him but his spooky house only made matters worse. The front door facing Noble ave. entered into to the creepiest waiting room ever. It was very dark and always had a lingering heavy cigarette and cigar smell, with old leather two person seats with aluminum arms. There were these huge ashtrays on stands everywhere. Once it was your turn to see Dr. Dugas, you were lead into the office to the left which had a solid oak door. Once in, he would lock the door with a skeleton key (no lie). There as an examining table with a small table next to it; which held an array of needles and vials of medicine on it. His huge wood desk was to the left. The top of the desk had a thick glass which covered hundreds of small pictures of children that he had either delivered or were patients of his. He would either be smoking a cigar or have a lit one laying in the ashtray on his desk during your visit. He had no bedside manor; and was considered a really tough SOB. He really put the fear of God in little kids when he would threatened to take his belt off unless we calmed down and stopped crying. This was at times a very difficult thing to do because we all knew you never left his office without getting a shot and that shot wasn’t applied gently. His common cure for anything was a shot of penicillin which he administered like a medic on D-Day (which we were told was where he got his initial training but that may have been our parents excuse). To the left of that room was another examining room and a tall cabinet with a drawer opened and filled with tootsie pops for any child that made it through with the least amount of crying. Did I mention he was a tough SOB? During the 70’s 3 guys attempted to rob him. He managed to hold his own before the three fled without taking anything BUT he had been shot in the upper arm during the struggle. He drove himself to Bridgeport Hospital, had the wound taken care of and was back in the office to see patients in the late afternoon. Yes, that is a tough SOB. Once his mother passed away, he retired (I believe he had another home in Easton, CT). It took many years into my adulthood to understand that as scary as he seemed to me as a child, he was actually a very good doctor and his main concern was for his patients. There were countless times when he would drop everything to make a house call to a patient too ill to travel to his office including my uncle’s house when his infant daughter was deathly ill. He would come in the morning, leave and return in the evening; being there of hours each day until she finally made it through her health problems. He was at my grandparents’ house all day when my grandmother had a heart attacked. Over the years, I have heard a multitude of stories from family friends and relatives who swear that if it wasn’t for Dr. Dugas they or someone they knew would not have survived a serious illness. So, if the house is haunted it only the crying voices of the children he scared to death but who came to the realization later in life that we wish all doctors had his skills and dedication (not to mention house calls) as Dr. Joseph Dugas. God bless you Dr. Dugas.
It’s not true! Remington Arms isn’t haunted my boyfriend and I walked the whole property. Remington Arms and the Shot Tower that same night, nothing. In fact, we crashed into a small group of deranged young adults like ourselves on the property. I mean it was pretty spooky in the shot tower. But once you get to the roof it was worth the climb. I believe in sprits and everything, I felt their presence but they weren’t angry. They were just there, I did not see any dark figures or any other stupid fake creepy shit. I enjoyed that adventure, the property is a little beat up and broken but it’s still something you should expirence in person not while watching ghost hunters, which was a gag! Oh and its pretty stable if you weigh under 200 lbs. Something that’s interesting though. If you go in the shot tower at night, after your through the warehouse and you go in the actual building, there will be a lit red candle waiting for you. 😉
After seeing this episode and actually visiting the location, it’s hard to believe some of the stuff they are showing (Ghost Adventures). They do a lot of EVP’s and claim they are hearing things in the show, but even the slightest grunts and noices are picked up by a voice recorder.
Part of me is definitely intriguied, I mean if you think about it, they created so many different weapons, and munitions to purposefully either inspire fear or inflict damage. There probably is some sort of haunting or history behind this place, but commercialized shows and programs don’t give you the right feeling.
Honestly, the most fearful part of Remington Arms, is their location, and by that, I mean they are located in one of the worst sections of Bridgeport, which has so much crime. Other than that it probablly could be host to something…
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