Middletown’s Haunted Eatery Joins Connecticut’s New Haunted History Trail

Earlier this week Gov. Ned Lamont, together with the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism, rolled out the Connecticut Haunted History Trail – a fresh, spooky‑themed road‑map that links more than 130 sites across the Constitution State.

The trail is broken into nine distinct categories: haunted homes, museums and theatres, cemeteries, hiking paths, ghost tours, restaurants, lighthouses, witch‑related collections, and historic hotels. It’s a way of saying, ‘Hey, there’s a story here, and you can actually go see it.’

One of the stops that caught the eye of locals is Harrie's Jailhouse in downtown Middletown. Housed in the old Pameacha Jailhouse building from the 1850s, the spot is as famous for its inventive cocktails and sandwiches as it is for the whispered tales of a little girl named Sarah who allegedly roams the corridors.

“We were told the former jail is haunted by a ghost – a little girl named Sarah,” the owners explain, half‑smiling, half‑serious. Yet despite (or perhaps because of) the eerie anecdotes, the restaurant has become a bustling gathering place, drawing in both curious tourists and neighborhood regulars.

Lamont noted, “Connecticut has nearly 400 years of stories to tell. This trail gives people an opportunity to learn more about that history, while also discovering the extraordinary places, legends, and stories found throughout our state.” He added that the initiative also shines a light on small businesses that give each community its unique flavor.

It’s not just about ghosts, though. The trail also honors a darker chapter of Connecticut’s past – the colonial witch trials that pre‑date Salem by nearly half a century. In 1647, Alse (Alice) Young of Windsor became the first American colonist executed for witchcraft, and over the next decades dozens more faced accusation, indictment, and even execution. In 2023 the state formally apologized for those injustices, a gesture that now lives on the trail’s narrative.

Travelers can explore the entire experience – and check out where Harrie's Jailhouse sits on the map – by visiting the interactive portal at CTvisit.com/haunted-history. Whether you’re a seasoned ghost hunter or just looking for a novel dinner spot, the trail promises a mix of history, mystery, and a good bite.

As Morgan Nyerick, director of the Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism, put it, “Our tourism strategy is about finding unexpected and highly memorable ways to connect people with the places, businesses and history that make Connecticut different.” With the Haunted History Trail joining the likes of the Pizza Trail, Oyster Trail and Christmas‑Movie Trail, Connecticut is once again inviting the world to look beyond the obvious and discover its hidden stories.