Middlefield is a serene and charming town in Connecticut, renowned for its abundant orchards, pristine golf courses, and the dynamic Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort, which provides thrilling skiing opportunities during the winter months along with a host of other seasonal pursuits.
An outstanding attraction suitable for families, couples, or solo
explorers is Wadsworth Falls State Park, where you can immerse yourself
in nature through 4.5 miles of diverse hiking and biking trails,
spacious picnic zones, wide-open grassy fields ideal for games and
sports, and a majestic 30-foot waterfall known as Big Falls—perfect for
scenic viewing, though swimming and picnicking are restricted in that
specific area for safety reasons.
The park, originally dedicated
in honor of the Wadsworth family, encircles the historic Wadsworth
Estate, crowned by the elegant Wadsworth Mansion, an iconic
representation of New England Victorian architecture that captivates
with its grandeur and is accessible for pre-booked guided tours to delve
into its rich history and opulent interiors.
Situated at 721
Wadsworth Street in Middlefield/Middletown, CT 06457, the park welcomes
visitors daily from 8 a.m. until sunset, with no admission fee for
vehicles registered in Connecticut, while out-of-state visitors pay $10
on weekdays or $15 on weekends and holidays.
Lyman Orchards serves as a vibrant hub of agritourism, with the Apple
Barrel Farm Market acting as the primary spot to collect brochures and
updates on all the happenings throughout the expansive grounds. Here,
you can enjoy three distinct golf courses encompassing a total of 45
holes, including the Player and Apple Nine layouts open daily from 8
a.m. to sunset (weather permitting), plus an indoor golf simulator
available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for year-round practice.
Seasonal
highlights include horse-drawn hay rides, challenging corn and sunflower
mazes, lively music events like the Friday Night Live series, disc golf
courses, and pick-your-own fruit experiences featuring apples, berries,
pumpkins, and more—though availability varies by season, so call the PYO
hotline at 860-349-6015 for current status, as it may be closed during
off-peak times. The Apple Barrel itself operates year-round from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m., with a deli open until 4 p.m., and the on-site 1741 Pub &
Grill offers dining from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. most days (extended to 9 p.m.
on Fridays and starting at 10 a.m. on weekends), complete with holiday
specials like pre-order pies and ready-to-heat meals.
A modest
beach along Lake Beseck presents a relaxing option for those seeking
waterfront leisure, with opportunities for swimming, sunbathing, and
perhaps casual boating under local regulations (such as limited
water-skiing periods from June 15 to after Labor Day between 11 a.m. and
sunset).
Located at 60 Lake Shore Drive, this private town
facility is exclusively for residents of Middlefield and Rockfall,
necessitating a beach pass for access, and it typically opens seasonally
with limited hours like 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends, where attendants
may sell snacks and drinks.
Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort,
which has been fully operational since its successful reopening
following the 2013-14 winter season, boasts 19 varied ski trails
catering to all skill levels, complemented by snowmaking capabilities
and lifts for seamless access.
Winter activities extend to
snowboarding, snow tubing (with sessions starting at 45 minutes and
themed nights like Interstellar), and a dedicated snow play area for
kids under 5, while year-round options include downhill mountain biking,
zip lines, paintball fields, disc golf, summer synthetic tubing, water
slides, and hosting events such as concerts, festivals, and weddings.
Hours fluctuate by season and activity—for instance, mountain operations
run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. in peak winter, with Winterfest featuring
extended evenings on Fridays (4-9 p.m.), Saturdays (noon-9 p.m.), and
Sundays (noon-6 p.m.); check the website for current details, as the
resort is at 99 Powder Hill Rd, Middlefield, CT 06455.
Returning
to Wadsworth Falls State Park for active pursuits, accessible via its
Middletown entrance at 721 Wadsworth Street (though the bulk lies in
Middlefield), it derives its name from the prominent falls and supports
a range of engagements like trail hiking, pond and stream fishing in the
Coginchaug River, mountain biking on designated paths, swimming in the
allocated pond area under hemlock shade, and picnicking amid noble oaks.
If you're coming from New York City, hop onto the Merritt Parkway North (CT-15) and take exit 69. This will put you directly on Route 66 in nearby Meriden; just stick to that road, and it'll lead you straight into the northern part of Middlefield. The drive typically takes about 2 hours depending on traffic, covering roughly 100 miles. From Boston, head south on Interstate 91 and get off at exit 20—Middlefield is only about 4-5 miles from there, making the total journey around 2 hours for the 120-mile trip. Travelers from Providence can take Route 9 North to the Route 66 exit, then follow Route 66 westward into town; this route spans approximately 70 miles and takes about 1.5 hours.
Middlefield is a compact town both in size and population, featuring just two primary state routes for easy travel. Route 147 runs north to Meriden and south to Durham, while Route 157 goes west toward Wallingford and east to Middletown. For exploring the many smaller side streets, grab a free local map from the Town Hall located on Jackson Hill Road, right off Route 157. The town is quite walkable in its central areas, but a car is recommended for reaching outlying spots like parks or orchards.
Middlefield Pizza & Restaurant, 480 Main St. A casual spot for pizza
and classic Italian-American fare. It earns a solid 4.2/5 rating from 13
reviews, praised for its hearty portions.
New Guida's Restaurant, 484
Meriden Rd. This historic diner, opened in 1946, serves up American
comfort food like burgers, breakfast plates, and milkshakes in a retro
setting. It has a 3.8/5 rating based on 50 reviews.
1741 Pub & Grill.
Highly rated at 4.8/5 from 11 reviews, this American grill and bar
offers pub favorites in a cozy atmosphere, with prices in the $$ – $$$
range.
Fire at the Ridge. Located at Powder Ridge, this spot
specializes in American, bar, and seafood dishes, earning 4.0/5 from 75
reviews.
Blackbird Tavern, 6 Way Rd. Enjoy pub grub for around $10 in a
laid-back tavern setting. It has a 4.3/5 rating from 40 reviews, known
for its American bar food and friendly vibe.
Rovers Lodge, 227
Baileyville Rd. A casual lodge with drinks and simple eats, rated 4.1/5
based on 8 reviews.
Americas Best Value Inn, 31 Meriden Road, ☏ +1 860-347-6955. This
20-room motel provides basic, affordable stays starting from $59 per
night, with amenities like free Wi-Fi and parking.
Powder Ridge
Mountain Park & Resort. A resort-style option with mountain views and
activities, rated 2.4/5 from 48 reviews—ideal for those seeking
adventure alongside lodging.
Early Settlement and Origins
Middlefield, located in Middlesex
County in south-central Connecticut, derives its name from its
geographic position midway between Middletown and Durham, as well as
between Middletown and Meriden. The area was originally part of
Middletown and served as hunting grounds for the local Piquag Native
American tribe, with artifacts such as arrowheads commonly found in the
region. Settlement began around 1700, approximately 50 years after
Middletown's founding, when Benjamin Miller, his wife, and children
relocated from South Farms in Middletown to the southern part of what
would become Middlefield, near Coginchaug Swamp. That same year, Samuel
Allen settled in the northern section on high land, and Samuel Wetmore
established a home near the center. These early pioneers faced
isolation, with dense forests, challenging terrain, and no roads or
bridges across the West River (also known as the Coginchaug River).
Additional families soon followed, including the Hubbards, Wards,
Bacons, Stows, Turners from Middletown; the Lymans, Coes, and Camps from
Durham; the Birdseys from Stratford; and the Bartletts from Guilford. By
1744, the population had grown sufficiently for the General Assembly to
recognize Middlefield as a separate ecclesiastical society (parish) from
Middletown, with boundaries defined by landmarks like the Coginchaug
River and specific farms. At that time, the taxable property exceeded
£3,000, and prominent citizens included figures like Samuel Allen Sr.
and Jr., Benjamin Miller Sr., and various Coes and Wetmores.
The Long
Hill section, part of Middlefield, saw settlement slightly earlier,
around 1698, with John Hall Jr. building the first house north of
Pameachy Pond brook near stone quarries. Expansion continued with
families like the Halls, Clarks, Hubbards, Crowells, Barnes, Cornwells,
Atkins, Wards, Gilberts, Lucases, and Blakes spreading out along
north-south land tracts. The area featured hilly terrain, sandstone
rocks used for walls, and chestnut groves, with early economy focused on
farming, stone quarrying, and basic trades like blacksmithing and
weaving. Women in these pioneer families were noted for their
resilience; one anecdote describes a bride who prepared cheese, dressed
for her wedding, rode six miles to Middletown for the ceremony, and
returned to set up her home on the same day, living long enough to see
her great-grandchildren.
Incorporation and Civic Development
Middlefield remained part of Middletown until May 9, 1866, when it was
incorporated as an independent town by an act of the Connecticut
Legislature, making it one of the last towns in the state to achieve
this status. The separation divided debts and property proportionally,
with Middlefield assuming one-tenth of Middletown's obligations,
including war debts and public assets. This arrangement, combined with
no alcohol sales in town, kept taxes low and minimized pauper support
costs. Post-incorporation, representatives in the state legislature
included figures like Moses W. Terrill (1867, 1883), Phineas M. Augur
(1869), and Peter W. Bennett (1871, 1884). Roads were laid out in
straight, parallel patterns early on, with three new roads added after
1866 and improvements to the mountain road for better access to New
Haven County. Post offices were established at the center and in
Rockfall, with mail initially delivered via stagecoach and later by
rail.
Ecclesiastical History and Community Institutions
Religion played a central role from the outset. The Congregational
Church was organized around 1744-1747, with Rev. Ebenezer Gould ordained
as the first pastor in 1747, serving until 1756. Successors included
Rev. Joseph Denison (1756-1770) and Rev. Abner Benedict (1771-1785), who
advocated for freeing enslaved people. The church nearly dissolved
between 1785 and 1820 due to intermittent preaching but revived in 1808
with 29 members during a Durham-led revival. A new meeting house was
built in 1745, replaced in 1842, and enlarged in 1882. Deacons like
Ichabod Miller (pre-1788) and Giles Miller (1774-1804) served long
tenures, and membership reached about 140 by the 1880s.
The Methodist
Episcopal Church emerged in the 1820s, initially meeting in schoolhouses
and homes, with a brick church built around 1829-1830 on land from
Samuel Birdsey and Elisha Coe. It was replaced in 1866 with a larger
structure, debt-free by the 1880s, serving about 100 members and a
Sabbath school of 90 children. Proximity to Wesleyan University in
Middletown allowed professors and students to preach.
St. Paul's
Episcopal Church, linked to Christ Church in Middletown, was built in
1862 as a mission, with services led by Berkeley Divinity School
students. It had about 20 families and 28 communicants by 1884. A Union
Sunday School Chapel in Rockfall used a repurposed 1832 schoolhouse
starting in 1877.
Education was divided into four districts (North,
East, South, Falls) by the 1880s, with modern schoolhouses. Early
emphasis was on practical skills like reading classics, arithmetic,
geography, spelling, and penmanship. Families like the Augurs, Lymans,
and Stows supported schools, with strict examining committees.
Industrial Development
Middlefield's industrial boom in the 18th and
19th centuries was powered by its rivers—the Coginchaug (West River) and
Besek. Early mills included William Miller's grist mill (c. 1755-1800),
Jacob Miller's fulling mill for cloth (until 1808), a short-lived snuff
mill (1779-1780s), and Vine Starr's powder mill (c. 1793), which
experienced explosions in 1806, 1825, and others but operated safely
under the Rand family. Jehoshaphat Stow's nail factory (1798) pioneered
cut nails in the U.S. using Daniel French's machine, later producing
wire during the War of 1812. A pistol factory started in 1845 by Henry
Aston and others, producing government-contracted firearms, burned in
1879 but was rebuilt by Otis Smith for revolvers and hardware.
The
Falls district saw a cotton factory (1847) by the Falls Manufacturing
Company, burned in 1874 and rebuilt as the Russell Manufacturing Company
for spinning. On Besek River, mills evolved from grist and saw
operations to button manufacturing (1849), oar production, and
eventually the Metropolitan Washing Machine Company (organized 1860),
which used multiple water powers and steam to produce up to 15,000
washing machines monthly, employing 125-160 workers and exporting
globally. A pivotal development was the 1848 Reservoir Company dam on
Lake Beseck, engineered by A.M. Bailey as the first bowed arch gravity
dam in the U.S., costing $2,000 initially and raised twice (1852, 1870)
to create a 165-acre pond, enabling consistent waterpower for six mills
and spurring Baileyville's growth. Other ventures included paper mills
(1793-1820s), bone mills, and distilleries, though the latter were seen
as community curses.
Notable events included a 1825 typhus epidemic
killing many, including Horace Miller and Phineas Augur, and powder mill
explosions claiming lives like Hezekiah Clark's.
Key Families and
Notable Figures
Families like the Millers (Benjamin, known as
"Governor," with 15 children; extensive landholders), Coes (descendants
of Robert Coe from England; military figures like Capt. Bela Coe), Stows
(Eliakim with mills; Joshua, surveyor for Western Reserve, judge,
postmaster, and advocate for religious toleration), Lymans (John
purchasing 36 acres in mid-1700s; seven generations involved in washing
machines and orchards), Augurs (Prosper and Phineas M.; intertwined with
town leadership), Birdsyes, Hubbards, Wards, and Bacons shaped the town
through farming, industry, and governance. Charles Augur served as first
selectman in the 1990s, continuing family legacy. Dr. Erasmus Darwin
Hudson manufactured artificial limbs (1850-1880), aiding Civil War
veterans.
Military History
Middlefield residents served in
conflicts: Edward Crowell and John Crowell 2d in the French and Indian
Wars (storming Quebec under Wolfe); Revolutionary War participants like
Elisha Hubbard (prisoner at Fort Washington), Nehemiah Hubbard 2d
(paymaster at key battles including Yorktown), Joseph Barnes (died in
Sugar House prison), and Thomas Lucas (pensioned). In the War of 1812,
David Lyman was a cavalry colonel. Civil War service included
prosthetics from Dr. Hudson.
Geography, Demographics, and Modern
Era
Geographically, Middlefield spans 13.3 square miles (12.7 land,
0.6 water), with elevation at 210 feet. The western border features the
Metacomet Ridge, including Higby and Besek Mountains, traversed by the
50-mile Mattabesett Trail. The town includes Rockfall village and is
part of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. Population
grew from 1,053 in 1870 to 4,425 in 2010, dipping to 4,217 by 2020, with
a density of 332 per square mile. Demographics in 2000 showed 97.76%
White, median household income of $59,448, and a median age of 40.
In
the 20th and 21st centuries, Middlefield transitioned from industrial to
a small bedroom community, retaining rural character with orchards and
preserved history. The Middlefield Historical Society, founded to
collect memorabilia, promotes local heritage, including the Old North
Burying Ground (first burial 1738). Today, it balances historical
preservation with modern suburban life.
Middlefield, Connecticut, a small town in Middlesex County, has a handful of local ghost stories and sites tied to eerie legends, often centered around its historic and natural areas. While not as infamous as some other Connecticut haunts, these tales draw from folklore, paranormal reports, and the town's rural, wooded landscape. Below, I'll describe the key haunted legends, followed by notable abandoned or formerly abandoned places.
Local lore highlights a few spectral spots where visitors have
reported unexplained phenomena, such as apparitions, whispers, and
guardian-like figures. These stories are often shared in paranormal
enthusiast circles and blogs.
The Old Burying Ground (also known
as Old North Burying Grounds): This historic cemetery, dating back to
the 18th century, is said to be a hotspot for restless spirits.
Weathered tombstones mark the graves of early settlers, and visitors
have described strange apparitions wandering among the markers, sudden
chills, unexplained sensations like being watched, and an overall
otherworldly energy that lingers after dark. It's rumored that the
spirits of long-deceased residents remain tied to the land, perhaps due
to unfinished business or tragic deaths from the town's early history.
Black Pond in Meshomasic State Forest: Nestled deep in the forest on
the outskirts of Middlefield, this remote pond is associated with
mysterious occurrences. Legends speak of unexplained ripples on the
water's surface even on windless days, shimmering specters emerging from
the depths at twilight, and faint ghostly whispers carried through the
trees. Some attribute these to drowned souls or ancient Native American
spirits protecting the area, making it a draw for those seeking subtle,
atmospheric haunts rather than overt scares.
The Orchard Keeper:
In Middlefield's apple orchards (particularly around areas like Lyman
Orchards), a spectral guardian figure is said to appear as a fleeting
shadow or misty form among the trees. This "keeper" is believed to
protect the orchards from intruders, with reports of people feeling
pushed away or hearing warnings. The legend may stem from tales of a
long-ago farmer who died tending his crops and now watches over them
eternally.
These legends are more subtle and folklore-based
compared to flashier haunts elsewhere in Connecticut, like Dudleytown or
the Warrens' museum. Note that Middlefield also hosts seasonal haunted
attractions, such as Evidence of Evil at Lyman Orchards or Haunting at
the Ridge at Powder Ridge Mountain Park, which play on local spooky
vibes but are man-made experiences rather than authentic legends.
Middlefield has a modest history of abandoned sites, often tied to
its industrial and recreational past. Many have been reclaimed or
redeveloped, but remnants and stories persist.
Beseck Mountain
Ski Area (Powder Ridge Mountain Park): Located on Beseck Mountain along
the Middlefield-Meriden line, this ski area operated from the 1960s
until closing in 2007 due to financial issues, leaving behind abandoned
lift towers, pulleys, electrical houses, and overgrown trails that gave
it an eerie, forgotten feel during its dormant years. It was a popular
spot for urban explorers in the early 2010s, with reports of creaky
structures and isolation adding to the atmosphere. The site reopened in
2013 after restoration and is now an active resort with skiing, biking,
and events, but echoes of its abandoned era remain in local memory and
some preserved ruins.
Scattered Abandoned Buildings and Sites:
Various old structures dot the area, including derelict buildings
photographed by locals (e.g., an unnamed abandoned building captured in
sepia tones around 2013) and minor sites like an abandoned service
center or boat reported in community posts. One intriguing mention is an
abandoned house in Middlefield said to have been used in a horror movie,
described as "very eerie" by urban explorers, though details on its
exact location or film connection are sparse. These spots aren't major
attractions but contribute to the town's quiet, overlooked abandoned
vibe.