Self-Guided Visit
Historic church and burying ground
View the 1771 Georgian church exterior and the old graveyard, including Revolutionary-era stones, during daylight hours.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Photo coming soon
Other Dark Tourism Site
Old Trinity Church, Brooklyn
Connecticut's oldest Episcopal church, a little-altered 1771 Georgian meetinghouse on the National Register, set in an old burying ground and wrapped in local legends of apparitions and a churchyard-wall curse.
Church Street (Route 6 area), Brooklyn, CT 06234
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Historic church used for special events; the surrounding graveyard is generally viewable. The active congregation worships at a newer building nearby.
Access
Limited Access
Historic churchyard with uneven ground and old grave markers; period building with steps.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1771 · Oldest Episcopal church in Connecticut · Intact 1771 Georgian Anglican interior with original box pews · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1970) · Built under Godfrey Malbone, in part with enslaved labor
Old Trinity Church stands in Brooklyn, in Connecticut's Windham County, and is recognized as the oldest Episcopal church in the state. It was completed in 1771 under the direction of Anglican churchman Godfrey Malbone, who built it in part as a counter to the local Congregational meetinghouse. The Georgian-style, wood-frame building was modeled on churches associated with the architect Peter Harrison and retains its original box pews with wrought-iron hinges.
The church was constructed using, in part, enslaved labor that Malbone supplied -- a difficult and important part of its history that the site's interpreters acknowledge directly rather than gloss over. The surrounding burying ground holds early graves, including those of the colonial and Revolutionary era.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 5, 1970. It survives largely unaltered, a rare example of an intact 18th-century New England Anglican church interior.
Today the congregation primarily worships at a newer facility on Providence Street in Brooklyn Center, while the historic 1771 church continues to be used for special events and services, preserving it as a living landmark.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Church_(Brooklyn,_Connecticut)
- https://ghostofnewengland.com/old-trinity-church/
- https://orionmagazine.org/article/brooklyn-connecticut/
Apparitions in and around the churchOrbs and unexplained phenomenaChurchyard-wall curse legend
Old Trinity Church and its burying ground have long carried a haunted reputation in Connecticut's 'Quiet Corner.' Local tradition describes apparitions, orbs, and other unexplained phenomena around the old church, as well as a long-standing legend that jumping the churchyard wall will bring a terrible curse -- a warning few visitors care to test (Ghost of New England; regional ghost lore). These accounts are presented as folklore rather than documented events, and several sources note that the church's eerie reputation predates the 20th century entirely.
More recent retellings connect the site to Michael Ross, a Connecticut serial killer who murdered eight young women and girls between 1981 and 1984 and was executed in 2005. One of his documented victims, 17-year-old Tammy Williams, was abducted from Brooklyn in January 1982. Some accounts claim victims were disposed of in a pond behind Trinity Church; others state plainly that none of Ross's victims were found near Trinity, and a more careful version says only that one victim was found near a stone wall 'opposite Trinity's grounds,' with the precise spot still a matter of debate (Ghost of New England; storyteller accounts).
Because the Michael Ross connection is contested and unverified, it is presented here only as disputed local lore, not as established fact, and the real victims of those crimes are treated with respect rather than sensationalized. The church's older traditions -- the apparitions, the orbs, and the wall curse -- are what most consistently anchor its haunted reputation.
Notable Entities
Unidentified apparitions in the churchyard
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Trinity Church, Brooklyn family-friendly?
A historic church and graveyard suitable for daytime visits; note that some local lore references serious true-crime events, so discussion may not suit younger children. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Old Trinity Church, Brooklyn?
Historic church used for special events; the surrounding graveyard is generally viewable. The active congregation worships at a newer building nearby. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Old Trinity Church, Brooklyn wheelchair accessible?
Old Trinity Church, Brooklyn has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Historic churchyard with uneven ground and old grave markers; period building with steps..