Milford Historical Society

The Milford Historical Society encompasses three distinctive and architecturally significant Colonial-era buildings that collectively represent some of the most actively and persistently haunted structures in Connecticut, each spanning more than two centuries of documented history and possessing its own unique and well-documented paranormal phenomena distinct from the others. The Eells-Stow House, built during the eighteenth century when Connecticut was still a colonial territory, served as a residence for prominent Milford families including the notable Captain Stephen Stow, whose death from smallpox in 1777 marked a personal tragedy that would apparently bind his spirit to the location for generations to come, creating a lasting paranormal presence. The Bryan-Downs House and Clark-Stockade House, similarly preserved as period residences with original furnishings and architectural details, each contain rooms and spaces that have yielded to modern paranormal investigation, revealing layers of spiritual activity suggesting multiple entities inhabit these structures simultaneously, including spirits from different temporal periods and diverse social backgrounds. These buildings stand as architectural monuments to Connecticut's Colonial heritage, their interiors containing period furnishings, original woodwork, hand-carved details, and architectural features that transport visitors backward through time to an earlier era of American history.

The Eells-Stow House bears particular significance due to the documented death of Captain Stephen Stow, whose apparent unwillingness to leave his earthly residence has become one of the most convincingly documented cases of spectral attachment in the entire state of Connecticut based on accumulated evidence. Electronic voice phenomenon recordings made within the house have captured disembodied voices distinctly identifying themselves as Captain Stow and describing details of his life, military service, and death that correspond precisely with historical records available in Milford archives, lending credibility to claims of genuine spectral communication rather than mere psychological projection by investigators. Visitors and paranormal investigators report experiencing sudden and dramatic temperature fluctuations, particularly in areas where Captain Stow likely spent considerable time during his lifetime, and consistently describe a palpable presence that seems protective and benevolent rather than malevolent. The Bryan-Downs House has yielded recordings of what appear to be ghostly infants, their distinct cries and playful laughter heard on multiple documented occasions despite the absence of any living children in the structure, suggesting these young entities died in childhood and somehow became spiritually attached.

Paranormal investigations led by journalist and paranormal researcher Cindy Boynton have meticulously documented the ghostly phenomena occurring within these three buildings throughout many years of careful research and investigation. The most compelling evidence emerges from comprehensive electronic voice phenomenon recordings that have captured what appear to be complete conversations and diverse expressions of emotion from entities identifying themselves by name and describing specific historical events with accuracy. Beyond auditory phenomena, visitors and staff have consistently reported instances of physical contact from unseen forces, including sensations of being touched by gentle and protective hands. The cumulative effect of these experiences has established the Milford Historical Society as a location of extraordinary and well-verified paranormal activity, with regular ghost walks offered during late September through early November each year, drawing numerous visitors from throughout New England seeking direct personal engagement with the supernatural.