History, story-telling, and spooky fun await you this October at the 20th Annual West Hartford Hauntings, theatrical cemetery tours hosted by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society. This lantern-lit experience traverses one of West Hartford’s oldest burial grounds, The Old North Cemetery (c. 1790), located at 80 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT. During your visit, you will meet dearly departed residents of the town who have returned to enlighten you about the past.
Old cemeteries are full of stories that connect us with the past and often yield important insight into historical art and. Each year, the Noah Webster House creates storylines for West Hartford Hauntings based on research conducted on the lives – and deaths – of past residents. Old North gravestones, newspaper archives, death notices, wills, and other primary resources can yield pieces of a story culminates in a perfect blend of history and outdoor theater.
Your spiritual guide this year is Mrs. Barbara Kalber, wife of Henry Kalber, a late 19th Century gravedigger in West Hartford! Join Mrs. Kalber as she seeks to hear the untold tales and traumas of real West Hartford residents from long ago. It is history as you’ve never seen it before!
West Hartford Hauntings will offer 6 performance dates to the public- October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26 at Old North Cemetery, 80 North Main Street, West Hartford, Connecticut. Tours leave every 15 minutes from 6:00 p.m.-8:45 p.m. and run for 45 minutes. The 6 p.m. tour on October 19 will be American Sign Language interpreted.
West Hartford Hauntings sells out every year! Tickets are on sale now for this entertaining and spooky program at noahwebster.yapsody.com. Tickets are $20 for museum members and $25 for general public. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more. Due to some frightening content, West Hartford Hauntings is recommended for ages 10 and up.
West Hartford Hauntings takes place regardless of rain, snow, or shine. Please dress for the weather. Tickets are non-refundable. Arrive early to the show to purchase refreshments and a limited offering of gift shop and West Hartford Hauntings-related merchandise.
The museum would like to thank Reid & Riege, P.C. for sponsoring West Hartford Hauntings. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Email aratajn@noahwebsterhouse.org to learn how you can sponsor this program or purchase a program ad.
The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is a cultural destination where citizens can learn to understand and appreciate the past. The museum preserves the birthplace of Noah Webster, the founding father, educator, author and lexicographer who taught generations of Americans what it means to be American. This National Historic Landmark is also a repository for West Hartford’s history, the community that molded Noah Webster’s future, and is still thriving over 250 years later. The historic house and exhibit spaces are open to the public Monday through Saturday from 1-4 p.m. For information on the museum’s extensive school and public programs, please visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org or call 860-521-5362.