Here Are 7 Of The Most Intriguing Gravesites In Connecticut

One of the greatest circus showmen on Earth, P.T. Barnum has his final resting place in Bridgeport. The legendary man helped design the cemetery before his passing in 1891. Reportedly a few weeks after his burial, three men were discovered in the middle of the night digging at the gravesite. They had planned to steal the body and hold it for ransom but were scared off my nightwatchmen who interrupted to attempted crime. P.T. Barnum's grave is located in Mountain Grove Cemetery, 215 Dewey St., Bridgeport, CT 06605.

Captain Gray, his wife Sarah, and their children were aboard a whaling ship in 1864. Captain Gray died on route to the hunting grounds and according to the story, his wife did not want a burial at sea. The Captain's remains were sealed in a barrel of rum and returned with the family to Connecticut where he was buried still in the rum barrel. To visit the gravesite go to Liberty Hill Cemetery on Trumbull Hwy., Lebanon, CT 06249.

It is hard to miss this 18-foot tall pyramid made of beautiful pink granite in the midst of Cedar Hill Cemetery. The monument has a life-sized angel statue in the doorway of the pyramid. This stone memorial was erected in memory of Mark Howard and his wife, Angelina Lee Howard. Mark Howard was the first internal revenue collector for the state of Connecticut. You'll find this unusual monument at Cedar Hill Cemetery, 453 Fairfield Ave., Hartford, CT 06114.

Hannah Hovey who adopted the nickname of Hannah Cranna while she was still alive, was also known as the "Wicked Witch of Monroe". She was rumored to have been involved in her husband's death, but it was never proven. After Hannah died and was buried her house was engulfed in flames after the townspeople returned from her burial. You can visit the suspected witch's grave at Gregory's Four Corners Burial Ground, 91-99 Spring Hill Rd., Trumbull, CT 06611.

This large gravesite that looks like a cemetery within a cemetery belongs to Charles Goodyear, one of the more famous people buried in Connecticut. Just imagine what life would be like without the results of his coveted invention. To see this gravesite, visit the 18-acre Grove Street Cemetery at 227 Grove St., New Haven, CT 06511.

The graveyard at the Connecticut Valley Hospital is a mass of 1700 headstones that simply bear numbers. These are the graves of mentally ill patients that died between 1878 - 1955. It's a hauntingly sad place that demonstrates to an extent how the mentally ill were treated. You can pay your respects at the Cemetery at Connecticut Valley Hospital, 1000 Silver St., Middletown, CT 06457.

Mary Hart, also known as Midnight Mary is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery. She led a life without event, but the legends that surround her demise are quite unusual. It is said that she passed away at the stroke of midnight and was quickly buried by her family. However the following night, her aunt had a strange dream that Mary was still alive in her coffin. The family asked that the body be dug up and when it was they were horrified at what was found. Mary was dead but apparently hadn't been when she was laid to rest. Her fingernails were bloody as was the top of the coffin, seemingly she tried to claw her way out of the early grave. You can find this gravesite at the Evergreen Cemetery, 769 Ella T Grasso Blvd., New Haven, CT 06519.