“abandoned historic village”
This place is on private property. Listing for informational purposes only. Please do not visit without express permission from the land owner. "In East Haddam, a few miles north of the fabled Goodspeed Opera House and near to the border of Moodus, is a 52-acre parcel of land that once was the village of Johnsonville. Once a thriving mill community, then a Victorian Era tourist attraction, it’s now an abandoned ghost town, stuck in limbo waiting for someone to either come and restore it or to put it out of its misery and knock it down.Of course, Johnsonville didn’t start with intentions of becoming a deserted village. Originally founded in the early 19th century, Johnsonville was home to a number of twine mills, who used the Moodus River as a power source. After Schmitt took possession of the property, he purchased other vintage buildings and had them moved to Johnsonville, including a Victorian stable and chapel, which hosted weddings. Schmitt didn’t formally run tours on the property, but he did open the property for visitors on a regular basis. He also allowed special events including charity benefits and weddings. In 1994, Schmitt got into a disagreement with the town of East Haddam and shut down the attraction, putting the property up for sale. Schmitt died in 1998, and his estate started selling off many of the antiques and other pieces of the property, including some of the buildings. At one point the property was listed for $3 million, not a bad price for 60-plus acres of scenic Connecticut countryside. With the market down as it is, it may be even more inexpensive at this point.Some suggest that the ghost of Schmitt roams the grounds of Johnsonville, content to spend eternity in a place for which he had so much affection. We haven’t heard of any other specific ghost stories here, but like any long-abandoned settlement, there’s an undeniable creepiness inherent to the place."
Drove around the town last summer with my family. Its an absolutely beautiful place but the people there are very aware of outsiders. I hope they fix it up to be fully functioning for their community. Wouldn't recommend going at night either. As I said, people who live on this property are VERY aware of outsider presence,.
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Johnsonville Village
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