Vampires of New England talk

Vampires in New England: Darien Historical Society Hosts a Talk About a Colonial Vampire Scare

In 1990, two young boys playing in a Connecticut quarry made a startling discovery, which led to an even more frightening revelation — evidence of a vampire scare in early New England. — an announcement from the Darien Historical Society

Hear the chilling true story, Vampires in New England, with Dr. Nick Bellantoni, Connecticut’s Archaeologist Emeritus, during the Darien Historical Society’s Historical Halloween on Sunday, October 27 at 3 p.m.

Vampire folklore was rampant in New England from 1780 to the 1890s, and a combination of disciplines helps archaeologists to discover more about this period in New England history, said Bellantoni, who has been dubbed Connecticut’s “Indiana Jones.”

“As it turns out, a real public health issue was to blame,” he said. The case was launched in 1990 when two young boys discovered skulls at a quarry in eastern Connecticut. Bellantoni and a team of forensic scientists were called to the scene and soon discovered the site was a long forgotten colonial cemetery. “One grave, in particular, caught our attention,” Bellantoni said.

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Vampires in New England: A Talk at Darien Historical Society About a Colonial Vampire Scare

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In 1990, two young boys playing in a Connecticut quarry made a startling discovery, which led to an even more frightening revelation — evidence of a vampire scare in early New England. Hear the chilling true story, Vampires in New England, with Dr. Nick Bellantoni, Connecticut’s archaeologist emeritus, during the Darien Historical Society’s Historical Halloween on Sunday, October 27 at 3 p.m.

— an announcement from the Darien Historical Society

Vampire folklore was rampant in New England from 1780 to the 1890s, and a combination of disciplines helps archaeologists to discover more about this period in New England history, said Bellantoni, who has been dubbed Connecticut’s “Indiana Jones.”

“As it turns out, a real public health issue was to blame,” he said. The case was launched in 1990 when two young boys discovered skulls at a quarry in eastern Connecticut. Bellantoni and a team of forensic scientists were called to the scene and soon discovered the site was a long forgotten colonial cemetery. “One grave, in particular, caught our attention,” Bellantoni said.

Gilded age images facebook darien hist socy exhibit

Extravagant Gowns on Exhibit Starting Oct 4 at the Darien Historical Society

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Fashion from the era that Mark Twain famously dubbed “The Gilded Age” will be the focus of an upcoming exhibition at the Darien Historical Society, showcasing extravagant gowns from an era synonymous with unabashed wealth. A champagne reception will mark the opening of “How the Industrial Revolution Created the Gilded Age,” on Friday, Oct. 4. — an announcement from the Darien Historical Society

The reception, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. will be held at the historical society at 45 Old Kings Hwy. North.