From The Human Realm Spiderweb Thing, The Internet.

From The Human Realm Spiderweb thing, the Internet.

Welcome to Historic Gravesfield

We invite you to come to Gravesfield and visit one of Connecticut’s oldest established townships.

Gravesfield is deeply devoted to preserving our authentic New England heritage, now over 375 years in the making. Heritage tourism is an important component of the community’s identity.

We think you’ll find that the Historic Gravesfield district has many things to offer visitors from an extended weekend getaway to a pleasant day trip. Visitors to Gravesfield can rediscover our nation’s heritage in an authentic, living New England village whose artifact-rich museums, historic homes, shops and places of interest offer experiences for all ages.

Walking along these quiet streets, with brick-paver sidewalks shaded by mature trees, you’d never know you were just a stone’s throw from busy I-91. The historic district of Old Gravesfield is a little world unto itself.

One early building is the old Wittebane House on Main Street. Believed to be built in the 1650s, it’s the setting for the historic mystery of the Wittebane Brothers, who both mysteriously disappeared during the 1662 Hartford witchcraft hysteria, the first widespread witch panic in New England history. There is a statue, reputed to be of the Wittebane Brothers, in the town square.

Two separate but equally disturbing incidents triggered the panic: the “diabolical possession” of Hartford resident Ann Cole and the fatal illness suffered by eight-year-old Elizabeth Kelly.  Young Kelly’s damning last words “Goody Ayers chokes me!” were enough to set witch accusations flying.  In all, eight people were formally charged; three, and possibly a fourth, were executed. 

The disappearance of the Wittebane Brothers occured at a high point of the witchcraft hysteria.

The legend that is most often cited these days recounts that one brother had got involved with a witch, and had been spirited away by them. In this story, the other brother is reputed to have followed after the witch and his brother, in an attempt to save him.

Whatever the truth of the mysterious disappearance of the brothers, the story has continued to excite interest in the centuries since. The statue being erected by public subscription in 1866, to commemorate the township's involvement in the witch trials.

The fund also opened a new subscription lending library in a building near the church.