Before Salem, fear gripped Hartford, Connecticut.

In 1662, unexplained deaths and rising superstition ignited America’s first witch panic. Neighbors turned against each other. Accusations spread. And the Hartford Witch Trials became a dark chapter in America’s haunted history—one nearly erased from memory.

In this episode of State of the Unknown, Robert Barber unearths the creepy history of Hartford’s forgotten panic, exploring the myths, the terror, and the legacy that shaped American folklore long before Salem.

Background Music Attribution (Creative Commons):

• Dark Cave Background 2.wav by SolarPhasing – https://freesound.org/s/490585/ – License: Attribution 4.0
• Digging 1.wav by Alexbuk – https://freesound.org/s/541904/ – License: Attribution 4.0

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State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states.

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