Local legend holds that the area, which sits on privately owned land, is haunted by the spirits of a cursed family.
John Leich, public relations chairman for Dark Entry Forest Inc., which oversees the area of Dudleytown, said the annual trespassers are responsible for extensive damage in the area.
"In recent years we who live in the Dark Entry Forest have had a good deal of trouble with destructive trespassers at Halloween, who do a great deal of damage to our forest, often drinking heavily and lighting campfires," Leich said. "Dark Entry Forest is on privately-owned land which is posted thoroughly with 'No Trespassing' and 'No Parking' signs on all roadways leading in the area known as Dudleytown. Dudleytown is not on state property, nor is it in a state forest. Therefore this property is not open to the public."
People are naturally attracted to the strange and mysterious. The "Blair Witch" phenomenon of three years ago is a testament to that attraction. However, a similar legend has caused problems for local residents as ghost seekers annually descend upon the area known as Dudleytown on Halloween.
In 1510 Edmund Dudley was beheaded by the British monarchy for attempting to overthrow King Henry VII. Supposedly a curse was then put on the family, ensuring all of Dudley's descendents would be surrounded by death and horror.
It wasn't until the late 1700s that the Dudleys would find their way to the New World and settle in a small area of Cornwall. Although it was never registered as an individual town, the area became known as Dudleytown because of the unusually high number of Dudleys who populated it.
Shortly after several bizarre happenings, including a woman being struck by lightening, reports of people going insane and several suicides the area was abandoned as it was generally believed that the Dudley curse was responsible. All that remains of the community today are a few scattered stone walls and cellar holes.
Despite the complete lack of any hard evidence of supernatural activity in the area, local youth routinely wander the area on Halloween. "They always go back there on Halloween," area resident Robin Graham said. "We have been working with the police from Troop B to discourage people from going back there because it is private property."
In an effort to keep trespassers out of the area, Dark Entry Forest officials have contacted State Police Troop B, which will beef up police presence in the area. Also, the Connecticut Forest and Parks Association will close a section of the Mohawk Trail from the Dark Entry Road entrance to the village of Cornwall Plains for seven days beginning Oct. 27.
"We are going to have an increased presence in all of our area that night," Commanding Officer of Troop B Wayne I. Rioux said. "We will be bringin in our resident troopers and school resource troopers to work to make it as safe as possible for kids and parents. However it is a different issue with Dudleytown because people do get lost and injured."