Haunted Harbor Tour on the Thames River
Haunted Harbor Tour on the Thames River takes passengers onto the water Saturday, August 15, for an afternoon of ghost stories drawn from the centuries of history surrounding Groton Bank. Departing from Thames River Landing in Groton at 4:45 p.m., the 75-minute cruise explores stories of unexplained encounters, Revolutionary War soldiers and residents who, according to local lore, never quite left the neighborhood.
The guides aren’t simply repeating stories collected from the internet. The tour is led by Hali Keeler and Leslie Evans, two of the authors behind Ghosts of Groton Bank, a book devoted to the supernatural stories attached to this small but remarkably historic section of Groton. Evans is associated with the Avery-Copp House Museum, while Keeler has worked with Fort Griswold Battlefield, putting both guides close to the places and history behind the stories. (averycopphouse.org)
And then there’s the setting. Rather than walking from one supposedly haunted building to another, passengers hear the stories from a boat on the Thames River, looking back toward the actual shoreline where many of them originated.
The Ghosts of Groton Bank
Groton Bank occupies only about half a square mile, but its history reaches deep into the colonial and Revolutionary periods.
That history has produced its share of ghost stories.
Ghosts of Groton Bank, published by Arcadia Publishing in 2016, collects accounts connected to historic houses, military sites and waterfront buildings throughout the neighborhood. Its stories range from phantom Revolutionary War soldiers and unexplained footsteps to sea captains who never returned home and former residents who apparently aren’t ready to move out. (openroadmedia.com)
The book was written by Hali Keeler with Leslie Evans and David Rose, drawing the supernatural stories together with the documented history of the neighborhood. (goodreads.com)
The Haunted Harbor Tour takes some of those stories back to the landscape where they began.
Mother Bailey and the Battle of Groton Heights
One of the names passengers will hear is Mother Bailey, a legendary figure in Groton’s Revolutionary War history.
But some of the darkest stories surrounding Groton Bank trace back to Fort Griswold.
On September 6, 1781, British forces under Benedict Arnold attacked New London and Groton. The fighting at Fort Griswold became one of the bloodiest episodes in Connecticut’s Revolutionary War history, with scores of American defenders killed during and immediately after the battle.
More than two centuries later, stories of soldiers who never left the battlefield have become part of Groton Bank’s folklore. Ghosts of Groton Bank recounts reports of ghostly soldiers around the neighborhood, along with other unexplained activity connected to the historic homes surrounding the fort.
Hearing those stories from the river adds some perspective. The battlefield and surrounding neighborhood aren’t distant historical abstractions. They’re right there on the hillside above the boat.
Haunted Houses Along the Thames
The battlefield isn’t the only source of Groton Bank’s supernatural reputation.
The Avery-Copp House, built around 1800 and standing above the Thames River, appears in the area’s ghost lore through accounts of former residents who seem reluctant to leave.
Nearby, the Ebenezer Avery House has its own stories, including reports of unexplained footsteps. The house also has a direct connection to the Battle of Groton Heights: wounded soldiers were brought there after the fighting at Fort Griswold.
Other tales collected in Ghosts of Groton Bank reach into the Submarine Veterans Club and Fleet Reserve, giving the neighborhood a surprisingly crowded cast of alleged spectral residents.
Whether you believe any of it is another question.
The documented history beneath the stories is real enough.
A Historic Boat for a History Tour
Even the boat has a past.
Thames River Heritage Park operates its cruises aboard refurbished former U.S. Navy liberty launches. These utility boats were originally used to carry sailors between larger Navy vessels and shore during liberty periods.
One of the Heritage Park boats served aboard the USS LaSalle, which became flagship of the U.S. Middle East Force in 1988. Another was assigned to the USS Hunley, a submarine tender that supported the Navy’s nuclear-powered Polaris submarine fleet. (thamesriverheritagepark.org)
Today, those former Navy boats carry visitors through a stretch of river that has witnessed everything from colonial trade and one of America’s great 19th-century whaling ports to the birth of the nuclear submarine age.
For this trip, they’re carrying ghost stories.
About Thames River Heritage Park
The Haunted Harbor Tour is part of the seasonal programming offered by Thames River Heritage Park, which connects historic and cultural sites on both sides of the Thames.
Unlike a traditional park contained within a single boundary, the Heritage Park stretches across New London and Groton. More than 30 historic and cultural locations are represented, including Fort Trumbull, Fort Griswold Battlefield, the Hempsted Houses, Avery-Copp House, the Garde Arts Center, Ledge Lighthouse and the Submarine Force Museum and USS Nautilus.
The river ties them together.
During summer weekends, the park operates its Hop On, Hop Off Harbor Cruise between waterfront stops in New London and Groton, along with specialty narrated history tours and evening cruises.
Bring Snacks and Drinks
The Haunted Harbor Tour is open to all ages, and guests are welcome to bring a cooler with beverages and snacks.
There is one practical detail worth knowing before boarding: the former Navy launches do not have restrooms.
The vessels also aren’t ADA compliant. Passengers must be able to walk up and down four stairs and board the boat independently with only minimal assistance from the crew.
Weather
The Haunted Harbor Tour is weather dependent.
Conditions on the Thames can affect or cancel scheduled cruises, particularly when thunderstorms or other unsafe weather moves through the area.
Thames River Heritage Park posts the current operating status of its boats on its website and also communicates weather-related changes to ticket holders.
Check the status before heading to Groton if the forecast looks questionable.
Event Details
Date
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time
4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Duration
Approximately 75 minutes
Departure Location
Thames River Landing
Location
Thames Street
Groton, CT
Presented By
Thames River Heritage Park
Guides
Two authors of Ghosts of Groton Bank
Age Restrictions
None. Guests of all ages are welcome.
Food & Drinks
Guests may bring a cooler with their own beverages and snacks.
Restrooms
There is no restroom aboard the boat.
Accessibility
The former Navy launches are not ADA compliant. Passengers must be able to navigate four stairs and board and disembark independently with minimal assistance.
Weather
Weather dependent. Check the Thames River Heritage Park website or social media before departure for current operating information.
Questions
(860) 333-6706
More Information
For more information, visit the event website using the Event Website link below.
For ticket purchases, click on the Ticketing link below.
