[IraqVetnowaMomma]

Just for kicks...

I was curious to know if any of you guys heard about the legend of the melonheads in CT. Growing up I heard different variations about the legend. The most common one was that these big-headed little cannibals lived in the woods surrounding the easton reservoir on the trumbull / easton border. In high school, to give ourselves a big scare, we would drive up to Trumbull at night down a dirt road called velvet street, but locally known as "Dracula drive" hoping to see them. I hear high school kids in the area still do this. We never did see any, but I was just curious if anyone has heard of this legend. Any different variations? Some claim "Dracula drive" to be in Shelton or Monroe. One other variation linked the melon heads to a mental hospital in Newtown... I think? Any clues on the origins of this legend? Has anyone seen one? lol

[acornsower]

I grew up in Bridgeport and was always told that there was some sort of facility to treat and house the hydrocephalics ('melonheads') deep in the bowels of Roosevelt Forest in Stratford.

I think I first heard about it at age 11 on a Boy Scout camping trip to that very place, told to me by older scouts.

[kvrli]

I think there are legends like that everywhere- We had stories of them in the Oxford area, too. I am pleased to report we have never been troubled by them.

[andthentherewere3]

The legends are still alive and well; my teenagers in Monroe have heard of them. My son has heard about the melon heads, my daughter has heard of Dracula Drive. Neither of them know the exact legends or locations, other than that they are supposed to be in the Monroe area. Of course they don't believe them, it's just a story kids pass around for fun.

[seymourct]

Wow this brings back memories

Grew up in Trumbull, and heard about the legends. All were totally untrue.

Never the less we heard it was a few escapees from Fairfield Hills State Mental Hospital in Newtown; which by the way had people escape from there all the time.

I was at a restaurant in Newtown once when the cops came in and took a lady back to FHSMH - she had just walked off the grounds, and walked into the downstairs bar of an Inn/Restaurant.

Anyway - and this is not politically correct or socially acceptable to me - but the legend was the term mellon head refered to some violent residents that had escaped Fairfield hills who had the physical head/face manifestations of severe Downs, and no impulse control.

[JayCT]

As a kid I heard of the mellonheads. The area they lived I thought was southern Newtown/northern Monroe in a swampy backwoods area. Friends also talked if similar people in northern Stratford/southern Shelton. Never heard of Dracula Drive though. Jay

[seymourct]

Originally Posted by JayCT

As a kid I heard of the mellonheads. The area they lived I thought was southern Newtown/northern Monroe in a swampy backwoods area.

This is where Fairfield Hills was.

Originally Posted by JayCT

Friends also talked if similar people in northern Stratford/southern Shelton.

I never head the story about anything in that direction, but rumors spread. LOL

Originally Posted by JayCT

Never heard of Dracula Drive though. Jay

The story goes on to say there was a dirt road into the swampy area. The escapees would watch the dirt road. By the way the escapees liked to bite, hence "Dracula" drive. Kids would go down the dirt road and stop the car. The boys would need to step outside and fake a scream, and throw their hands against the car window, as if they were being bitten. This would cause terrified girls to jump into their boyfriends arms.

I never did the Dracula Drive thing but know of kids who did.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by seymourct

Kids would go down the dirt road and stop the car. The boys would need to step outside and fake a scream, and throw their hands against the car window, as if they were being bitten. This would cause terrified girls to jump into their boyfriends arms.

Okay, I'm betting this was a legend begun by boys. ROFL

[IraqVetnowaMomma]

This is fun. Thanks to everyone who responded. It is so funny to see how many different towns claim to have them, but it seems that this legend is only alive in eastern fairfield county. I just wikied it and it seems that Ohio and Michigan have their own versions too.

[tomthedom]

I grew up in Trumbull (elementary, middle and highschool). Dracula Drive is indeed velvet rd, going from trumbull to the monroe border. The road was odd in few ways, it began at regular width and rather quickly narrowed with the yellow lines fading toward one side of the street and then quickly turning to dirt. At that time (8 years ago) it was 90% dirt for it's length and had only one house on top of the hill on it's right side (going from trumbull toward monroe). This or the woods to the left, were where the melonheads were rumored to live. There was also a very large and very dead tree on the left side of the road, it was cut off at height between 10-15 feet and this tree was rumored to be haunted or marking a haunted spot. Here is where it was custom to park the car, turn off the lights and get out until someone started getting scared. Here is also where we'd always bet each other to walk the rest of the way on foot (no one ever did). I haven't been down it in years, but I think it's mostly paved now and has more houses.

That was the story passed around, hope it helps, made for a few fun late night rides.