The Perron Family Haunting

In 1971, Roger and Carolyn Perron moved into a farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, with their five daughters: Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April. The countryside home looked peaceful and promising. It was a chance for the family to live away from the noise of the city and enjoy the quiet charm of nature. The house was large, with wide fields, old wooden beams, and a long history behind its walls. What they did not know was that their new home would soon become the center of one of the most famous real-life haunted stories in the world.

The farmhouse dated back to the 18th century. Like many old homes in New England, it had seen generations of families live and die within its walls. Local people whispered that tragedies had happened on the land. There were stories of strange deaths, suicides, and accidents linked to former residents. Although not every detail could be proven, the house carried an atmosphere that made people uneasy. It was the kind of place where the air felt heavy, as if memories of the past were still lingering.

Not long after settling in, the Perron family started noticing unusual things. At first, they were small: doors creaking open on their own, objects disappearing and turning up later in strange places, and sudden cold spots inside the rooms. Soon, the children began hearing voices. They said they heard whispers echoing in the dark, and sometimes they thought they heard laughter. Footsteps were heard in the attic when no one was there. At night, they often felt like someone was moving in the shadows, watching them quietly.

As days passed, the experiences grew stronger. One of the daughters, Nancy, claimed she saw a shadowy figure moving across her room. Another daughter said she felt her bed shake as if someone had sat down beside her. Lights flickered without reason. The family tried to explain these things away as problems of an old house. Perhaps it was the wind, perhaps rats in the attic, perhaps loose wiring. But the experiences did not stop. Instead, they became more disturbing.

The children became too scared to sleep alone. They often gathered together in the same room, trying to comfort each other. Carolyn, the mother, started noticing bruises on her body without any clear cause. She grew convinced that something in the house was targeting her. The family began to feel trapped, as if they had moved into a place they could not escape. Even though they wanted peace, the house was not letting them live normally.

By the early 1970s, the Perrons decided they needed help. They contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren, a husband-and-wife team known for their paranormal investigations. The Warrens had already worked on many famous cases and were well-known in America. When they entered the farmhouse, Lorraine, who was a clairvoyant, immediately felt a dark energy. The couple believed the house was haunted by multiple spirits. Some were harmless, but one spirit in particular seemed angry and dangerous.

The Warrens held séances inside the farmhouse to try to communicate with the spirits. According to the family, these sessions were intense and frightening. Carolyn, the mother, reportedly became affected during one séance, speaking in a strange voice and showing signs of possession. The children were terrified as they watched their mother change before their eyes. To them, this was no longer about bumps in the night. It was about their safety and sanity.

The Perrons continued to live in the house for nearly a decade, even though the haunting never fully went away. They said there were times of calm, but then suddenly the activity would return stronger than before. Objects flew across rooms, windows slammed shut, and unseen hands tugged at their hair and clothes. They never knew what each night would bring. Andrea, the eldest daughter, later described the experience as “living in fear every single day.”

Eventually, the Perrons moved out of the farmhouse. But the memories stayed with them. Andrea Perron wrote books about her family’s experiences, documenting what they went through. She explained that the haunting was real to them, even if others doubted their story. The house later became famous worldwide when Hollywood created the movie The Conjuring in 2013, inspired by the Perrons’ haunting. While the film added dramatic scenes that never happened, the family insists that the heart of the story is true.

The Perrons have always been clear that while the movie helped share their story, it was not a perfect reflection of reality. About ninety-five percent of the film was made up for entertainment, but the core events of spirits, voices, and fear really did happen to them. The Warrens also maintained until their deaths that the case was genuine. Skeptics argue that old houses make noises, people can imagine things, and memories can change over time. But for the Perrons, the haunting was not imagination. It was their daily life.

The farmhouse still stands in Harrisville, Rhode Island. Because of its dark history and Hollywood fame, it has become a popular spot for paranormal enthusiasts and tourists. In 2022, it was sold for around 1.5 million US dollars, with the new owners embracing its haunted reputation. People continue to visit, some hoping to feel the same chills the Perrons felt, others simply curious to step inside a piece of history.

The Perron haunting is one of the most talked-about true ghost stories in the world because it combines history, multiple witnesses, and a deep human experience. It is not only about strange sounds or moving objects. It is about a family struggling to find peace in their own home, and about the fear that can take hold when you believe you are not alone. Whether people believe or doubt, the Perron family’s story continues to raise the same question: what really happened inside that farmhouse?

The Perron family haunting reminds us that some stories cannot be easily explained. For those who lived through it, the pain and fear were real. For the world, it has become a chilling tale that mixes truth and mystery. Whether you see it as a ghost story, a psychological experience, or a piece of folklore, it continues to hold power even fifty years later. And for the Perrons, the memory of their haunted farmhouse is something they will never forget.

Detail Address

1677 Round Top Road, Harrisville, RI 02830, United States

This is the original farmhouse where the Perron family lived, now widely known as The Conjuring House.