New England Oddities

In Search Of Puckwudgies

Recently, we journeyed to Freetown, Massachusetts, a small community located in a portion of the state known as The Bridgewater Triangle.  The triangle has gained notoriety as a hot spot to paranormal investigators, UFO hunters and crypto-zoologists across the country.  And apparently this area has been a locale for strange phenomena before the first European settlers arrived.

The Wampanoag tribe has a long oral history of this area going back some ten thousand years.  Among the lore is an interesting tale of a creative giant named Maushop, who, according to legend, was responsible for creating Cape Cod and performing other great deeds for the Native Americans of Massachusetts.  But in all of this joy and happiness lies a hidden malevolence: a pint-sized model of rottenness driven by jealousy and revenge known as the Puckwudgie.

Continue reading In Search Of Puckwudgies…

Hag Attacks and Psychic Vampires

The sun has set, and after a long day you lay down for a good night’s sleep.  Some time later you wake up. There is an unseen source of pressure concentrated on your chest. With every breath, the weight gradually increases and your fear swells. Your eyes search, darting from left to right, as a shadow emerges from a dark corner of your room. The phantom’s shape resembles that of a human wearing a black cloak; your heart beats faster and faster as the dark mass comes closer. A purple hue emanates from around the creature and a noise that sounds like rushing air fills your ears. The sound becomes deafening. Instinctively the flight response hits and your body attempts to move away from danger, but you are paralyzed. You move just your eyes to see, and suddenly the menacing shadowy figure is next to the bed.

Continue reading Hag Attacks and Psychic Vampires…

Investigation at Hillside Cemetery

Recently we received an invitation to investigate Hillside cemetery in Cheshire, Connecticut; a ride along, if you will, with the Greater Hartford Paranormal Society. Now I know you’re probably thinking writing about cemeteries is Katie’s milieu, and you would be correct. But this investigation was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. Besides, I can’t let her have all of the fun, now can I?

Continue reading Investigation at Hillside Cemetery…

Madame Sherri’s Castle

Our unceasing quest for the paranormal recently took us to the small town of Chesterfield, New Hampshire. The site had once been the location of a luxurious home, built in 1931 by Madame Antoinette Sherri. After the construction was complete, droves of Sherri’s friends made their way from New York city to play at the Madame’s lavish, secluded home. Locals soon found themselves knee deep in New York city’s young and eccentric.

Rumors of revelry and intemperance within the walls of this magnificent home ensued for years – and still remain – but while these may be interesting for a tabloid publication, our focus was to investigate claims of paranormal activity.

Continue reading Madame Sherri’s Castle…

Dana, Ghosts Of A Lost Town

Our trip to Dana, Massachusetts took place on a rainy morning in May. The vibrations of this small community’s final days seemed to resonate through every dark cloud and sporadic shower we encountered. Though the skies seemed ready to open up at any second, we were determined to see it through, lured by the stories we’ve heard of Dana’s ghosts. This is an account of our first paranormal investigation at the discontinued township.

Continue reading Dana, Ghosts Of A Lost Town…

Headstone Symbols – In Hoc Signo Vince

When we walk among the many and varied grave markers anywhere in the world, we notice that while some are elaborate and complex in their imagery, others convey a message about the deceased in a simple yet significant way. This next symbol we are about to study is of a simple design – the three letters I, H and S overlaid upon one another.

The letters signify the Latin phrase ” In hoc signo vince”, which in English means: “In this sign you shall conquer”.

Continue reading Headstone Symbols – In Hoc Signo Vince…

Headstone Symbols – Fraternal Orders

A short walk through any cemetery in New England provides the observant eye with a wealth of symbolism, whether it be everyday things like flowers, trees, or animals, or something somewhat . . . stranger. Regardless of the symbols used, they all held a deep meaning to the deceased, so much so that they (or their families) felt they needed to declare it for all eternity by carving it in stone.

If you have ever wondered what these symbols mean, you have come to the right place. This article is the first in a series in which I will attempt to explain many of the symbols found in New England cemeteries.

First up – fraternal orders:

Continue reading Headstone Symbols – Fraternal Orders…

Windigo: Demon of the Wild

Imagine, if you will, walking alone amongst towering oaks and maples. You’re on the path which leads to the safe confines of your home some distance away, when you hear a commotion behind you. Your view of the source of the disturbance is obscured by clusters of shadows and trees along the path. Convincing yourself it was only a falling branch, you return to the task at hand: getting home alive. Suddenly, on the path in front you, a large mass you hadn’t yet noticed catches your attention. You try to remember if it was there before. Did it move? You strain to focus, and then a calming revelation is provided by the moonlight . . . the object is only a rock. Relieved, you continue to walk, but now with a quicker pace. Some time passes and you look ahead and recognize the clearing to the field where your abode lies. You relax, thinking the journey is over and you are safe. Safe, that is, until – seconds before you reach for the door – your worst nightmare bellows a terrifying shriek, steps out from the shadows behind you and charges!

Continue reading Windigo: Demon of the Wild…

Becket’s Abandoned Quarry

The solitary entry read simply this: “Two hundred men lost their lives while the quarry was in operation from 1850 to 1960. And a lone hiker claims to have been chased away by a angry spirit”. An abandoned quarry located in the small town of Becket, MA? Having grown up less than 30 miles away, I was surprised never to have heard of it, and more than a little intrigued.

With a little bit more digging, I came upon a very informative web page, published by The Becket Land Trust. Although there is no information in the land trust’s page corroborating or denying claims of so many deaths or any mention of paranormal activity, I was pleasantly surprised to find maps and photos of the area with a brief history of the quarry’s operation. Still I must say that the hopes of gathering some kind of evidence of paranormal activity were high. The claims that approximately two hundred workers had met their demise there, and that a hiker was chased away from the location sparked my curiosity. So, the very next day we left to explore the living museum with hopes of finding memories of the dead.

Continue reading Becket’s Abandoned Quarry…

The Restless Captive

High above, the sun’s rays bombarded the earth with malevolent force. I tried with determination to ignore the heat and concentrate on catching a trout or two, but the beads of sweat streaming down my face served as a grim reminder that today would have been better spent in the confines of our air-conditioned home.

Evidently, the trout had the same idea, as they were unwilling to move from the river’s depths to chase our offerings. Oh, how clear and cool the water looked, but I realized the consequences outweighed the benefits of staying put. Instead I opted to escape the blistering heat under the sheltering limbs and leaves of the woods directly behind us.

Frustrated and beginning to sunburn from the searing heat, I seized a polystyrene cup someone had carelessly discarded on the river bank and walked into the soothing embrace of the wood. After a moment’s appreciation for the shade, I went to the task of turning over laid down timber, hoping to find earthworms for bait. My efforts were rewarded rather quickly, but at the last log I was to raid, a flash of color the size of an adult crossed my view.

I stood up quickly, dropping my container, and scanned the woods in all directions. My heart felt as if it would leap out of my chest. I focused upon the direction in which I thought the the blur had moved, and a short distance away, amongst the trees protruding from the soft soil, stood a stone marker. My eyes flickered in each direction to reassure myself that I was alone, and then, with cautious steps, I proceeded forward.

Continue reading The Restless Captive…