By Sarah Norman | August 8, 2023

More Weirdness Per Square Foot Than The Bermuda Triangle

Welcome to a journey through the uncanny and inexplicable corners of Southeastern Massachusetts, where folklore, mystery, and the unexplained converge. From spectral hauntings in centuries-old buildings to cryptic creatures lurking in dense swamps, this region brims with tales that both fascinate and chill the bones.

In this exploration, we'll traverse the eerie landscapes of The Bridgewater Triangle, uncover the secrets of ancient petroglyphs, and gaze into the depths of haunting sites like the Assonet Ledge. Whether you're a curious traveler, a fan of the paranormal, or simply intrigued by the unknown, join us as we take you on a thrilling adventure through the shadows and enigmas that define one of America's most mysterious regions. Buckle up, dear reader, for a tour unlike any other!

Have you ever felt a chill run down your spine for no apparent reason, or glimpsed something inexplicable in the corner of your eye? Welcome to the eerie world of the Bridgewater Triangle, a paranormal vortex stretching across 200 shadowy square miles in Massachusetts. With its three defining points in Abington, Rehoboth, and Freetown, the Triangle envelopes whole communities like Taunton, Raynham, and more. 

Given its nickname by cryptozoologist Loren Coleman in 1983, the Bridgewater Triangle has become synonymous with strange happenings and unexplained phenomena. Jeff Belanger, a renowned author and podcaster, once claimed that the Bridgewater Triangle possesses more "weirdness" per square foot than the infamous Bermuda Triangle. Its enigmatic allure draws from centuries of history, entwining ghostly legends, cryptic creatures, and UFO sightings in a tapestry of mystery that continues to intrigue and baffle. Dare you explore what lurks within?

Hunting Bigfoot in Hockomock

The first Bridgewater Triangle Expedition Team (BTET) expedition was celebrated in the local newspaper (Old Bridgewater Historical Society)

The murky depths of Hockomock Swamp are not for the faint of heart, as Joseph DeAndrade discovered in 1978 when he had his first unsettling encounter with Bigfoot. His sighting was no fleeting glimpse into the unknown but a tangible brush with something otherworldly. Driven by curiosity and a thirst for answers, DeAndrade formed the Bridgewater Triangle Expedition Team (BTET) in 1985, alongside fellow witnesses Tony Rose and Mike Foster. Together, they ventured into the swamp, seeking the elusive creature, encountering more close run-ins with the cryptid. But the swamp held secrets more terrifying than they could ever have imagined. In 1989, a sighting so chilling occurred that DeAndrade disbanded the group, convinced that the swamp was infested with malevolent spirits. The haunting legacy of their expeditions lingers on, a whispered tale of terror, forever etched into the eerie lore of the Bridgewater Triangle.

The Mysterious Pukwudgie of Cynthia Street

A recreation of the creature seen by Bill Russo (Photo: Bill Russo)

One dark night, about 30 years ago, Bill Russo was walking his dog Samantha, a German shepherd-rottweiler mix, on Cynthia Street in Raynham, after a tiring midnight shift at Raynham Ironworks. What began as an ordinary stroll soon took an eerie turn as Samantha began "shaking like a washing machine." The sound that followed was something unnatural and chilling: "Keer, Keer. Ee Wan Chu." Out of the shadows, under the cold glow of a streetlamp, emerged a creature that defied explanation, standing three to four feet tall, with a potbelly and eyes a little too large for its head. Russo, a self-proclaimed skeptic, tried to dismiss it as a child in a Halloween costume, but the creature's strange utterances and beckoning gestures suggested something more sinister. Though not afraid, Russo chose to leave, haunted by the incident for years to come. He said:

I am not a paranormal guy. I don't look up in the sky. I don't watch UFO shows. I had no connection to them. Nor do I now, to the paranormal. I was just the guy out walking with my dog who saw something that stretches credibility.

Reflecting on that night, he believes the creature was trying to speak English, perhaps saying "Come here, we want you." Paranormal investigators speculate that Russo may have crossed paths with a Pukwudgie—a legendary creature known to lure humans to their doom.

The Vanishing of 'Pretty' Evelyn Packard

1916 was a year that would etch an unsettling chapter into the lore of the Bridgewater Triangle. On a bright and sunny morning on August 4, 1916, a journey began that would become one of the most baffling mysteries of the Bridgewater Triangle. "Pretty" Evelyn Packard, as the local papers called her, left her Brockton home to rent a canoe from The Americanage Club on South Street. As she paddled down the Town River, she seemingly glided "into oblivion." Within hours, two local boys found her canoe floating in a lagoon, right side up, with its interior inexplicably bone dry. There were no signs of a splash, no clues to indicate what had happened.

The authorities were baffled, and theories swirled. Some doctors speculated that Packard had wandered into the sinister Hockomock Swamp, becoming "crazed by her experiences." Others suspected foul play, a notion that even her family couldn't entirely dismiss. The disappearance of the beautiful and shapely 27-year-old girl remained a profound enigma.

Three days after she vanished, Packard's body was found under Skim Milk Bridge, two bridges down the river from Comfort on the Town River. The discovery did little to unravel the mystery, leaving a haunting question lingering like a shadow over the river: What truly happened to Evelyn Packard on that fateful summer's day?

The Solitude Stone's Secret: A Reverend, a Rite, and a Riddle in the Wilderness

In the secluded embrace of the Bridgewater Triangle lies a mysterious artifact known as the Solitude Stone, etched with an enigmatic poem:

All ye, who in future days,
Walk by Nunckatessett stream
Love not him who hummed his lay
Cheerful to the parting beam,
But the Beauty that he wooed.

The author and inscriber of these cryptic lines were shrouded in mystery until Edgar Howard, drawn by the ethereal beauty of Eagles Nest Meadows and the winding Nunckatessett, made it his mission to uncover the truth. Howard's investigation led him to the revelation that the poet was none other than Revered Timothy Otis Paine of the New Church of Jerusalem. This discovery unveiled a hidden connection to the esoteric teachings of the occultist Emanuel Swedenborg, intertwined with the principles of the Age of Aquarius and the mysterious Rite of Swedenborg, a fraternity parallel to Freemasonry.

The Solitude Stone's enigmatic inscription continues to captivate those who venture into the wilds of the Bridgewater Triangle.

The Shadows of Taunton State Hospital: A Legacy of Madness and Mystery

Robert Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views. An image of Taunton State Hospital taken sometime between 1863 and 1880.

In the heart of Taunton, Massachusetts, looms the imposing edifice of Taunton State Hospital. A now-abandoned complex, it stands as a chilling testament to a bygone era, a place where the lines between sanity and madness blurred and twisted into grotesque shapes. From 1854 to 1975, this psychiatric asylum bore witness to the torment of countless souls, some infamous and others innocent.

Within its darkened halls, serial killers found a temporary abode, their cold eyes gazing out from behind locked doors. But alongside these menacing figures were innocent patients suffering from mental health disorders. Trapped in a system that was both archaic and cruel, they were subjected to horrific "treatments" that now haunt the conscience of modern medicine.

Lobotomies that severed minds, electroshock that jolted the senses, and confinement that broke the human spirit were meted out with a chilling detachment. The agony and despair etched into the walls still resonate, a spectral presence that whispers the tales of those who walked the twisted corridors.

The Unseen Horrors of Taunton State Hospital

Taunton State Hospital

In the eerie silence of the Taunton State Hospital's abandoned grounds, visitors have stumbled upon a terror that transcends time. A place scarred by unimaginable suffering and malevolent rituals, the hospital has become a nexus for the supernatural and a gateway to the unknown.

Long after its closure, the haunting echoes of the past reverberate through the desolate hallways. Banging and moaning sounds drift on the wind, chilling the bones of those who dare to listen. Unseen figures reach out, their ghostly hands pulling and touching the living, an invisible force that bewilders and terrifies.

But the hospital's dark history goes beyond the spectral. During the sinister era of the 1960s and 1970s, it allegedly became a hub for satanic cults. Hidden chambers within the hospital's complex hosted rituals most foul, and a malevolent energy seeped into the very fabric of the building.

Visitors have recounted sightings of mysterious orbs, spectral lights that dance and flicker before vanishing into the shadows. The specters that dwell within the hospital seem to reach out across the veil, their presence a lingering testament to a time when darkness held sway. Today, Taunton State Hospital stands as a grim monument to the Bridgewater Triangle's enigmatic power.

Profile Rock: The Sentinel Stone and Its Ghostly Guardian

Profile Rock Nestled within the Freetown Fall River State Forest, Profile Rock stands as a mysterious and spiritual landmark. Resembling a human face, this enigmatic formation bears significance to the Wampanoag people, having been the place where the legendary figure Anawan allegedly received a "lost wampum belt." One legend says that during King Philip’s War, colonists had stolen the sacred Wampum belt from the Wampanoag.

Beyond its historic reverence, Profile Rock is shrouded in otherworldly mystery. Visitors have claimed to see a ghostly figure of a man sitting on the rock, and according to local legend, Native American tribes people had warrior "ghost dancers" perform ceremonial dances there. Whether a gateway to ancient wisdom or a beacon for the paranormal, Profile Rock continues to enchant and mystify, an enduring symbol of the Bridgewater Triangle's inexplicable allure.

The Haunting Heart of the Bridgewater Triangle

Within the shadowy confines of the Bridgewater Triangle, the Hockomock Swamp looms large. This 5,000-acre quagmire, the largest swamp in all of New England, is steeped in mystery and shrouded in eerie legends. Known by the Wampanoag people as "the place where spirits dwell," the swamp whispers secrets of an ancient past, including an enigmatic 8,000-year-old Native American burial ground, where bodies vanished upon excavation, as if reclaimed by the very earth itself.

But the tales of Hockomock extend beyond the spectral. Bigfoot sightings abound, with eyewitnesses recounting terrifying encounters with large half-man, half-ape hairy creatures lurking amongst the twisted trees. More baffling still are the reports of the "Thunderbird," a massive pterodactyl-like being with wings spanning between 8 and 12 feet.

Hockomock Swamp: A Legacy of History, Legend, and Conflict

Hockomock Swamp has served as a haunting backdrop for countless stories, myths, and historical events. Revered by Native Americans since around 300 C.E., the swamp was a sacred source of sustenance and a resting place for the dead. It was a land where the Wampanoag both worshiped and feared, believed to be the dwelling place of Hobomock, the chief deity of death and disease. The name "Hockomock" itself means “place where spirits dwell,” and the legends of ghosts and mythical creatures persist to this day.

The swamp's history is woven with conflict and transformation. In the 17th century, Chief Metacomet utilized it as a strategic fortress against English settlers during King Philip's War. The twisted terrain provided a perfect base to launch assaults upon nearby settlements. However, by the 18th and 19th centuries, the once sacred swamp was seen by Euro-American settlers as worthless, leading to attempts to drain portions for farmland.

Deciphering Massachusetts' 40-Ton Enigma

Public domain. Dighton Rock in the Bridgewater Triangle, photographed by Frank S. Davis on September 11, 1893.

Dighton Rock, a massive 40-ton boulder initially located in the riverbed of the Taunton River at Berkley, Massachusetts, has been a source of fascination and speculation for over three centuries. With its six slanted sides, the boulder measures approximately five feet high, nine and a half feet wide, and eleven feet long, and is etched with lines, geometric shapes, drawings, and writing that have puzzled observers since they were first noted.

The mysterious carvings have given rise to numerous theories about their creators, ranging from Native Americans to Vikings, the Portuguese, Chinese, and ancient Phoenicians. Despite many attempts to decode the petroglyphs, no definitive explanation has emerged. In a bid to preserve this enigmatic artifact, state officials removed the boulder in 1963, and it is now showcased in a museum at Dighton Rock State Park, where exhibits lay out the case for each theory. Recognizing its historical significance, the rock was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

The Chilling Legend of Massachusetts' Gateway to Hell

Spider Gates cemetery. / Quaker Cemetery (“Spider Gate”) Leicester MA by janhatesmarcia on Flickr/Creative Commons

Spider Gates Cemetery, situated in Leicester, Massachusetts, is a Quaker burial ground that has garnered a sinister reputation over the years. Locally known as the "gateway to hell," it's enveloped in legends and unsettling tales. Rumors abound that the cemetery's center was once used for satanic rituals and worship, and mysterious phenomena like white substances seeping from the ground have contributed to its eerie aura. The belief that spirits can be summoned from their graves within this haunted location has further fueled its mystique.

The cemetery's dark reputation is not only founded on supernatural lore but also on a series of human tragedies that have taken place within its boundaries. These disturbing events have left an indelible mark on Spider Gates Cemetery, transforming it into a place that both fascinates and terrifies those who venture near. Whether the stories are products of imagination or grounded in truth, the cemetery continues to be a prominent fixture in local folklore and a destination for those drawn to the unknown.

The Hockomock Swamp Bigfoot

The Hockomock Swamp, located within the eerie Bridgewater Triangle, has become the epicenter of reports concerning a shaggy, ape-like creature, often likened to Bigfoot. This elusive being is not only known for its fearsome appearance but also its terrible stench. Numerous sightings and encounters have been documented over the years, with descriptions often detailing reddish-orange eyes and a half-human, half-animal cry.

One particularly unnerving encounter occurred on April 8, 1970, when two officers experienced their police cruiser being lifted and dropped by an unseen force, only to spot something hairy resembling a bear running away on two legs. Other accounts include a hunter finding hair and blood after shooting at a large creature and a woman witnessing a hairy bipedal being feasting on a pumpkin in her garden. Joseph M. De Andrade, a triangle resident, has spent decades collecting these reports, contributing to the ongoing fascination and mystery surrounding this creature. Whether it's a wild bear or something else, the question remains: what is it that roams along the outskirts of human civilization in the Hockomock Swamp?

The Pukwudgie of the Freetown State Forest: A Mischievous Myth

In the heart of the Freetown State Forest, within the enigmatic confines of the Bridgewater Triangle, resides a mythical creature known as the Pukwudgie. Stemming from Algonquian folklore, the Pukwudgie is described as a knee-height or even smaller being. The local Wampanoag people have long held the Pukwudgie in a light that combines both whimsy and caution; it is considered to be a mischievous creature that revels in playing tricks on humans. They were once said to have been friendly to humans but later turned against them. These evil little beings have been blamed for people who have fallen from cliffs, disappeared, or mysteriously died.

While tales of the Pukwudgie are often shared in jest, the underlying mystery of this creature continues to captivate those who wander through the forest, making it an intriguing part of local legend and culture.

Mysterious Creatures of the Hockomock Swamp: Thunderbirds and Other Enigmas

The Hockomock Swamp, a vast and eerie expanse within the Bridgewater Triangle, is no stranger to legends and mysterious sightings. Among the various enigmatic creatures said to inhabit the swamp, one of the most fascinating is the Thunderbird. This mythical creature, prominent in local Native American mythology, is described as a giant, black, pterodactyl-like being with an impressive wingspan ranging from 8 to 12 feet. Sightings of the Thunderbird have been reported by various individuals, including a law enforcement officer, adding credibility to the legends. But the Thunderbird is not alone in haunting the swamp. Others have reported encounters with vicious red-eyed dogs and giant snakes, further deepening the swamp's mystique. The plethora of mysterious sightings and unexplained phenomena makes the Hockomock Swamp a place of intrigue and a nexus for cryptozoological exploration.

A Hotbed of Paranormal Activity in Southeastern Massachusetts

The Will o' the Wisp and the Snake by Hermann Hendrich (1854–1931)

In Southeastern Massachusetts lies the enigmatic Bridgewater Triangle, a 200-square-mile parcel of land that has become notorious for its unusual and unexplained phenomena. From mythical creatures and ghostly lights to phantoms and UFOs, the area has fascinated and puzzled scientists, archaeologists, cryptozoologists, historians, and paranormal researchers alike.

The term "Bridgewater Triangle" was first coined in the 1970s by researcher Loren Coleman, who conducted extensive paranormal investigations within the region. Through careful mapping and observation, Coleman identified the triangle as an area of intense and concentrated strange activity. Later, paranormal investigator and author Christopher Balzano compiled an astonishing amount of data on the area, culminating in several books, including “Ghosts of the Bridgewater Triangle.” The Triangle continues to be a hotbed for mysterious occurrences, attracting enthusiasts and skeptics alike, all seeking to unravel its secrets.

UFO Sightings in the Bridgewater Triangle

Diane Krauthamer/Flickr

The Bridgewater Triangle, a region already steeped in mystery and strange phenomena, is also a prominent hotbed for UFO sightings. The recorded encounters with unidentified flying objects in this area date back to 1760, and the reports have continued to accumulate over the centuries. In 1908, local newspapers documented a sighting near Bridgewater, while in 1968, five individuals claimed to have seen a glowing ball of light floating among the trees in Rehoboth.

The sightings became even more frequent in the latter part of the 20th century. In 1976, witnesses reported seeing two UFOs landing along Route 44 near Taunton. Nearly two decades later, in 1994, a Bridgewater Law Enforcement Officer described seeing a triangular-shaped craft adorned with red and white lights. The latest notable sighting occurred in the summer of 1999, near Lake Nippenicket, where observers reported a fast-moving UFO accompanied by a loud noise. These accounts have added to the lore of the Bridgewater Triangle, attracting ufologists and curious onlookers keen to understand or perhaps even glimpse the unexplained phenomena themselves.

Bridgewater State University, Haunted Or Simply Ancient?

Woodward Hall, Bridgewater State Normal School / [ca. 1911]

Bridgewater State University, a renowned public institution, carries not just a legacy of academic excellence but also tales of haunting specters. The main campus, steeped in history, is said to be the dwelling place for several restless spirits. The most chilling tale stems from a tragic event in 1924 when a fierce fire razed several of the university's buildings. To this day, some claim that, in the stillness of the night, they've heard the anguished cries of students, long gone, running down the corridors, their voices filled with panic, screaming, "fire!" These ghostly apparitions serve as a somber reminder of the university's past, intertwining history with legend.

The Haunted Hornbine School

The Horbine School (RehobothNow)

The Hornbine School stands as a lingering testament to history, an old one-room schoolhouse that whispers tales of education, growth, and ghostly apparitions. Nestled away in its secluded location, the school has become a destination for thrill-seekers and paranormal enthusiasts, drawn by the reports of spectral activity within its time-worn walls. Visitors often peer through the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ghostly teacher and her phantom students, engaged in lessons from another era. Despite many claims of sightings, none of these ethereal presences have been officially documented. The mystique of the Hornbine School continues to grow, leaving those who dare to visit with a sense of wonder and an eerie connection to the past.

The Assonet Ledge: A Mysterious Beacon of Darkness

The Assonet Ledge (Photo: Frank Grace)

Nestled within the depths of the forest, the Assonet Ledge, also known as "The Ledge," stands as an enigmatic mark on the landscape, an 80-foot deep rock quarry left behind by the Fall River Granite Company during the 1800s. The area has become synonymous with a palpable sense of darkness and dread, drawing visitors into its mysterious grasp. Those who venture near the ledge often speak of an inexplicable and compelling urge to jump off the cliff, and there are reports that some individuals have tragically succumbed to this impulse. Beyond the strange allure of the precipice, visitors have reported ghostly apparitions, strange sightings of UFOs, and whispers of the ledge being a gathering spot for Satanists and obscure cults.

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