Clik here to view.
The Plymouth Vampire of 1807
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and many people associate the holiday with Plymouth, Massachusetts. This is where the Pilgrims held a feast in 1621 that is sometimes said to be the "first...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Plymouth, 1734: A Haunted Mansion and A Court Case
It's Thanksgiving week, so here's a spooky story about a haunted mansion from Plymouth, Massachusetts. It's spooky if you believe in ghosts, but it's even spookier if you've ever been a landlord. Read...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Ghost of Catherine's Hill: You Better Give Her A Ride
There's a lonely stretch of Route 182 in Maine. It's known as Black's Woods Road, and runs between Franklin and Cherryfield. This part of the state is quite rural, and the trees press heavily in on the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Meeting the Devil on Christmas Day
Ho ho ho! It's December, and Christmas madness is once again upon us. We just decorated our tree, I've had my first glass of eggnog, and I made fruitcake yesterday. Bring on the holidays. Christmas is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Folklore Books (and Weird Fiction) for Christmas
Drinking eggnog. Wrapping gifts. Hallmark Christmas movies. These are all perfectly fine ways to get in the holiday mood, but sometimes I find myself wanting something different. Maybe something that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
In 1692, Invisible Witches Danced in Boston on Christmas Day
Christmas fast approaches, bringing with it Santa Claus, presents, eggnog and... dancing witches? As I mentioned in a recent post, the Puritans who colonized New England really hated Christmas. They...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Two Phantom Houses Adrift in Time
I was browsing through my library of New England books and came upon two interesting stories. Both are supposedly true, and although they occurred more than 100 years apart they are very similar....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stomping through the Snow with Bigfoot in 1976
We had a nice storm last Friday, getting around 10 inches of snow here in the Boston area. I made sure to strap on my boots and stomped around in the snow while it was still fresh.Forty-five years ago,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Werewolf in Natick? A Story for the Wolf Moon
On Monday, January 17, the Full Wolf Moon will rise at 4:13 pm and cast its lupine light across New England. Get out there and howl, folks! We're supposed to have a lot of rain here in Boston, so the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hallucinations, Magic Crows, and Witches: Random Thoughts While Making Bread
The other day I made some brown bread. Many of you might be familiar with this delicious loaf, but if you're not here's the scoop. It's a bread made with rye flour, wheat flour, and cornmeal that is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Visiting the Devil's Den
There are at least 110 places in New England that have the word “Devil” in their name, and forty-three of them are in Massachusetts. Hmmm. What does that say about the Bay State? There's Devil’s Hollow...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Ghost of Central Burying Ground
Boston is one of the oldest cities in America. It was first settled by the Puritans in 1630, and downtown Boston has some fine old cemeteries that reflect the city's age. Copp's Hill Burying Ground,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Grave of Susanna Jayne: Bats, Angels and the Grim Reaper
Marblehead is one of the prettiest towns in Massachusetts, with an amazing and historic downtown, dramatic ocean views, and streets full of Colonial-era homes. Lots of people visit it for these...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wilmot Redd, the Witch of Marblehead
This is my second post about Marblehead. As I mentioned in my last one, Marblehead is incredibly charming and beautiful. It's the archetypal old New England seaside town. And as we all know, old New...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Edward Dimond, the Wizard of Marblehead
This is my final Marblehead post, at least for now. It's a fascinating town and I hope to write more about it in the future. But today I just want to talk about Edward Dimond, the wizard of Marblehead....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Finding Bigfoot in The Old Farmer's Almanac (and the Flea Market)
Do you read The Old Farmer's Almanac? I do, even though I'm not a farmer (but I am getting old). It's sold at supermarkets and CVS stores here in Boston, so clearly it's not just intended for farmers....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Satanic Imps, A Wizard and Grim Predictions in Easton, Massaschusetts
A while ago my friend Sam Baltrusis asked me if I knew anything about a haunted mill pond in Easton, Massachusetts. I did not – this legend was new to me. I am always excited to learn about a new local...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Don't Mess with Thankful Buck: Witchcraft, Black Cats, and A Punished Husband
In my last post, I wrote about Nathan Selee, an alleged wizard who lived in Easton, Massachusetts in the 18th century. People in New England believed that witchcraft ran in families, so it's not...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dog Days and Dog Lore
The other day while browsing through The Old Farmer's Almanac, I saw this notation for July 3rd: Dog Days Begin. I experienced the dog days quite viscerally today myself. I was out walking around...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiding Shoes to Bring Luck and Avert Evil
I’m always excited when some local folklore appears in the news, as it did this week. Several Boston-area news outlets reported that archaeologists working at the historic Tilden House in Canton,...
View Article