A quarter mile off Maine’s shore, at the east end of South Bristol’s Harbor, “The Gut”, lays an 18-acre Sanctuary called Witch Island. The name beckons images of Hardy Boys adventures as does its strange history. In the late 19th century a woman know as the “Witch of Wall Street,” lived on the island. She was a mystical consultant that foretold people’s financial futures. She was very successful and lived a happy quiet life in John’s bay. As to what became of her no one is sure. Some say that she retired and quietly continued to live on the island. One-day locals realized they hadn’t heard from her in a while and when they went out to her home she was found dead in her cabin. Some people have said that she haunts the island. Some evenings a strange glow has been seen floating around the island.
Posted in Legends & Folklore and tagged folklore, Legend, maine, strange new england, Witch Islandwith 2 comments.
In Rhode Island the thought of vampires still cause locals to quiver and shake. For deep in the belly of this small state, Behind the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church in the town of Exeter, lies New England’s famous vampires grave. where Mercy Brown is buried. No longer is this fear summoned by the belief in souls rising from the grave though. The telling Mercy’s story has become a long-lived RI tradition. A tradition that combines true local history told in the customary fireside style with a late October night visit to the site where this unusual story took place. Some who have braved these moonlit adventures have returned with tales of strange and frightening experiences. So stoke the fire, turn off the lights and curl up in the easy chair as we roll back the clock to the late 1800’s.
Posted in Cemeteries, Ghostly Haunts, Monsters, Cryptids & Ghouls and tagged consumption, cryptid creatures, cryptids, Mary Kelly, monster legends, mythical creatures, strange new england, superstition, tuberculosis, Vampirewith 1 comment.
In a sleepy hallow near the Kickemuit River, residents of Warren RI have encountered a strange brand of spooks. Much like the Headless Horseman, these spirits had their heads severed from their bodies. Though they lack the ghostly steeds, they make up for it in numbers os ghost heads seen lurking about the quiet town at night.
Posted in Ghostly Haunts and tagged Ghost Heads, Indians, Kickemuit River, strange new england, warwith no comments yet.
In Rockville, Rhode Island, located in Yawgoog Scout Reservation, is a petroglyph that has baffled historians and archaeologists. On the local map, its noted as Symbol Rock. Experts have described the images as a woman with child, and various circular line drawings and depressions. No one really knows what it’s meaning or purpose could be. Settlers discovered many of these rocks, but most were destroyed when the land was cleared for farms, or when the rocks were used for walls and buildings. Symbol Rock is one of the few stones that survived unharmed. Settlers that saw the rock were as puzzled as we are today. Local Indians did not provide any insight as to it’s origin. Archaeologists have many theories as to who created these carvings. Some experts claim a much earlier generation of Narragansett Indians may have carved the images. Others argue that the symbols are not at all like any known Indian symbols, and resemble Viking, Pre-Colombian Celtic, or Phoenicians symbols.
Posted in Ancient New England, Mysterious Landmarks and tagged indian, inscription, mystery, petroglyph, Symbol Rockwith no comments yet.
Strange New England has been around for over 15 years hunting down some of the more interesting history, folklore, legends, monsters and places in the northeast. Currently we are making the transition from the old webpage to a new blog. Once we get a enough up on the blog we’ll begin posting new stories as we continue to move some of the older ones. This will give us the opportunity to revisit some of the earliest of our great successes and entertaining failures of the past.
Posted in Updates & Information and tagged england, Folklore of New England, Legends of New England, Monsters of New England, Mysteries of New England, new, strange, strange new englandwith no comments yet.