New England Legends is on a mission to chronicle every legend in New England one story and one week at a time. We're doing this through our weekly podcast which has garnered over 2 million downloads in 79 different countries, our Emmy-nominated television series on PBS and Amazon Prime, and through our super-secret Facebook group. Come in and join the movement!
In Episode 155, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger drive to Mason, New Hampshire, to see the boyhood home of Samuel Wilson, a kid who served the Continental Army by guarding and tending to the livestock, then
In Episode 154, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger drive to the grounds of the old Fernald School in Waltham, Massachusetts, just in time for a radioactive bowl of Quaker Oatmeal. This is a facility with secrets.
In Episode 153, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to Westerly, Rhode Island, in search of witches. While never formally charged with witchcraft, Granny Mott and Rebecca Sims both had witchy reputations in the eighteenth century.
In Episode 152, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger take a stroll down a road to nowhere in search of ghosts and a monster. The abandoned section of Downs Road in Bethany, Connecticut, is home to a
On August 7, 1958, disaster struck the waters right off of Rose Island. In a heavy fog, two tankers collided near Fort Adams. The flaming wreck of the Graham floated right up to the Rose Island lighthouse in Newport,
Recently Boston's ABC affiliate WCVB's Chronicle program interviewed Jeff Belanger and Frank Grace about the haunted Eunice Williams Covered Bridge in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
HEAR ALSO: Podcast 82 – Greenfield’s Screaming Bridge
Built in 1858 and located on Mount Desert Island in Maine's iconic Acadia National Park, Bass Harbor Lighthouse is said to be haunted by an early builder who vanished during the construction. Could his murdered body still be buried
In North Adams, Massachusetts, there's a cliff-face that overlooks the town. It's called Coca Cola Ledge, because decades ago the Coca Cola Company painted a large logo on the cliff as a billboard. The cliff is easily accessible from
Liked it? Take a second to support New England Legends on Patreon!
One Comment
SHIRLEY SUTTONJuly 20, 2020 at 6:56 pm
Hey Jeff, Lots of “stuff” here.
1. CC Ledge, formerly Witt’s Ledge, has a new monster. The top of the ledge was cleared and a solar array installed, apparently not in accord with the plan presented to the city of North Adams. The result leaves the array very visible to people in the valley below, much to their displeasure.
2. Heard you recently on Sasquatch Chronicles. Please to hear you use the four syllable pronunciation of Wampanoag, It’s the way I had learned from leading Connecticut archaeologists. BUT, there is no such thing as a Fisher Cat – it is just plain Fisher, and it is a weasel. The confusion arises from old English labeling. (There also are no Canadian Geese – it is Canada Geese, like Canada Dry, and no Seagulls – they are all gulls in a variety of types.) Ask any wildlife conservationist!
3. A back episode of Monster Talk was about ghosts of the White House. A researcher/writer was on talking about the ghosts, and her book. The hosts were not aware of any other books on the subject and in a comment I suggested your book and to have you as a guest. Blake was aware of you but had never spoken directly to you. I don’t know if a follow up by them was made.
4. The Headless Horseman of Canton. This is a favorite of mine since I grew up in Canton. I tell this tale often, and maybe embellish just a bit – as do most storytellers. The earliest reference I have seen is from The American Guide Series, “Connecticut” , Federal Writers’ Project, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1938. Page 427 mentions Canton Tavern. I’m sure the Hartford Courant must have previously published something. Two books about Canton were publish for the celebration of the town’s bicentennial. “Canton Remembers”, Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence S, Carlton, Editors, Lithographics, Inc., Farmington, CT, 2005, pages 27, 28 tells the story of the French Paymaster’s Ghost. Dudley Cases’s Tavern was the original stop, later know as Hosford Stand. At some date, boys fishing at nearby Cherry Pond (now Secret Lake) pulled up fragments of an old saddle, remains of a long dead horse, and strange horseshoes. Secret Lake was supposedly named to attract homeowners to a newly build community – but I wonder!
5. The story about Goody Hallett had me going back to my Whydah research. (My son has a house in Wellfleet so it is of great interest.) She was first referred to as Maria in the 1934 book “The Narrow Land” by Elizabeth Raynard. The belief is that her name was Mehitable Brown (Mrs, Hallett) from Eastham. Stories take many twists and turns after that. After the discovery of her pregnancy she was banished to Wellfleet. Following the death of her baby she was accused of murder and being a witch and jailed in Barnstable. When released she went to live in a shack on the dunes above what is now Marconi. Some say she cursed Black Sam and caused the shipwreck. Some say she was waiting for his return, he survived the wreck, and they lived happily ever after.
6. Finally! The Old Leather Man is another favorite topic of mine. When still in Connecticut I was lecturing about him and his journeys and leading hikes to a few of his shelters. If you have not yet read Dan W. DeLuca’s “The Old Leather Man” I highly recommend it. The book dispels many misconceptions. Dan (since passed) and I did not fully agree on some OLM theories, but remained supportive of each other in our quest to learn more. I have personal photographs, taken on two separate trips to Crane’s Lookout (one of the OLM’s shelters) in Watertown, CT that are very mysterious.
If any of this is of interest to you (pictures, Horseman printed stories, etc.) I would be please to send them along. Just provide me with an email or address.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Hey Jeff, Lots of “stuff” here.
1. CC Ledge, formerly Witt’s Ledge, has a new monster. The top of the ledge was cleared and a solar array installed, apparently not in accord with the plan presented to the city of North Adams. The result leaves the array very visible to people in the valley below, much to their displeasure.
2. Heard you recently on Sasquatch Chronicles. Please to hear you use the four syllable pronunciation of Wampanoag, It’s the way I had learned from leading Connecticut archaeologists. BUT, there is no such thing as a Fisher Cat – it is just plain Fisher, and it is a weasel. The confusion arises from old English labeling. (There also are no Canadian Geese – it is Canada Geese, like Canada Dry, and no Seagulls – they are all gulls in a variety of types.) Ask any wildlife conservationist!
3. A back episode of Monster Talk was about ghosts of the White House. A researcher/writer was on talking about the ghosts, and her book. The hosts were not aware of any other books on the subject and in a comment I suggested your book and to have you as a guest. Blake was aware of you but had never spoken directly to you. I don’t know if a follow up by them was made.
4. The Headless Horseman of Canton. This is a favorite of mine since I grew up in Canton. I tell this tale often, and maybe embellish just a bit – as do most storytellers. The earliest reference I have seen is from The American Guide Series, “Connecticut” , Federal Writers’ Project, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1938. Page 427 mentions Canton Tavern. I’m sure the Hartford Courant must have previously published something. Two books about Canton were publish for the celebration of the town’s bicentennial. “Canton Remembers”, Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence S, Carlton, Editors, Lithographics, Inc., Farmington, CT, 2005, pages 27, 28 tells the story of the French Paymaster’s Ghost. Dudley Cases’s Tavern was the original stop, later know as Hosford Stand. At some date, boys fishing at nearby Cherry Pond (now Secret Lake) pulled up fragments of an old saddle, remains of a long dead horse, and strange horseshoes. Secret Lake was supposedly named to attract homeowners to a newly build community – but I wonder!
5. The story about Goody Hallett had me going back to my Whydah research. (My son has a house in Wellfleet so it is of great interest.) She was first referred to as Maria in the 1934 book “The Narrow Land” by Elizabeth Raynard. The belief is that her name was Mehitable Brown (Mrs, Hallett) from Eastham. Stories take many twists and turns after that. After the discovery of her pregnancy she was banished to Wellfleet. Following the death of her baby she was accused of murder and being a witch and jailed in Barnstable. When released she went to live in a shack on the dunes above what is now Marconi. Some say she cursed Black Sam and caused the shipwreck. Some say she was waiting for his return, he survived the wreck, and they lived happily ever after.
6. Finally! The Old Leather Man is another favorite topic of mine. When still in Connecticut I was lecturing about him and his journeys and leading hikes to a few of his shelters. If you have not yet read Dan W. DeLuca’s “The Old Leather Man” I highly recommend it. The book dispels many misconceptions. Dan (since passed) and I did not fully agree on some OLM theories, but remained supportive of each other in our quest to learn more. I have personal photographs, taken on two separate trips to Crane’s Lookout (one of the OLM’s shelters) in Watertown, CT that are very mysterious.
If any of this is of interest to you (pictures, Horseman printed stories, etc.) I would be please to send them along. Just provide me with an email or address.