Bridgewater Triangle

{{Short description|Area in Massachusetts claimed to be the site of paranormal phenomena}}

The Bridgewater Triangle is an area of about {{convert|200|mi2|km2}} within southeastern Massachusetts in the United States,{{Cite web|date=4 June 2003|title=Historical Tidbits - Bridgewater|url=http://www.bridgewaterpubliclibrary.org/historical_tidbits.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070606043216/http://www.bridgewaterpubliclibrary.org/historical_tidbits.htm|archive-date=6 June 2007|website=Bridgewater Public Library}} claimed to be a site of alleged paranormal phenomena, ranging from UFOs to poltergeists, and other spectral phenomena, various bigfoot-like sightings, giant snakes{{Cite news|last=Coleman|first=Loren|date=25 October 2013|title=Monsters of News England|work=Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2013/10/25/monsters-new-england/2vkXK8GhxUIDLAWfLblqaO/story.html|url-status=live|access-date=6 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028013103/https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2013/10/25/monsters-new-england/2vkXK8GhxUIDLAWfLblqaO/story.html|archive-date=28 October 2013}} and thunderbirds. The term was coined by New England-based cryptozoologist Loren Coleman.

Location

Specific boundaries of the Bridgewater Triangle were first described by cryptozoologist Loren Coleman who coined the term in the 1970s, and later in his book Mysterious America.{{Cite book|last=Coleman|first=Loren|url=https://archive.org/details/mysteriousameric0000cole|title=Mysterious America : the ultimate guide to the nation's weirdest wonders, strangest spots, and creepiest creatures|date=2007|publisher=Paraview Pocket Books|isbn=978-1-4165-2736-7|location=New York|oclc=123301073}}

Historic places and landmarks

Image:Profile Rock (Assonet).jpg

Freetown-Fall River State Forest - The Freetown-Fall River State Forest has reportedly been the site of various cult activity including animal sacrifice, ritualistic murders committed by admitted Satanists, as well as a number of gangland murders and a number of suicides.{{Cite news|last=Curtis|first=Mary Jo|title=Can't see the forest for the deeds|work=South Coast Today|url=http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/11-98/11-01-98/a01lo011.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907214711/http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/11-98/11-01-98/a01lo011.htm|archive-date=7 September 2008}}
Profile Rock - The supposed site of where Wampanoag historical figure Anawan received the lost wampum belt from Philip. Legend has it the ghost of a man can be seen sitting on the rock with his legs crossed or with outstretched arms. Located within the Freetown-Fall River State Forest.{{Cite book|last1=Balzano|first1=Christopher|url=https://openlibrary.org/books/OL26124680M/Haunted_Objects_Stories_Of_Ghosts_On_Your_Shelf|title=Haunted objects : stories of ghosts on your shelf|last2=Weisberg|first2=Tim|date=2 July 2012|publisher=Krause Publications|isbn=978-1-4402-2991-6|location=Iola, WI|pages=33–34|ol=26124680M |oclc=794136544|access-date=5 July 2021|archive-date=5 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705234544/https://openlibrary.org/books/OL26124680M/Haunted_Objects_Stories_Of_Ghosts_On_Your_Shelf|url-status=live}}
Solitude Stone - An inscribed stone located near Forest Street in West Bridgewater which was found near a missing person's body. Also known as "suicide stone," the rock was found with the inscription: "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."{{Cite book|last=J.|first=Vieira, Michael|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xfhrDgAAQBAJ|title=New England rocks : historic geological wonders|date=2017-04-10|others=Conway, J. North (Jack North)|isbn=9781439660348|location=Charleston, SC|pages=66–67|oclc=993647007|access-date=2021-07-05|archive-date=2021-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705234544/https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/New_England_Rocks/xfhrDgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0|url-status=live}}
Bridgewater State University - Several buildings and rooms on campus are alleged to be haunted by ghosts and other paranormal phenomena.{{Cite news|last=Hyman|first=Rebecca|date=October 2011|title=Boo! The tricks of the 'Bridgewater Triangle'|work=Providence Journal|url=https://www.providencejournal.com/zz/news/20191009/boo-tricks-of-bridgewater-triangle|access-date=7 July 2021|archive-date=7 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707050654/https://www.providencejournal.com/zz/news/20191009/boo-tricks-of-bridgewater-triangle|url-status=live}}
Taunton State Hospital - Some visitors have claimed that they had strange paranormal experiences in the hospital including being touched and pulled in certain areas of the hospital. It is also claimed that the hospital was used by satanic cults during the 1960s and 70s.{{Cite web |title=Inside the Bridgewater Triangle |url=http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/galleries/bridgewater_triangle/ |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Boston.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The Lunatics, Mentally Ill, and Ghosts of the State Lunatic Hospital in Taunton - New Bedford Guide |url=https://www.newbedfordguide.com/the-lunatics-mentally-ill-and-ghosts-of-the-state-lunatic-hospital-in-taunton/2018/10/30?print=print |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=www.newbedfordguide.com| date=30 October 2018 }}
Hornbine School - The one-room schoolhouse was built during the 1840s and remained in active use until 1937. The building is alleged to be haunted by its former inhabitants.{{Cite web |title=Haunted Rehoboth |url=http://www.reportertoday.com/stories/haunted-rehoboth,28427 |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Reporter Today |date=15 October 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Do you believe it? Local legend says these Fall River area sites are haunted by ghosts |url=https://www.heraldnews.com/story/entertainment/2021/10/01/fall-river-area-haunted-sites-ghost-tales-paranormal-sightings-halloween-haunting-legend-scary/5935183001/ |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Fall River Herald News |language=en-US}}
Hockomock Swamp - A large wetland that is much of the northern part of Southeastern Massachusetts and is considered the largest freshwater swamp in the state. It served as a major part of King Philip's War as a strategic base of operations for Metacomet (also known as King Philip) to launch assaults upon nearby English settlements. Hockomock is an Algonquin term meaning "place where spirits dwell." Hockomock was also a native burial ground. Many stories and legends are associated with the swamp. Due to this, even in modern times, it is considered by many to be a place of mystery and fear."Tower, Peter (2013). Hockomock: Place Where the Spirits Dwell. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. {{ISBN|9780764345159}}.{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Bridgewater Triangle: Massachusetts' paranormal vortex |url=https://maps.roadtrippers.com/trips/15922081 |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Roadtrippers |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Tales from the swamp - The Boston Globe |url=https://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/10/30/tales_from_the_swamp/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=archive.boston.com |language=en}}

Paranormal claims

Common to most of these areas is a mix of reported phenomena, that includes reports of:

Unidentified flying objects, often in the form of bright balls of light or large, unusual spacecraft.
Unnatural animal sightings, ranging from unusual reports of animals that are not found within the area (such as panthers and bears) to more supernatural claims of giant snakes and enormous vicious dogs.{{cite web|url=https://www.patriotledger.com/story/entertainment/local/2020/10/31/spooky-south-shore-bridgewater-triangle-is-paranormal-disney-world/42924357/|title= 'A paranormal Disney World': The Bridgewater Triangle has scares for everyone|website= The Patriot Ledger|author= Shaun Robinson|date= October 31, 2020|accessdate= October 28, 2021}}
Paranormal humanoids, including sightings of Bigfoot, ghosts, poltergeists, and shadow people.
Thunderbird sightings: Giant birds or pterodactyl-like flying creature with wingspans up to 12 feet are claimed to have been seen in Hockomock Swamp and neighboring Taunton and Easton, including a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas Downy.
Cult activity, especially animal mutilations: Various incidents of animal mutilation have been reported, particularly in Freetown and Fall River, where local police were called to investigate mutilated animals believed to be the work of a cult. Two specific incidents in 1998 were reported: one in which a single adult cow was found butchered in the woods; the other in which a group of calves were discovered in a clearing, grotesquely mutilated as if part of a ritual sacrifice.
Native American curses: According to one tale, Native Americans had cursed the swamp centuries ago because of conflict with Colonial settlers.{{cite web|last=Tougias|first=Michael|date=1997|title=King Philip's War in New England|url=http://www.historyplace.com/specials/kingphilip.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026061648/http://www.historyplace.com/specials/kingphilip.htm|archive-date=2007-10-26|website=The History Place|accessdate=2010-11-07}} A revered object of the Wampanoag people, a belt known as the wampum belt, was lost during King Philip's War. Legend says that the area owes its paranormal unrest to the fact that this belt was lost from the Native people.{{unreliable source?|date=September 2014}}{{Cite web |last=Inquirer |first=Tom Breen For the Journal |title=A Yankee Bermuda Triangle in southeastern Massachusetts |url=https://www.journalinquirer.com/living/a-yankee-bermuda-triangle-in-southeastern-massachusetts/article_3d18bd3a-ba73-11e7-b0e2-7be1af882bdf.html |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Journal Inquirer |language=en}}
Pukwudgie: A creature from Algonquian folklore.{{Cite web|title=Pukwudgies, little people of the Algonquian tribes (Pukwudgie, Puckwudgie, Bagwajinini)|url=http://www.native-languages.org/pukwudgie.htm|access-date=2021-07-05|website=www.native-languages.org|archive-date=2021-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512014348/http://www.native-languages.org/pukwudgie.htm|url-status=live}} The local Wampanoag people consider these "little people" to be dangerous tricksters. They have been especially associated with the Freetown State Forest within the Bridgewater Triangle.

Bridgewater Triangle

Location

Historic places and landmarks

Paranormal claims

See also

References

Further reading