Some might say that northwestern Rhode Island had been cursed by some dark force in the past. It has been the source of many foul tales of devilish specters and hideous brutes. Its forests appear darker and colder than others. On all sides are ancient trees with branches that writhe like tendrils over its roads. As a fog settles over the evening, you can’t escape the feeling that stygian beast skulks within it. Though you might expect these sensations are borne from the darkest corners of our imagination, there are five men who would strongly disagree. For one late night in Glocester, Rhode Island, they encountered a fiend like no other; the Glocester Ghoul. Albert Hicks, the last person to be executed for piracy in America, was born in Foster, Rhode Island in 1820. He had one ambition in life: to become rich by some bold stroke. He said that the only value his wealth would have was to gratify his passions with no restraint. His career as a pirate and criminal involved many monstro...
The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England. It meanders its way through the hills and forest of Northern New England between Vermont and New Hampshire and discharges itself in Long Island Sound. This leviathan consumes over 11,263 sq miles of the Northeast. Traced by many cities and small towns, it’s an icon of the New England lifestyle. Though seemingly beautiful and peaceful by day, its undulating coils hide many stories and secrets along its path to the Devil’s Belt. One is a mysterious glowing thing that lurks in its waters. In 1956, a portion of the Connecticut River was dammed up for the purpose of hydroelectric power production. Though formally named the Samuel Moore Reservoir, the residents of Littleton, New Hampshire refer to it as Moore Lake. It became a staple for summer fun for the people of Littleton, but on the evening of May 20th, 1968 a few would find something other than fun at Moore Lake. Around 3 am Monday morning, what had been a quiet evening fo...
Hidden within the undulating arm of the Connecticut River is a serpent that has frightened those who’ve lived on it banks since colonists first settled there. Often it has been described as an eel or snake-like serpent over one hundred feet long. Though over the past three hundred years it has been spotted by people across three states, it still appears to remain a mystery. In the early 1800s, spotting strange creatures off the coast of Connecticut was not uncommon. Sailors would return to port with tales of ghastly leviathans they encountered in their travels. The most peculiar of these stories frequently surfaced in the local publications. One that crossed the pages of the New York Times and Scientific American was not reported by sailors at sea, but by people deep in the heart of Connecticut. This beast appeared to make its home in the Connecticut River. The first sighting of this monster was in Middletown Connecticut, and recorded by the New York Times on Sept 8, 1886. Accordin...
Strange History is the audio companion to the blog Strange New England where we investigate the forgotten, unusual, and simply strange folklore, history and destinations in New England. Growing up in the northeast we’ve always had an interest in tales of the ancient structures, monsters, mysterious locations, natural wonders and weird legends of New England. Over the past 15 years we’ve hunted down some of the most unique history and places in the northeast, and shared some of the highlights with you. We’ve spent many hours digging through archives, interviewing local people and traveling throughout the Northeast to visit forgotten sites. Our goal has always been to investigate and record the distinctive history and folklore that makes New England so unique. Recently, we had the opportunity to record some spots called CuRIous for the Rhode Island radio station WPRO. Due to the incredibly positive response to the spots, we decided it was time to finally make the step toward doing ...
Washington Irving wrote of the Headless Horseman, a tale of a Hessian of Sleepy Hollow who had lost his head in war. It’s a wonderful story that all enjoyed in their childhood. In RI though there is a more gruesome tale of a headless spirit in Swampton. This story may even predate Irving’s tale, and cause most to shudder in fear, when alone on Indian Corner Road. In the early 1800s a large portion of Swampton consisted of over grown forest and wetlands. Virtually all of the roads that traverse through the wilds of this portion of RI didn’t have names. Often the locals would apply names to them that best described their location. While some were adorned with pleasant names like Rathbun and Sunnyside others had much more gruesome rubrics. Dark Corners, Purgatory Rd, and Robbers Corner carried names that both identified them and warned the weary traveler. Though most names changed over time, there are those who’s now formal name still carries the spirit of its location. Indian Corn...