The Ghouls of Massachusetts 

Throughout Massachusetts, there are creatures only imagined in folktales or nightmares—for some, they have become all too real. Scituate is no exception: the discovery of the “Scituate Sea Monster” in 1970 seemingly proved the claims of serpents made by local sailors for decades but more importantly made the community wonder what really could be out there. Despite the claims of scientists that the serpent was simply the remains of a shark, those who witnessed the event maintain that the slimy cadaver was something undiscovered. 

Supernatural happenings in Scituate haven’t been relegated to (just) sea monsters; for decades there have been numerous reported hauntings in buildings all over the town. One of the most haunted buildings in Massachusetts is right here in Scituate: The Lincoln Mill. Buildings such as the Barker Tavern and residential homes around First Parish Cemetery have been reported to be haunted for decades among numerous others. 

The Lincoln Mill in North Scituate was ranked the second most haunted place in Massachusets, according to the website “only in your state’s” rank of the top 15 haunts in Massachusetts. This is notable coming from a state world-famous for its haunts with places like Salem and the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, to name a few. 

The Mordecai Lincoln Homestead was built by President Abraham Lincoln’s three times great grandfather Mordecai in 1691. Legend has it that a young girl drowned in the adjacent pond across the street and now has taken permanent residency in the mill which runs along the road. Residents have reported seeing a little girl scratching at the windows as well as hearing screams from the barn and surrounding wetlands. Little wet footprints have also been seen on the road in front of the building. 

The barn has largely remained a hole in the wall until recently. Students thinking they’re amateur ghost hunters have been frequenting the homestead in hopes of seeing the spooky specter, but it might not be what it seems. Psychic mediums have warned there may be a sinister presence at the barn that poses a greater risk than a simple scare. However, their warnings don’t appear to stag interest in exploring the homestead, as the search is well worth the risk for teens looking for a thrill. 

The most famous collection of supernatural happenings have occurred in a region of the state known as the “Bridgewater Triangle.” Named after the world-famous Bermuda Triangle, it encompasses the towns of Rehoboth, Freetown, and Abington, becoming famous for UFO and Bigfoot sightings as well as haunted swamps and forests. 

One of the most famous creatures of the Triangle is called the “Pukwudgie” a Wampanoag word meaning “little wild man of the forest.” According to legend, these creatures originally worked with the Natives, but as more of the local tribes turned to Christianity, the creatures turned hostile. They supposedly can shapeshift and disappear at will. This creepy-crawly is a part of Native American traditions and should certainly not be disturbed if found–the last thing you want to do is make a Pukwudgie angry, as some are said to be ill-tempered and carry around flaming arrows.

Massachusetts is without a doubt one of the most paranormally active states in the country. For those wishing to seek these creatures, they aren’t hard to find here as legends of supernatural occurrences are all over the region. However, proceed with caution because you never know what you might come across.