Secret Northeast
Secret Northeast
Since the 17th century, sightings have been reported of a mysterious creature in Lake Champlain. Over the years, it's been described as having a long snake-like body and a flat, horse-like head, and being roughly the size of a yacht. This rumored creature has become lovingly known as "Champ", or "Champy," and some people believe it to be a distant relative of Scotland's fabled Loch Ness Monster.
Champ reportedly can be seen in a video taken by fishermen Dick Affolter and his stepson Pete Bodette in the summer of 2005. Close examination of the images may be interpreted either as a head and neck of a plesiosaur-like animal and even an open mouth in one frame and a closed mouth in another; or as a fish or eel.
The Bureau denies this monster exists, despite hundreds of sightings and evidence provided over two centuries.
Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4n3j2JpKrQ
The legend of The Glawackus draws similarities to the Mexican legend of the Chupacabra, in that both struck fear in the hearts of many after attacking and mutilating local animals. Described as part-bear, dog and cat, The Glawackus first appeared in 1939, in Glastonbury. They were said to have eaten cats and other small animals, and could be heard howling at night. The Glawackus legend appeared again briefly in 1950. Many individuals looked to Fishers as the culprits behind the attacks, and many stopped believing.
However, in this past year (2019) I travelled to interview several Glastonbury farmers in search of answers. Farmer Don Gillespie has given me permission to share his words:
"Three pigs and one cow dead. Never seen anything like it, shredded to pieces and most of it uneaten too. Definitely not the work of a wolf or coyote..."
Will keep this section updated.
While it is said that the dog has been known since the late 18th century, it wasn’t “officially” documented until 1891, and the story of the Black Dog was not known widely until 1898 when the Connecticut Quarterly newspaper published the story of the encounter. The story states that in 1891, a New York geologist known simply by the initials F.S. was in the Hanging Hills area doing research when he encountered the dog. The mysterious canine was said to have travelled alongside the geologist during his trip through the park but never made a sound the entire time. As the day was ending and F.S. was preparing to leave the Hanging Hills, the dog vanished without warning and was not seen again that day. The geologist was left confused as to where the dog had gone to as it had left no tracks in the dirt and had made not a single sound.
Three years later in 1894, F.S. returned to the Hanging Hills area to continue with his research, but this time he was accompanied by his friend, United States Geological Survey member Herbert Marshall. While in the park, F.S. was said to have told Marshall about his time spent with the black dog in the area three years prior, but Marshall knew about the dog all too well as he himself had seen the dog twice already during previous trips into the area. The two men laughed at the legend and continued on further into the hills.
The following day after camping for the night, both F.S. and Marshall encountered the dog yet again. While this encounter would be the second for F.S., it would be third for Marshall, and the last. Shortly after seeing the dog, Herbert Marshall fell to his death after the rock he was standing on broke free of the ground around it and plummeted to the earth below. After the fall, the dog vanished yet again and F.S. fled the area.
Described as being small in stature (roughly about two feet in length), the Black Dog is known by those who have seen it to be friendly and in possession of large sad eyes. The dog is said to leave no footprints as it travels and remains completely silent. It has been said that when the dog does open its mouth to either bark or howl, not even the sound of air escaping can be heard. Well over 100yrs later and encounters with the ghost dog are still said to take place within the Hanging Hills.
Personal note: have been to Hanging Hills and have only once seen a black flash out of the corner of my eye. After this, didn't go back in fear of meeting what could have been the black dog again.
The Jersey Devil has been terrorizing the Pineland area for over 250 years. He has been blamed for many horrifying deeds and his sightings have been numerous.
I know that I will think twice before walking the sandy trails in the Pinelands because "Where stunted pines of burned-over forest are revealed in darksome pools, The Jersey Devil Lurks."
It seems that there are several versions of the Story, but they all revolve around the birth of a child. That child then tranforms into a horrific goat-headed creature with leathery wings, kills the midwife that birthed it, then flees through the chimney.
The most sightings of the Jersey Devil occurred during one week in January, 1909. Over 1,000 people in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania saw the Devil. Early Sunday morning, people in Burlington started to see the Devil on the street and flying through the air. They later found strange hoof prints in the snow.
Since that week in 1909, people have continued to see the Jersey Devil, though not as much. People still find strange hoof prints and hear screeching coming from nearby woods. In actuality, there are as many sightings of the Jersey Devil as before. People just don't report the sightings because they don't want to appear crazy.
The Jersey Devil is said to have made a sort of lair called the "Blue Hole". Honestly haven't gone to Jersey enough to get many first-hand accounts, so I suggest checking the experts on this. Here are some useful links:
http://www.angelfire.com/nj/becjosh/moonroach1.pdf
http://www.angelfire.com/nj/becjosh/bluehole.html
http://www.paranormalghostsociety.org/NJ%20Devil.asp (this info pack is the best I've found for the JD)