New England Legends Podcast
405 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 897 ratingsTwice each week, legend hunter, author, and historian Jeff Belanger and radio host Ray Auger explore the ghosts, monsters, aliens, folklore, history, roadside oddities, true crime, and legends of New England in this award-winning podcast. If you give us about twenty minutes, we’ll give you something strange to talk about today. The bizarre is closer than you think!
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
The Black Flash of Provincetown
August 23, 2018 09:30 - 8 minutes - 16.8 MBIn Episode 53 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the streets of Provincetown, Massachusetts, at night in search of the Black Flash -- a creature said to be cloaked in black, over eight feet tall, who lurks the streets of town late at night, leaping over tall fences and bushes. In the late 1930s his presence was known on the streets and in the newspapers, but who was he? And could he come back?
New England's Darkest Day
August 16, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MBIn Episode 52 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger mark the one-year anniversary of the podcast in the dark! On May 19, 1780, the skies over all six New England states turned black at 11 in the morning. The darkness lasted over 16 hours. Many believed this was judgment day and turned to their churches. Others turned to their taverns. What caused this strange phenomenon? And could it happen again?
Buried Alive in Vermont?
August 09, 2018 09:30 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBIn Episode 51 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, Vermont, in search of the final resting place of Timothy Clark Smith -- a man who suffered from taphephobia -- the fear of being buried alive. Smith's 1893 grave was designed with a chimney and a window. Why did he do it? And what's down there?
Razor Shins
August 02, 2018 09:30 - 8 minutes - 8.5 MBIn Episode 50 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to the forests of northern Maine on a quest to find Razor Shins -- an immortal monster in search of alcohol. When Maine loggers left out an acceptable offering, Razor Shins could prove helpful. If they failed to leave him hooch, he could turn deadly... Razor Shins is reminiscent of an ancient song and story about John Barleycorn. Do Jeff and Ray break into song for the first time in 50 episodes? Is that why Jeff brought his guitar on this advent...
Hartford: New England's First Witch Execution
July 26, 2018 08:30 - 13 minutes - 10.1 MBIn Episode 49 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the site of America's first witch trial and execution in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Then they travel north of Hartford to Windsor to speak with author Beth Caruso about Alse Young, the first victim. We'll learn Young wasn't alone, and this was decades before the 1692 Salem trials. Did Connecticut cover-up their own witch trials?
The Devil Left His Mark in Rhode Island
July 19, 2018 09:30 - 9 minutes - 6.78 MBIn Episode 48 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit North Kingstown, Rhode Island, in search of a footprint left by devil himself. Back in Colonial times they say a Native American girl murdered a white man and then made her way down to a rock in North Kingstown where she encountered the devil who dragged her off to her doom. But is this more than just a story?
Ruth Colbath - A Woman Who Waited
July 12, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 10.4 MBIn Episode 47 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the Russell-Colbath house near the Kancamagus Highway in Conway, New Hampshire, to learn about Ruth Colbath; a woman who waited. In September of 1891, Ruth's husband Thomas left their home one afternoon and didn’t return. Each night for the next 39 years Ruth lit a lantern and set it in the window for him. But whatever became of Thomas?
The Legend of the Boston Massacre
July 05, 2018 09:30 - 12 minutes - 17.8 MBEpisode 46 -- Our Independence Day Special! Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Boston's North End and swing by Paul Revere's house to discuss the Boston Massacre. On March 5, 1770, five colonists were killed in the streets of Boston by British soldiers. Six more were wounded. The event became known as the Boston Massacre. This tragedy helped start a revolution because of a now-famous and legendary engraving made by Paul Revere. The only problem is... Revere's image doesn't depict what really ...
The Rod Men of Middletown
June 28, 2018 09:30 - 13 minutes - 13 MBIn Episode 45 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger try their hands at dowsing rods in Middletown, Vermont. Back in 1801 an end-of-the-world event took place here... or rather, DIDN'T take place here that inspired a boy to take up dowsing, and later to start a religion that today boasts millions of members worldwide. Could it all have begun with dowsing or divining rods?
Help This Ghost... Or Else
June 21, 2018 09:30 - 13 minutes - 9.99 MBIn Episode 44 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger take a drive down Route 182 near Cherryfield, Maine, in search of the headless ghost who haunts the area of Catherine's Hill and Fox Pond. They say if you don't stop to offer her help it can spell your doom. But is this more than just a story? And who was Catherine? Author and professor Marcus Librizzi joins the guys in the quest to solve this mystery.
New Haven's Ghost Ship
June 14, 2018 09:30 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBIn Episode 43 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the shores of New Haven Harbor in Connecticut in search of a ghost ship that was first sighted in the mid-17th century. In January of 1647 a Great Ship set sail from New Haven bound for England, but it was never seen again until perhaps that June when dozens on the shores of New Haven watched a ghostly ship enter the harbor. The story of this sighting spread throughout New England and eventually made it into the pages of Cotton Mather's book on...
Ghosts in the Machines
June 07, 2018 10:00 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBIn Episode 42 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the haunted Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Known as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, this mill dates back to the 1790s and has seen its share of triumphs and tragedies. Children as young as 7-years-old once worked here long hours. Some lost limbs in the machinery, others lost their lives. Today, along with the Wilkinson Mill and the Sylvanus Brown House, this complex is one of Rhode Island’s most active haunts. But ...
The Adventures of John Capen Adams
May 31, 2018 09:30 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBIn Episode 41 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Bay Path Cemetery in Charlton, Massachusetts, to visit the grave of John Capen Adams, a man who went on to inspire a folk hero legend, books, a popular television series in the 1970s, and a generation of kids eager to explore the great outdoors and tame wild animals. So who is John Capen Adams?
It Gave Me the Willeys
May 24, 2018 09:30 - 12 minutes - 17.6 MBIn Episode 40 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the Willey House on Rt. 302 in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire. Here in the heart of the White Mountains, something horrific happened on August 28, 1826. The story may just give you the willeys…
The Witch Curse on Buck's Grave
May 17, 2018 10:00 - 10 minutes - 9.9 MBIn Episode 39 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the cursed grave of Bucksport, Maine, founder Col. Jonathan Buck. When an outline of a lower leg with a pointy toe appeared on Buck's grave 150 years ago, locals began to wonder if this grave was cursed. They say Buck executed a woman for witchcraft around 1790, and before her sentence was carried out, she vowed to one day dance on his grave. How did this prophecy happen?
The Monster of Lake Champlain
May 10, 2018 10:00 - 13 minutes - 12.9 MBIn Episode 38 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Lake Champlain on the Vermont/New York border in search of a lake monster whose legend dates back over 500 years to the time of the Abenaki and Iroquois people. The story of a 40-foot serpent shows up in many newspaper accounts as well as folklore over the centuries. But in the 1940s, things changed, but why? There have been hundreds of witnesses over the years, but can Jeff and Ray find one willing to share their own story?
An Island Three Times Cursed
May 03, 2018 10:00 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBIn Episode 37 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the coastal town of Milford, Connecticut, in search of Charles Island -- a place three times cursed. From Paugusset sachem Ansantawae's initial curse, to the cursed pirate treasure of Captain Kidd, to a reference of cursed Aztec treasure buried here, we explore the history, the curses, and the effects. Some say Captain Kidd's ghosts still haunts the island protecting his booty!
Ram-Tail Factory: Officially Haunted
April 26, 2018 09:30 - 11 minutes - 16.4 MBIn Episode 36 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the ruins of the Ram-Tail Factory in the woods of Foster, Rhode Island. The site is officially haunted according to the 1885 state census. Passers-by hear a work bell tolling late at night, others see an apparition of a man holding a lantern walking through the woods. They say a man hanged himself from the work bell rope long ago, but what really happened here? As with every episode, you can see photos related to this episode on our Web site.
The Ghost of Elsie
April 19, 2018 09:45 - 10 minutes - 14.7 MBIn Episode 35 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger park alongside Evergreen Cemetery on Route 67 in New Braintree, Massachusetts, in search of the ghost of Elsie. On April 18th each year her spirit is said to rise from her grave and wander by the stone wall next to the cemetery. She's said to be the spirit of a bride who was murdered on her wedding day by a jealous groom. But what do we really know about Elsie? We investigate and learn there’s more to this ghost than just a story.
The Witch of Hampton
April 12, 2018 10:00 - 11 minutes - 11.2 MBIn Episode 34 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to the quiet coastal town of Hampton, New Hampshire, in search of a Witch. Eunice Cole, or Goody Cole, as she was better known, was in an out of jail for decades due to witchcraft accusations. When she died in 1680, she was buried with a stake through her heart and horseshoe on her head. But what did she do to earn those charges? If you watch the news and social media today, her story rings eerily familiar. Maybe that's why she still haunts us.
The North Pond Hermit
April 05, 2018 10:15 - 15 minutes - 14.9 MBIn Episode 33 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to the woods of central Maine in search of the North Pond Hermit. In 1986 Christopher Knight walked into the forest and lived out there for 27 years stealing supplies from local cabins and camps. How did he survive the Maine winters outside? How did he live with no human contact for almost three decades? How did he get caught? The Stranger in the Woods author Michael Finkel joins us to discuss the legend of the North Pond Hermit.
The Hayden Family Curse
March 29, 2018 09:30 - 8 minutes - 8.46 MBIn Episode 32, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to the town of Albany in northern Vermont to the haunted Hayden Mansion. They explore a curse that was set in motion in 1806 on the deathbed of Mercie Dale. Dale vowed the Hayden name would perish in the third generation, and the remaining children would die penniless. But did it come to pass?
Lynn's God Machine
March 22, 2018 10:00 - 11 minutes - 11.3 MBYou may have heard about perpetual motion machines--devices that could theoretically run forever once started, but have you heard about the God Machine? In 1853, a group of Spiritualists claim that they received plans from the "Other Side" on how to build a machine that would literally come to life and become the New Messiah. Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger check out the story and try to figure out what this machine looked like, and ask the big question: did it work?
The Wild Man of Winsted, Connecticut
March 15, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 9.95 MBIn August of 1895, there were multiple sightings of a hairy "wild man" running through rural Winsted and Colebrook, Connecticut. Some claimed he was human, others said he was some kind of primate. Hundreds of people searched for him; the creature made headlines across New England before he seemingly vanished… until there were other sightings in the 1970s. Could it be the same creature? In Episode 30, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head into the woods of northern Connecticut in search of the legend.
Block Island's Burning Ghost Ship
March 08, 2018 09:30 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBIn December of 1738, a ship called the Princess Augusta wrecked off the northern coast of Block Island, just off the shore from Rhode Island. Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the island and explore how this tragic and historic wreck turned into a ghost ship that still haunts the coast. Locals call it The Palatine Light. Folklorist and author Dr. Michael Bell joins us on this adventure.
Vermont's Ancient Egyptian Mummy
March 01, 2018 09:30In Episode 71, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger travel to Middlebury, Vermont, in search of a 4,000-year-old Egyptian Mummy buried in the ground. In 1886, Vermont collector Henry Sheldon (a man described as "a Yankee who never threw anything away"), played a significant role in bringing the body of young Prince Amun-Her-Khepesh-Ef to central Vermont. But after the little mummy arrived he was lost, and almost forgotten for the second time. Is the mummy still there? Is there a curse?
Vermont's Ancient Egyptian Mummy
March 01, 2018 09:30In Episode 71, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger travel to Middlebury, Vermont, in search of a 4,000-year-old Egyptian Mummy buried in the ground. In 1886, Vermont collector Henry Sheldon (a man described as "a Yankee who never threw anything away"), played a significant role in bringing the body of young Prince Amun-Her-Khepesh-Ef to central Vermont. But after the little mummy arrived he was lost, and almost forgotten for the second time. Is the mummy still there? Is there a curse?
Ocean Born Mary
March 01, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 9.74 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger pay a visit to the Ocean Born Mary house in Henniker, New Hampshire, to learn about its ghosts, its stories of scallywags, buried treasure, and an infant born at sea and named for the dear mother of the pirate who spared her life.
The Curse of Brunswick Springs
February 22, 2018 09:30 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the cursed Brunswick Springs in northeastern Vermont in search of the ghosts of the Abenaki Indians who protect this land from all who try to exploit it. For centuries, these springs were considered sacred, until Europeans came here to try and sell the medicinal water. The history of this land is full of fights, fires, death, and now a curse.
Boston's Flying Man
February 15, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 10.2 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to the Old North Church in Boston to explore a story you likely haven't heard. According to a plaque on the side of the building, it was here on September 13, 1757, that John Childs flew from the steeple of the church to the satisfaction of a great number of spectators--he did it more than once. Does that mean that Boston, and not Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, was the first in flight?
Paul Bunyan's Controversial Birthplace
February 08, 2018 09:30 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger delve into the story of Paul Bunyan, America's most famous lumberjack. Many say he hails from the Great Lakes region, but one city in Maine stakes their own claim. We learn Bunyan's backstory, his influence, rise to fame, and we pick apart this legendary bit of American folklore. Could Paul Bunyan still be out there somewhere?
Connecticut's Fairy Village
February 01, 2018 09:30 - 8 minutes - 8.35 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the ruins of Little People Village in the woods of Middlebury, Connecticut. Who built these miniature stone houses, and why? Is this forest haunted by an elderly couple who went mad listening to the chittering voices of the fairies? And what's the connection to Lake Quassapaug? Listen to find out!
The Weather Prophet of Beartown Mountain
January 25, 2018 09:30 - 11 minutes - 11.2 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the folk legend of Levi Beebe, the Weather Prophet of Beartown Mountain in Lee, Massachusetts, who predicted the devastating Blizzard of 1888 that claimed 400 lives in March of that year. How did he make this and his many other weather predictions? Listen to find out!
Fingernail Freddy
January 18, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 10 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the woods around Camp Ker-Anna in Cumberland, Rhode Island, in search of Fingernail Freddy and Hot Shot Charlie; two reclusive men/monsters who are said to stalk the children of the summer camp should they get out of line. Is there a connection between these legends and the Nightmare on Elm Street movie franchise?
Boston's Molasses Disaster
January 11, 2018 09:30 - 10 minutes - 10.3 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the Boston Molasses Disaster of January 15, 1919, that left 21 people dead and 150 injured. What happened and why? Could it have been avoided?
Ruth Blay Haunts Us
January 04, 2018 09:30 - 9 minutes - 9.48 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger investigate the story behind an obscure quilt in a Portsmouth, New Hampshire, museum. Ruth Blay was hanged for what was found inside this quilt in 1768, and today she haunts the city of Portsmouth. But why can't her spirit rest?
Vermont's Frozen People
December 28, 2017 12:00 - 10 minutes - 9.79 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore a story from the Montpelier region of Vermont that's been kicking around since the 1880s about a poor family who didn't have enough food and resources for everyone during the winter, so they would freeze their relatives solid and thaw them in the spring. Could this have been early inspiration for cryogenics?
The Jingle Bells Scandal
December 21, 2017 09:30 - 13 minutes - 32 MBThe 2017 New England Legends Podcast Holiday Musical Spectacular! Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the controversial roots of the song "Jingle Bells," and its connection to Medford and Boston, Massachusetts. Is it just an innocent Christmas carol about a ride in the snow, or is it a circa 1850 song about a booty call? You'll never hear this tune the same after this! Kelley Cocuzzo McCauley joins us on piano.
When Boston Banned Christmas
December 14, 2017 09:30 - 8 minutes - 8.44 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger celebrate Christmas like it’s 1659 in Boston… they don't! That's the year Massachusetts banned Christmas, and it would take almost two centuries to get it back! Why did the Puritans do that? And how could they call this holiday Satanic? Listen to find out!
Cassie the Sea Serpent
December 07, 2017 10:00 - 7 minutes - 7.04 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Casco Bay near Portland, Maine, in search of Cassie the Sea Serpent. Since 1779 there have been many reported sightings of a 100-foot-long serpent that has terrorized some local fisherman. Could this creature still be around?
Gardner Lake's Phantom Piano
November 30, 2017 10:00 - 7 minutes - 7.78 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Gardner Lake in Salem, Connecticut, on a quest to find the source of phantom piano music that's said to emanate from the lake itself. What happened on this lake back in 1895?
The Legend of Plymouth Rock - Thanksgiving Special
November 23, 2017 07:00 - 8 minutes - 7.99 MBHappy Thanksgiving! Two turkeys, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the legendary Plymouth Rock on the shore of Massachusetts in search of the history behind the iconic rock, and the very founding of the Thanksgiving holiday. Does this rock live up to the hype?
Emily's Haunted Bridge
November 16, 2017 10:00 - 7 minutes - 6.98 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the legends and history of Gold Brook Bridge in Stowe, Vermont. Though it's officially known as Gold Brook, locals call it "Emily's Bridge" after the ghost said to haunt the structure. But who was Emily, and why would she still be here?
Dover's Haunted Mill
November 09, 2017 10:00 - 7 minutes - 7.59 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the tragic fire that struck Cocheco Mill Number 1 in Dover, New Hampshire, on January 26, 1907. Six people perished as a result of the fire. Firefighters fought the blaze for 36 hours in frigid conditions. Could this event have been what led to the haunting of the building today?
The Rhode Island Stigmata
November 02, 2017 10:00 - 10 minutes - 10.3 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the mysteries and legends of stigmata through America's only reported case: Marie Rose Ferron of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Stigmata occurs when a devoutly religious person mysteriously exhibits the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ -- this can include bleeding from the hands, feet, side, and forehead. Marie Ferron was said to exhibit all of the wounds. But was she a bona fide miracle? Or was she used as a pawn by a Rhode Island Bishop?
Captain Jedidy Cole and the Devil
October 26, 2017 05:00 - 11 minutes - 11.1 MBOur 2017 Halloween Special! Do you know the story behind the jack-o-lantern? Did you know Cape Cod has its own version of the legend? Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger follow the tale of Captain Jedidy Cole's ghost, who is chased by the Devil up the shores of Cape Cod. Will the Devil get the Captain's soul? Listen to find out!
Summoning Bloody Mary
October 19, 2017 10:00 - 6 minutes - 6.8 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger report LIVE from the bathroom mirror as they to try and summon Bloody Mary. What’s her backstory? What role does the mirror play? Does Ray get possessed? Tune in to find out!
A Vampire in Vermont
October 12, 2017 05:00 - 9 minutes - 8.23 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger tell the tale of an alleged Vampire in Woodstock, Vermont, that dates back to 1830. The story goes a man named Corwin had his heart removed and burned, but did it happen? And was he the only vampire in Vermont? Listen to find out!
The Legend of the Green Monster
October 05, 2017 05:00 - 6 minutes - 6.84 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger discuss a 37-foot-tall New England monster that's been witnessed by many millions of people from all over the world. But what makes this more than a historical curiosity, and a true legend? Listen to find out!
The Devil's Footprint
September 28, 2017 05:00 - 4 minutes - 4.55 MBJeff Belanger and Ray Auger discuss the devil's footprint rock that sits within a stone wall near a church and graveyard in Manchester, Maine. One fossilized print is said to be the devil, while the second is said to be that of a man who sold his soul. But how did it get there? And why do we still talk about it?