By Thomas D’Agostino

One of the most famous, if not the most famous areas along US Route 44 lies in what is known as the Bridgewater Triangle. Residents of Southeastern Massachusetts have long been plagued by strange phenomena that has mystified scientists, archaeologists, cryptozoologists, historians and researchers of the paranormal. The triangle is a parcel of land two hundred square miles in size that apparently harbors mythical creatures, ghostly lights, phantoms, and even UFOs.

The triangle first got its name in the 1970s when researcher Loren Coleman carried out paranormal investigations in the area. Following his extensive research and studies, he mapped out a triangle where the strange phenomena seemed to be intensely active. Christopher Balzano, paranormal investigator and author, compiled an astounding amount of data on the area. This data he used to write several books including, “Ghosts of the Bridgewater Triangle.”

The corners of the triangle are defined by the towns of Abington, Freetown, and Rehoboth. Within the triangle are the towns of Taunton, Brockton, Raynham, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Norton, Easton, North Middleboro, Segragonset, Dighton, North Dighton, Berkeley, and Myricks. Within the triangle lies the Hockomock Swamp, where much of the activity is focused. Accounts of strange creatures abound in the triangle. Here are some that have stunned researchers and scientists alike. 

In 1988 two boys followed a pair of giant three-toed footprints into the swamp. To their horror they came upon a massive bird-like creature that neither had ever witnessed the likes of in their life. The winged monster caught a glimpse of the two boys and took off straight into the air. The frightened youths ran for their lives, later ranting their story to police and neighbors. It was concluded that the two youths witnessed a great blue heron, a very large bird native to the New England area. The children swore the creature they saw was much larger than any heron, being more the size of a tall man with half human features. The story was almost laughable until someone remembered another similar sighting. This one was by a well-respected and notable Norton police sergeant named Thomas Downy. 

In 1971, as Sergeant Downy was driving home along Winter Street in Marshfield, he came upon a giant creature standing at the edge of the swamp. According to the officer, it resembled a bird, but stood over six feet tall. The creature moved toward the car, then flew straight up away from the vehicle. It had a wingspan of about eight to twelve feet in length. When other officers arrived at the scene, a few large three-toed footprints were all that was found as evidence of such a creature.  Oddly enough, the sighting was at a place called Bird Hill where the indigenous people spoke frequently of a legendary Thunderbird. Their ancestors claimed the great bird lived in the swamp and to this day, apparently still does.

Thunderbirds are not solely responsible for the cryptid sightings within Bridgewater Triangle. A more famous and often talked about “monster” is reported to roam the area. It is the creature affectionately known as Bigfoot, Yeti or Sasquatch. In 1970, residents reported seeing a hairy seven-foot monster running through their yards, sometimes on all four legs. Local and state police conducted a lengthy manhunt for a giant bear, yet no such animal was ever spotted or captured.

On April 8, 1970, two officers were parked in a police cruiser near the swamp. Suddenly, the rear end of the car lifted into the air and then dropped with a loud bang. The officers quickly spun the car around and trained their spotlight on something hairy resembling a bear as it ran on two legs behind a house. A thorough search of the area commenced, but no bear, or any other creature, was ever found.

A hunter once shot at a large animal in the woods that ran off and gave a half human, half animal cry. Later he found brown hair and blood on some leaves along the path the creature fled down. A woman in West Bridgewater heard a noise one night in her yard. She looked out her window and saw a large bipedal creature eating a pumpkin in her garden. The hairy animal looked at her through the window with reddish-orange eyes then with a grunt, took off with the pumpkin into the woods.

A triangle resident, Joseph M. De Andrade, spent decades collecting reports of the creature. The average lifespan of a wild bear is about five to seven years. Fifteen years would be extremely unlikely and thirty years in the wild is impossible. So what is it out there roaming along the outskirts of the human population?