This Spooky Region Of Massachusetts Is An Eerie Hotspot For Paranormal Adventurers

The most haunted place in Massachusetts must be Salem, right? After all, the quaint east coast town that boasts historic charm and the highest quality of life in the U.S. was also the site of the Salem Witch Trials, where a total of 25 accused witches died horrific deaths between spring 1692 and late-summer 1693. Keeping an open mind, we'd be hard pressed to argue that the 15-month frenzy of mass hysteria that gripped the community didn't leave at least some kind of energetic imprint on the town.

It's that what-if factor that draws hordes of visitors to Witch City every year during Halloween season, but today's lighthearted festivities are a far cry from the horror that gripped 17th-century Salem. The town located about 20 miles northeast of Boston may be home to one of the most iconic Halloween events in the nation, but there's a lesser-known haunted place in Massachusetts where activity is said to rival the unexplained phenomena of the Bermuda Triangle.

We're talking about the Bridgewater Triangle, a 200-square-mile "paranormal vortex" located about 30 miles south of Boston. "The Bridgewater Triangle, I think per square foot we've got more weirdness here than the Bermuda Triangle could hold a candle to, and the reason of course is so much history," Jeff Belanger, an author and lecturer who specializes in unexplained phenomena, told CBS News in 2022. The three points of the triangle-shaped vortex identified in 1983 by Loren Coleman, director of Maine's International Cryptozoology Museum, are located in the towns of Abington (north), Freetown (southeast), and Rehoboth (southwest). So what exactly happens within the confines of the Bridgewater Triangle? Here's what we know.

Like other reportedly haunted places, including the aforementioned Salem, Massachusetts and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania — home of one of the most haunted hiking spots in America — a number of horrific events and gruesome deaths have occurred within the confines of the vortex. One of the earliest recorded incidents dates to an epic battle during King Philip's War, a 17th-century stand-off between British colonists and indigenous members of the Algonquin, Nipmuc, Wampanoag, Pocumtuck, and Narragansett tribes.

One of the bloodiest battles of the 15-month war took place at Hockomock Swamp, a 16,950-acre parcel of wetlands once home to a Wampanoag stronghold that was also considered to be a sacred place. The word Hockomock translates to "the place where spirits dwell." Long before the fateful battle, colonists had already reported experiencing unnerving phenomena in the vicinity of the swamp, especially sightings of eerie light floating above at sunrise and sunset. It's not much of a leap to connect lingering energy related to the agonizing deaths warriors and colonists experienced in the vicinity of the swamp during King Philip's War to paranormal activity. "King Philip's War was the bloodiest battle in US or British history ever per capita, meaning the greatest population percentage died," Belanger told CBS News. "Seventy-five to 80 percent of the natives were wiped out, 25 percent of the colonists. That leaves a stain that I don't think can ever be washed away."

But that's just the tip of the Bridgewater Triangle's paranormal iceberg. Reports of spine-tingling activity in the region, an unassuming blend of suburban and rural, even pastoral, landscapes, include suspected cult murders and reported UFO sightings well into the 21st-century. It's also home to Fall River's Lizzie Borden House, one of the 50 most haunted places in the world.

About 20 miles south of Hockomock Swamp, Freetown-Fall River State Forest is a veritable hotbed of disturbing activity. Cris-crossed with peaceful walking trails, the 5,000-acre woodland is far from foreboding, yet it's been the site of an inordinate number of violent crimes. In 1978, the body of 15-year-old cheerleader Mary Lou Marnuda was found tied to a tree. A year later, 19-year-old Doreen Levesque's body was discovered on the grounds of a local high school within the confines of the Bridgewater Triangle. The murders of two more young women followed shortly thereafter, ultimately revealing an unsettling pattern of cult-like activity involving animal sacrifices and ritualistic murders. Could bad juju be lurking in the forest?

Another reportedly haunted site, Assonet Ledge is said to be imbued with negative energy. In 2004, an allegedly happy and well-adjusted man who was walking with his girlfriend suddenly jumped to his death from the ledge. Other visitors have reported the sudden onset of deep despair and the urge to jump, while some notice glowing orbs and dark apparitions lurking in the pond beneath. And we haven't even touched on the multitude of reported UFO sightings, let alone Bigfoot, giant serpents, and pukwudgies (mischievous creatures who can turn mean in a flash, according to tribal lore).

The Bridgewater Triangle isn't a tourist attraction. You won't find costumed witches peddling tarot readings or hear the call of ghostly spirits beckoning you into a mystical storefront, but you may find the most spine-tingling adventure of your life, if you dare. Most of the reportedly haunted places are open to the public. Or you may just have a drive-by encounter with the infamous red-headed hitchhiker, a ghostly figure said to haunt a section of Route 44 near the Rehoboth-Seekonk town line.