Enter the Bridgewater Triangle…

If you dare!

I love all things spooky! When I was a kid, I never worried about what other people thought, so I let my imagination run wild. At eight-years-old, I played dress-up in a black shawl and a witch hat (the Elphaba kind!). I took pictures of myself with my black cat, MiMi, and pretended he was my magic helper. Together, we would cast spells so I could get an extra snack before dinner or pull off whatever sneaky plan I was hatching. A few years later, I loved exploring the forest behind my house. I made up fantastic stories about hidden treasures and mysteries buried deep in those spooky woods.

As I grew up, I visited many places in Massachusetts that sparked my childhood creativity all over again. But none are quite as powerful as the Bridgewater Triangle, which is the setting for PAWS AND EFFECT.

The Bridgewater Triangle is a real 200-square-mile area in southeastern Massachusetts. It is famous for unexplained events, weird creature sightings, and spooky legends. At the center of this real-world mystery is the Hockomock Swamp. In the language spoken by the local Wampanoag tribe, "Hockomock" translates to "place where spirits dwell." When English settlers arrived in the 1600s, they were terrified of the deep mud, thick trees, and confusing trails. Because it felt so dark and dangerous, they called it the "Devil's Swamp." Today, its creepy reputation still attracts ghost hunters, monster seekers, and curious tourists.*

In the story, the fictional town of Hockomock Hollow sits right on the edge of this famous wetland. It is the perfect playground for Birdie's sneaky business ideas. Early in the book, Carol, the animal shelter manager, tells Birdie about a stray dog. This dog is actually the newly arrived Sir Reginald, straight from the F.A.B., and he was found by tourists near the Devil’s Swamp. Birdie uses that terrifying name to easily trick gullible visitors out of their money. In one scene, she charges five teenagers fifty bucks each to wander the foggy edges of the swamp, completely ignoring how dangerous the real bogs can be. The swamp also provides the setting for one of the biggest turning points in the book. Ultimately, the Devil's Swamp becomes much more than just a spooky background for Birdie's tricks. It is the wild, dangerous place where her true spirit is finally tested and changed forever.

—Pamela A. Davol

* All references and image sources provided at the end of this page.

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An Intro to All things cryptid and CREEPY

The Devil’s Swamp

The Swamp APe (‘Bigfoot’)

The Legend:

For decades, people exploring the Hockomock Swamp have reported seeing a large, hairy, Bigfoot-like creature wandering through the trees.

Book Tie-In:

Birdie tries to cash in on this famous local monster by building a fake, life-sized Swamp Ape out of chicken wire, glue, and brown shag carpet. She plans to charge tourists twenty dollars just to take a picture with it!

Pukwudgies

The Legend:

In traditional Wampanoag folklore, Pukwudgies are knee-high, goblin-like creatures that live in the woods. They are known for playing mean tricks on humans, pushing people off cliffs, or leading travelers off the safe paths.

Book Tie-In:

The story features a tough, fiercely competitive Girl Scout troop named the "Pukwudgie Pioneers." When Reginald the dog hears a strange noise outside Birdie's house, he immediately assumes it might be a tricky Pukwudgie drawn to Birdie’s bad karma. Birdie also keeps "Pukwudgie Repellent" (which is actually just pepper spray and glitter) in her bedroom.

Thunderbirds

The Legend:

Another common myth in the Bridgewater Triangle involves sightings of Thunderbirds, which are giant, prehistoric-looking birds with massive wingspans that are said to fly silently over the swamps.

Book Tie-In:

The local diner, The Cryptid Kitchen, names its food after these local myths, serving "Thunderbird Tenders" to hungry tourists. When a loud, vacuum-like noise echoes from the sky before Milo the cat arrives, the book indicates that locals usually blame such weird noises on wandering ghosts or giant Thunderbirds!

UFOs

The Legend:

The Bridgewater Triangle is known across the country as a hotspot for UFO sightings, glowing orbs, and restless spirits.

Book Tie-In:

Birdie takes full advantage of the gullible tourists looking for aliens and ghosts. She sells fake "Authentic 17th-Century Witches' Salt" made from painted driveway gravel, charges kids to see a fake UFO landing site in Old Man Barlow’s cornfield, and sells cheap glass crystals to protect people from swamp ghosts.

GHOSTS and HAUNTINGS

The Legend:

One of the most famous Bridgewater Triangle ghosts haunts a dark stretch of U.S. Route 44 near the Seekonk-Rehoboth line. Drivers report seeing a well-built man with red hair and a red flannel shirt. Whether they hit him or pull over to pick him up, he vanishes into thin air, often leaving behind the sound of his disembodied laughter.

Book Tie-In:

Birdie actually mentions Route 44 early in the book when she is trying to hack the heavenly scoring system. While brainstorming charity ideas in her bedroom, she asks Sir Reginald if doing a good deed in a dangerous place earns her a higher Karma Score. She asks: "If I help an old lady cross the street, what's that? Five points? Ten? What if it's a really wide, busy street, like Route 44? Does the danger of the cars give me extra points?"

References & Image Sources

·         Balzano, Christopher. Ghosts of the Bridgewater Triangle. Schiffer Publishing, 2008. (Details local folklore, including Pukwudgies and Swamp Ape sightings).

·         The Bridgewater Triangle. Directed by Aaron Cadieux and Manny Famolare, Bristol County Media, 2013. (Documentary covering the history, UFO sightings, and Thunderbird legends of the Hockomock Swamp area).

·         Simmons, William S. Spirit of the New England Tribes: Indian History and Folklore. University Press of New England, 1986. (Provides historical background on Wampanoag legends, including the origins of the Pukwudgie).

Image Sources:

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