UFO Flap over Natick

Natick, Massachusetts is considered the home of many things. It is called the home of Champions. It is the home of the some of the first major league baseballs. It was the home of one of the first English Christianized Native American communities.

This year, it also seems to be home of a recent UFO flap. In the past sixth months, several witnesses have reported seeing unidentified objects in the air over the area.

A brief report of the encounters are in these two spots.

January incident

July incident

Interesting, considering that Natick is not typically the home of many UFO reports. Having lived in Natick and frequenting it often, I have seen strange things in the sky. Most I have been able to explain, although there was a rather peculiar changing cloud that I saw once when I was young - probably caused by some type of upper air turbulence.

Over the years there have been several reports of unusual lights in the sky. There was one report in the early 1990s of a large light hovering over Route 9 that many people saw. Similar reports happened in the late 1980s (including some blimps that were mistaken as UFOS). And, in 1977, there was a light that followed at least one car through Natick as well.

Is there any reason for this flap? Could be. Natick is home to the famous army lab, so if there were visitors from space checking out a place, Natick would probably be a landmark to explore. The Marlboro airport is not too far a way. So, more than likely, there are natural explanations for strange lights over the Metrowest town.

Still, if you are in Natick this summer, keep your eyes on the skies.

Tis the season for pukwudgie

You step into the woods
You feel a mysterious presence....like a pair of eyes watching you.
You hear faint noises or feel a rush of cool air.
You smell a sweet, almost alluring smell of a flower

What could it be?

Well, it just might be a pukwudgie!

You may be unfamiliar with these creatures, but they are considered to be part of Native American lore that continues to this day in New England. Exactly what these creatures are - no one is certain. However, by most accounts, they are beige or grayish two to three foot tall creatures that inhabit the woods of northeastern United States. They look like tiny humans with longer noses and larger ears. Although enigmatic, they are thought to appear deep in the woods and summer is the best time to encounter them.

According to those who have seen them - and even modern encounters are said to occur - it is best to stray far from them. They have been known to chase people and trap them. Native American legends tell of them fighting against tribe members and kidnapping children. They are reported to be able to transform into other creatures, perform magic, and even conjure fire. They are considered dangerous and have been known to chase after humans and animals. They should be avoided and never stare straight at them in the eye.

And before you relegate these creatures to the realm of fantasy, consider the fact that people have reported encountered these creatures in many of the woods in New England, particularly Massachusetts. The Wampanoag were known to speak of these folk and there have been encounters traced to the Bridgewater Triangle region.

Massachusetts Fountain of Youth

Surely you have heard of Ponce de Leon. He was the Spanish explorer that searched for the legendary fountain of youth in Florida....only to come up fruitless. However, perhaps he should have traveled farther north because, according to local lore, the fountain might have been located in Massachusetts. Harvard, Massachusetts to be precise.

Now, I know what you're thinking; if there is anywhere in America that is squirreling away a fountain of youth, it would be Harvard. Well, it is not the Harvard of University fame, but the Harvard of Shaker town fame. For, in the town of Harvard, Massachusetts, there was a legendary fountain of youth that they attributed as the source of their longevity.


The legend of this fountain begins in 1855. That year, the Shakers were at a crossroads. One of their wells dried up and they were in need of a new source of water. Then, perhaps divinely guided, the Shakers located a new source of water on the western side of a landmark known as Oak Hill.

In need of water, the Shakers built an aqueduct to this new source of water, supplying a much needed quench to their source. But as the next few years past, something mysterious happened. The source of water seemed to have an unusual property. People who drank the water felt healthier and livelier. They average lifespan of people drinking from the well in the 1880s was 70 years old and several people were living into their 90s - a far cry from the typical numbers at the time. According to many sources, there was a 16 percent increase in the lifespan of those drinking from it. The chemical purity of the water was said to surpass that of the most well-known springs (including Poland Springs).

The Shakers believed the water was the source of this longevity. They even began to share the water with others, bottling it and selling it as Shaker Medicinal Spring Water!

Time passed and eventually the Shaker population in the region dwindled. The location of the spring became forgotten.

Yet, the spring can still be founds. However, with time, the advent of Route 2, and the fact that the water now passes through a marshy region, one has to wonder if the water the one filled the famous Shaker Water source may have actually found a new home. Yet, wary visitors can still look for the water source and seek the water. Just be careful. The sight is the home of rocky surfaces, hidden barbed wire, swampy lands, and deer ticks.

Is Massachusetts home of the fountain of youth? The Shaker's believed so. You never know....Massachusetts may indeed hold the secrets to longevity.

And, to check out other people who have visited, see these sites.

Strange New England
Fountain of Youth