Water Monster reports in Massachusetts
70 cases, best-documented first. Page 1 of 1.
We map claims, not creatures. A case is what some source says someone saw or heard, with the link to that source. It is not proof that anything was there, and a retelling counts once, not as a second sighting.
Water Monster · Wood End, Massachusetts · 1939
Authorities report a 30-foot skeleton with frog-like feet washed ashore near Wood End coast guard station, which old-timers believe is the remains of the famous Provincetown sea serpent.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
A farmer killed a baby sea serpent with a pitchfork near Good Harbor beach in late summer 1817, which was exhibited and examined by a committee.
Water Monster · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · 1843
Captain Wales reports that he and Mr. [name], along with part of the crew, observed a huge sea monster resembling an eel rising vertically from the water near Cape Cod for about half an hour.
Water Monster · Great Barrington, Massachusetts · 1903
Captain Stavely reports seeing a large sea monster with black and gray blotches, approximately 200 feet long, near Great Harrington during a voyage from San Francisco to London.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1849
Witness reports that John Marston and two other gentlemen observed a large serpent-like creature in the water off Nahant Beach for 15 to 20 minutes.
Water Monster · Essex County, Massachusetts · 1817
Witness reports that in 1817, a gigantic sea snake appeared off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, described as dark chocolate colored and 60 to 100 feet long with a caterpillar motion.
Water Monster · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · 1833
Witness reports that a man at the mast-head and others on board the schooner Mechanic observed a large marine creature resembling a serpent swimming near their vessel.
Water Monster · Nantucket Island, Massachusetts · 1937
Scientists from Harvard's sinograph institute hunted for a monster sea serpent off Nantucket after local businessmen found huge webbed footprints on Madaket beach.
Water Monster · Essex County, Massachusetts · 1886
Witnesses report seeing a large, snake-like marine animal near Cape Ann, described as undulating vertically and measuring approximately seventy feet in length.
Water Monster · Nantucket Island, Massachusetts · 1937
The author recounts a 1937 publicity campaign where resorts in Nantucket and Newport claimed to have sea serpents, with one captain describing a 100-foot creature.
Water Monster · Essex County, Massachusetts · 1817
Witness reports a young sea serpent was killed with a pitchfork and exhibited in Captain John Beach's house.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
Captain Tappan and his crew reported seeing a sea serpent off Gloucester that looked like a string of buoys with a serpent head.
Water Monster · Lynn, Massachusetts · 1819
Witness reports that in 1819, Nathan D. Chase of Lynn saw a sea serpent wriggle past within 100 feet at the speed of an ordinary steamer.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1819
Witness reports hundreds of persons saw a celebrated sea serpent off Xahant in 1819 and followed its course for miles.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
On August 14, 1817, a sea serpent approached a boat within thirty feet, was shot at, and then sank and reappeared on the opposite side.
Water Monster · Provincetown, Massachusetts · 1835
Captain Shibbles and his crew reported seeing a large sea serpent with a barrel-sized head and mane-like neck swimming rapidly near Race Point Light.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1837
Four gentlemen fishing near Nahant reported seeing a large dark sea serpent with four bunches on its back for about fifteen minutes.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
The Linnaean Society of Boston investigated an alleged appearance of a sea serpent at Gloucester and received positive affirmations from eleven persons.
Water Monster · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · 1875
A passenger on the steamer Roman reports seeing a large sea serpent off Cape Cod on July 17, observed by others including sea-faring men.
Water Monster · Lynn, Massachusetts · 1633
Witness reports that a sea serpent was seen in Lynn in 1633 by Dr. [name].
Water Monster · Boston Harbor, Massachusetts · 1879
Witness reports that Capt. Ansel Nye and his passengers mistook a decaying mainmast for a sixty-to-seventy-foot sea serpent in Boston Bay.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1833
A passenger on the Steamer Connecticut provided a detailed account of sea serpents lying on the water with heads resembling pickerels.
Water Monster · Rockport, Massachusetts · 1886
Witnesses report seeing a large marine monster described as a sea serpent near the Rockport breakwater.
Water Monster · Manomet, Massachusetts · 1884
A witness reports that Webster saw a sea serpent with a horse-like head and barrel-sized body in the bay between Manomet and Plymouth beach.
Water Monster · Essex County, Massachusetts · 1874
Capt. West claims he witnessed a sea serpent fighting a whale off Cape Ann, describing its tail and head in detail.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1896
Witnesses report a large, gray, serpent-like sea monster with two humps was seen off Laneville by William Henry Sargent and a crowd of onlookers.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
Witness reports shooting at a serpent-like marine animal that sank under their boat and was later seen alive off Cape Ann.
Water Monster · Middlesex County, Massachusetts · 1864
Witness reports a great Lake serpent with a black liken buil dog and a fan tail was seen in the lake near Wester, Mass.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1800s
Witness reports a marine animal believed to be fifty or sixty feet long was observed near Nahant with humps rising above the surface.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1888
Witness reports the Gloucester sea serpent seemed to be about eighty feet in length with a smooth dark head.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1819
The Linnaean Society investigated another case at Nahant two years later and received testimony from two hundred persons.
Water Monster · Barnstable, Massachusetts · 1846
Witness reports that a sea serpent was seen in shallow water in the harbor on Monday afternoon.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1852
The text mentions a far-famed sea-serpent annually seen off Nahant during watering seasons as a possible identity for the caught creature.
Water Monster · Lynn, Massachusetts · 1947
A Medford piano tuner claims he saw the famed Scottish Loch Ness serpent off Lynn Beach.
Water Monster · Nantucket Island, Massachusetts · 1937
William Manville reports sighting a 206-foot sea serpent with harrell-like head and green eyes while bluefishing off Nantucket.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1935
Witnesses report a 70-foot eel-like sea monster with a crocodile-like head raised 20 feet out of the water on Western Bank.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1914
Witnesses in Gloucester reported seeing a large serpent-like creature that became a familiar object until an expedition failed to see it.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
Witnesses report a historical sea serpent visited Gloucester harbor in the summer of 1817, was approached within 30 feet, raised its head, and sank under a boat.
Water Monster · Boston Harbor, Massachusetts · 1863
Witness reports that a sea serpent was seen last week from the deck of a steamer heading up for Boston harbor.
Water Monster · Nantucket, Massachusetts · 1937
Two businessmen claimed to have discovered huge webbed footprints at Madaket Beach during the 1937 sea serpent excitement.
Water Monster · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · 1906
It is said the sea serpent has been seen on many occasions between Cape Cod and Penobscot bay.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1833
Witnesses report that numerous ocean travelers and one ship captain saw and watched a 60 or 70-foot sea serpent for an hour off Nahant in 1833.
Water Monster · Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts · 1815
Fifteen people observed a sea serpent in Gloucester Harbor on June 20, 1815.
Water Monster · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · 1875
A gentleman on the steamer Roman near Cape Cod observed a large creature with a dorsal fin and scales that raised its head ten feet out of the water.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1886
Witness reports a sea serpent seen off Gloucester on the Massachusetts coast this year.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
Witness reports the sea serpent was first seen opposite Gloucester in 1817, with testimony considered sufficient to place its existence.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1850
Mr. [name] states that himself, wife and coachman saw the serpent in Nahant, Mass.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1834
Witnesses on the Portsmouth Packet report seeing a large sea serpent near Nahant that withdrew beneath the surface.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1817
James Prince reports a sea serpent appearing three feet out of the water with thirteen bunches on its back, estimated at fifty to sixty feet in length.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1833
Passengers on the steamer Connecticut reported seeing three or four sea serpents near Nahant, with one estimated at 100 feet long.
Water Monster · Massachusetts Bay, Massachusetts · 1939
Witnesses describe a sea serpent seen in and near Massachusetts bay and the coast of Maine as having deep brown color, protuberances on its back, and a head and neck six to eight feet long.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1886
Witness reports the monster has been seen several times this summer, notably off Gloucester.
Water Monster · Boston Harbor, Massachusetts · 1863
Witness reports Mr. [name] and other passengers saw a sea serpent from the deck of the steamer General Berry.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1847
Witnesses report that a sea serpent resembling a long string of barrels appeared in Nahant when visitors were scarce, though none have been seen this year due to the crowds.
Water Monster · Nantucket Island, Massachusetts · 1839
Witness reports a sea serpent one hundred and thirty-five feet long was seen off Nantucket, Nahant, and Salem.
Water Monster · Nantucket Island, Massachusetts · 1875
The crew of the schooner Emily Holden discovered a sea serpent off Nantucket in August 1875, struck its fin, and was slapped by its tail.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1839
Captain Sturgis reports that he and his crew saw a marine monster off Nahant which sank into the water after remaining in sight for a few minutes.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1881
Witness reports a sea serpent seen by hundreds on the beach at Nahant, described as having white foam under its chin and protuberances along its back.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1837
The text reports that a Sea Serpent was seen at Nahant, though it sarcastically suggests this may be due to editors being intoxicated.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1874
Witnesses report a sea serpent was seen near Gloucester, described as a wonder almost equal to the one later sighted by Capt. West.
Water Monster · Nahant, Massachusetts · 1833
Witnesses on the steamer Connecticut report seeing a large serpent-like creature in the harbor that passed under the boat's stern.
Water Monster · Suffolk County, Massachusetts · 1839
Witness reports that Lieut. John Bubier observed a large, fish-like creature with protuberances and a barrel-sized head while sailing near Boston harbor.
Water Monster · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · 1860
Witnesses report seeing a large, black, finless creature resembling a serpent moving slowly on the water surface off Cape Cod.
Water Monster · Gloucester, Massachusetts · 1817
Mr. [name] saw a sea serpent about 150 yards distant off Kettle Island and made a drawing and description of it.
Water Monster · Race Point, Massachusetts · 1835
Captain Shibles and his crew reported seeing a large sea serpent with a mane-like neck near Race Point light. Witness reports the creature was 200 to 250 feet long, moved swiftly backwards and…
Water Monster · Essex County, Massachusetts · 1690s
A visitor from New England was told of a sea-serpent coiled on a rock at Cape Ann, where Indians dissuaded Englishmen from shooting it.
Water Monster · Norfolk County, Massachusetts · 1914
The narrator reports that Ananias Sline claimed to have seen a sea serpent off Quincy Harbor, leading Captain Barnabas Fish and others to investigate.
Water Monster · Massachusetts · 1886
Rockport observers reported seeing a sea serpent similar to one recently sighted in the Hudson River.
Water Monster · Massachusetts · 1809
300 persons on the steamer New England reported seeing a hump rising eight feet out of the water with a serrated edge.
Water Monster · Massachusetts · 1848
Witnesses assert their right to be believed regarding sightings of a great monster off the New England coast, specifically citing Captain McQuaede and Mr. [name].