Dad, legend tripper, storyteller, podcaster, host #NewEnglandLegends. Author #WickedStrange #FrightBeforeChristmas Publisher #ShadowZine
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Articles by Jeff Belanger
Ghosts and Legends with Jeff Belanger
Program Description Come explore the haunts around the world and those in your own back yard! Jeff Belanger brings different stories every time he offers this program, so no two are the same. This multi-media adventure draws from Jeff's research in his books, podcasts, adventures, and the various television shows that he’s worked on. Join one of New England premiere storytellers for a trip through the unusual and the unexplained. There will also be a Q&A and book signing.
The Fright Before Christmas
Christmas time is truly the darkest and creepiest time of the year filled with devilish creatures lurking in the shadows waiting to get us. Best known is the Krampus, who has been the subject of films and songs. There was a time in the late 1800s when people sent Krampus cards, not holiday greetings. There are other violent and dangerous monsters from all over northern climes who have been hunting naughty children for centuries.
The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts|Hardcover
Step into the dark roots of Christmas past where the Krampus punishes the bad boys and girls. Christmas time is truly the darkest and creepiest time of the year filled with devilish creatures lurking in the shadows waiting to get us. Best known is the Krampus who has been the subject of films and songs. There was a time in the late 1800s when people sent Krampus cards, not holiday greetings.
Podcast 251 - Nellie Vaughn: Vampire? Witch? Ghost?
Nellie Vaughn died March 31, 1889 at the age of 19. Decades later she was thought to be a vampire, witch, and ghost. In Episode 251, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore Plain Meeting House Cemetery in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, searching for the lost grave of Nellie Vaughn. Some say she was a vampire. Others claim she was a witch. More believe her restless spirit still haunts this boneyard trying to right a wrong from decades ago. Could this be a case of mistaken identity?
Podcast 250 - The Smuttynose Island Murders
On March 5, 1873, two women were brutally murdered on Smuttynose Island in Maine. A third narrowly escaped with her life. In Episode 250, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger sail out to the Isles of Shoals, Maine, to investigate the infamous Smuttynose Island murders. On March 5, 1873, two women were brutally murdered on the island, while a third narrowly escaped with her life. Louis Wagner was hanged for the crime, but did they execute the right man? This crime still haunts the tiny islands.
Podcast 249 - Holyoke’s Eyrie House Ruins
On April 13, 1901, William Street’s Eyrie House Inn burned up in a funeral pyre gone horribly wrong. In Episode 249, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger hike up Mt. Nonotuck in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in search of the Eyrie House Ruins. The site was a once-popular hotel and resort in the latter half of the 1800s featuring live music, a menagerie of exotic animals, and incredible views. But a horrible tragedy took away owner William Street’s castle in a single night back on April 13th, 1901.
Podcast 248 - The Legend of the Norman Rockwell Switcheroo
Between 2002 and 2006, a Norman Rockwell masterpiece painting called Breaking Home Tie hung in the Rockwell museum. But the painting was a fake. In Episode 248, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to Sandgate, Vermont, to try and solve the mystery of a Norman Rockwell masterpiece painting called “Breaking Home Ties” that was proudly displayed in the Norman Rockwell museum between 2002 and 2006. The only problem is the museum painting was a fake. What happened to the original?
Podcast 247 - Cling-Clang: New England’s Vaulting Peddler
In the late 19th-centruy an eccentric peddler called Cling Clang earned his way into legend by traveling the coast of New Hampshire and Maine on stilts. In Episode 247, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger try out stilts in Rye, New Hampshire, in search of a 19th-century eccentric legendary peddler known as Cling-Clang.
New England Legends Podcast Wins 2022 Communicator Award
“Leaping Lumberjacks of Central Maine” episode wins for “Individual Episodes – Documentary for Podcasts” MILFORD, Mass. – May 11, 2022 – The New England Legends podcast series today announced they’ve won their first Communicator Award. Selected from more than 4,000 entries from all over the world, Episode 214: “The Leaping Lumberjacks of Central Maine” won for the “Individual Episodes – Documentary for Podcasts” category.
Podcast 246 - The Ghost of Penfield Reef Lighthouse
On December 22, 1916, Penfield Reef Lighthouse Keeper Frederick Jordan, drowned just off the coast trying to get home to his family. In Episode 246, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger row out to Penfield Reef Lighthouse in Fairfield, Connecticut, to search for the ghost of lighthouse keeper Frederick Jordan, who drowned here in 1916 trying to get home for the holidays to see his family. Bound by duty, his ghost has haunted the lighthouse and these waters ever since, still helping people to safety.
Podcast 245 - Rhode Island’s Nuclear Meltdown
A July 24, 1964, nuclear accident in Wood River Junction, Rhode Island, exposed Robert Peabody to a lethal dose of radiation. In Episode 245, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the July 24, 1964 nuclear incident in Wood River Junction, Rhode Island, that left 37-year-old Robert Peabody dead. Peabody remains the nation’s first fatality due to acute radiation syndrome at the United Nuclear Corporation Fuels Recovery Plant. Read the episode transcript.
Podcast 244 - The Allagash UFO Abduction Incident
In August of 1976, four men embarked on a camping trip to the Allagash Wilderness of Maine, and experienced a UFO. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 244, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger hike into the woods of the Allagash Wilderness in northern Maine searching for the location of a 1976 UFO sighting and alleged abduction.
Podcast 243 - Gloucester’s Gould Court Ghoul
In the early 1880s, a poltergeist haunting made the news. The phenomena continued for three years. In Episode 243, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger investigate Gould Court in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where a poltergeist haunting made the news back in the early 1880s. Were the strange knocks and thumps just the house settling, or could they have been something more sinister? Read the episode transcript.
Podcast 242 - Bristol’s Legendary Outhouse Races
Since 1980, Bristol, Vermont, has held an annual Outhouse Race every July 4th. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 242, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to Bristol, Vermont, to climb inside the town’s annual Fourth of July Outhouse Races. For more than 40 years people have been racing outhouses down West Street, in an event that’s grown to legendary status.
Podcast 240 - Wallingford’s Shoebox Murder Mystery
In 1886, a man’s torso was found stuffed in a shoebox on the side of a Wallingford, Connecticut, road. Whodunit? Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 240, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger investigate the Parker Farms section of Wallingford, Connecticut, on the trail of a gruesome unsolved murder dating back to 1886, when a man’s torso was found stuffed into a shoebox by the side of the road.
Podcast 239 - The Devil and Richard Corey
In 1816, the Devil came to South Kingstown, Rhode Island, in search of the biggest liar. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 239, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger travel to South Kingstown, Rhode Island, to search for the Devil.
Podcast 238 - The Hoodoo Hearse of Holden
In 1901, Holden, Maine, was stuck with a cursed hearse that no one wanted to touch. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 238, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Holden, Maine, searching for an ancient and cursed funeral carriage that made the newspapers back in 1901 because locals believed it was cursed. That hearse showed up on the front lawn of various families in town, and death soon followed.
Podcast 237 - The Notorious Serial Killer Jolly Jane
Between 1887 and 1901, Jolly Jane Toppan was believed to have murdered between 31 and 100 people in Massachusetts. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 237, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit Mayflower Hill Cemetery in Taunton, Massachusetts — the final resting place of one of America’s most prolific serial killers: Jolly Jane Toppan.
How to Learn and Borrow from Speakers, Musicians, and Comedians with Jeff Belanger on Apple Podcasts
34 min Everyone has their own public speaking styles practices. The key is to learn from others, take the ideas that resonate with you and your style and make them your own. Of course, once you do that, you should continue to learn, always advancing and honing your skills. One of the people you want to learn from is my guest, Jeff Belanger. In this episode, he explains how he has developed his public speaking skills, including how he learned from those in other professions. 34 min
Podcast 210 - The Lake Winnipesaukee Mystery Stone
In 1872, Seneca Ladd or Meredith, New Hampshire, discovered an egg-shaped mystery stone on his property that’s perplexed archaeologists ever since. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 210, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger stroll the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in Meredith, New Hampshire, searching for a mysterious stone unearthed back in 1872.
Podcast 209 - The Second Coming of Jemima Wilkinson
Jemima Wilkson claimed she died in 1776 only to resurrect as the Publick Universal Friend, in order to preach, perform miracles, and save the world. In Episode 209, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to Ledyard, Connecticut, to investigate the death and alleged resurrection of Jemima Wilkinson.
Podcast 208 - A Tombstone Every Mile in the Haunted Haynesville Woods
Route 2A through Haynesville, Maine, is so haunted and treacherous, it inspired a 1965 country song by Dick Curless. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 208, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger take a drive down Route 2A through Haynesville, Maine, to see a road so treacherous and haunted, it inspired a 1965 country song by Dick Curless.
Podcast 206 - The Trial of Bathsheba Spooner
On March 1, 1778, Bathsheba Spooner of Brookfield, Massachusetts, had her husband murdered and his body dumped in the family well. Nuwati Herbals is the proud sponsor of this episode of New England Legends! Use promo code: LEGENDS20 to save 20% off at checkout. In Episode 206, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to Brookfield, Massachusetts, to examine the crime scene and trial of Bathsheba Spooner — the first woman hanged in the United States for a capital crime.
Podcast 205 - The Vermontasaurus
Born from the rubble of two buildings in 2010, the Vermontasaurus is a 160-foot wooden beast who survived extinction twice. Welcome to Vermont’s Jurassic Park! In Episode 205, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger go on a hunt for the 160-foot Vermontasaurus at the Post Mills Airport in Thetford, Vermont. Born in 2010 from the rubble of fallen buildings, the giant beast is the brainchild of hot air balloon pilot Brian Boland, who joins us on this Jurassic adventure.
Who's Haunting the White House?: The President's Mansion and the Ghosts Who Live There
By: Jeff Belanger Narrated by: Jeff Belanger Length: 1 hr and 37 mins Unabridged Audiobook Categories: Children's Audiobooks, History 4.7 out of 5 stars 4.7 (43 ratings) 1 audiobook of your choice. Stream or download thousands of included titles. $14.95 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime. Buy for $6.95 Publisher's Summary Welcome to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC - better known as the White House. From the outside, it looks innocent enough.
New England Legends Podcast
Nerve Tonic that Launched a War In Episode 195, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore Union, Maine, tracing the steps of Dr. Augustin Thompson, a local man who developed a nerve tonic in 1876 that would eventually launch a war that continues to this day. After moving to Lowell, Massachusetts, Dr. Thompson added a key ingredient that turned his medicine into a New England staple, and eventually introduced the world to a new word that’s synonymous with guts, spunk, grit, and determination.
Author, paranormal expert Jeff Belanger goes to new heights with latest book
Jeff Belanger is known for telling other people's stories. One of the most prominent folklorists in the country, Belanger has made a career out of telling stories that attempt to explain the unexplained. In addition to authoring over a dozen books dealing with the paranormal and folklore, he's the Emmy-nominated host, writer and producer of the "New England Legends" television series (on PBS and Amazon Prime) and co-host of a weekly podcast of the same name.
Jeff's Books - Jeff Belanger
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The Curious Grave of David Sherman: Killed by Lightning in Church
If you take a stroll through Old Stratfield Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, you’ll see historic graves, some dating back to the 1690s, back to when this boneyard was known as Pequonnock Cemetery. There are Revolutionary War heroes buried in this small park, town-founding fathers and mothers, but also a curious grave of a man who was struck down by lightning while attending church.
The Call of Kilimanjaro
The Call of Kilimanjaro Finding Hope Above the Clouds By: Jeff Belanger ...that's the only way I know how to reach the top: one step, then another. After his brother-in-law Chris passed away, Jeff decided to take the trip of a lifetime, both in honor of Chris and in pursuit of clarity about his own life and goals. The Call of Kilimanjaro is a day-by-day record of Belanger's ascent to the peak of Africa's highest mountain.
New England Legends Launches New Free Mobile App Connecting Users to Weird Locations and Legends
App is the first to include an interactive map with over 150 stories and locales, many of which users can explore and visit from a socially safe distance. SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES, August 24, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The New England Legends television series and podcast today announced the launch of its new, free mobile app.
Forklore in Westport, Massachusetts
Westport’s Fork in the Road. Photo by Frank Grace. So you head south on Old Harbor Road in Westport, Massachusetts. When you reach the fork in the road… you’ve arrived. The fork’s creator, Tom Schmitt, drove by this intersection almost every day for years. He has a sense of humor that—lucky for us—is prone to puns. “It’s the quintessential fork in the road,” Schmitt told me. At 73 years old, and now retired, he spends a lot of his time in his shop working on boats.
New England Legends Television Series Wins 2020 Telly Award
New England Legends is a 2020 winner of a Telly Award “Legendary Road Trip” episode earns Bronze medal for Television General Entertainment SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – June 1, 2020 – Selected from more than 12,000 entries, the “Legendary Road Trip” episode of the New England Legends television series has been recognized with a 2020 Telly Award, considered the world’s largest honor for video and television content across all screens.
Podcast 121 - The Boon Island Cannibals
In Episode 121, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger sail out to Boon Island, Maine, in search of the legend of the Boon Island Cannibals. On December 10, 1710, the Nottingham Galley shipwrecked on the tiny island during a nor’easter, leaving all 14 crewmen stranded. As the men started to die, the survivors were left with an awful choice — a choice that’s haunted the island ever since. But was the ship’s captain a hero or villain? Read the episode transcript.
Podcast 104 - The Immortal Mad Scientist of Malden
In Episode 104, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger walk the streets of Malden, Massachusetts, in search of Ephraim Gray, a mad scientist who may be close to 200 years old. They say in 1850, Ephraim Gray was laid in his grave. Half a century later, his casket was found empty. Some believe his immortality elixir worked, and Ephraim Gray simply walked away. Read the episode transcript.
Popular New England-Based Podcast Hits Milestone
The New England Legends Podcast Hits One Million Downloads The New England-based podcast New England Legends, now in its second year, is celebrating a milestone in the podcasting world by recently hitting one million downloads. “We’re proud! That’s a big number to hit, and we’re just thrilled that people have taken a liking to our stories,” boasts cohost Ray Auger.
Podcast 70 - The Ghost Who Saved Christmas
In Episode 70, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to Boston to the haunted Parker House Hotel in search of the ghost of the man who brought Christmas to America. We learned in last year’s holiday podcast that the Puritans of Boston banned Christmas back in 1659 because they claimed making merry and dressing festive was “satanic.” They’d fine you five shillings if you were caught! Though the ban was lifted in 1681, that doesn’t mean Christmas was celebrated.
Podcast 43 - New Haven’s Ghost Ship
In Episode 43 Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the shores of New Haven Harbor in Connecticut in search of a ghost ship that was first sighted in the mid-17th century. In January of 1647 a Great Ship set sail from New Haven bound for England, but it was never seen again until perhaps that June when dozens on the shores of New Haven watched a ghostly ship enter the harbor.
Who's Haunting the White House?: The President's Mansion and the Ghosts Who Live There
Welcome to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC - better known as the White House. From the outside, it looks innocent enough.
New England Legends Extra: Newport Tower Horologium
An Extra from New England Legends Episode 3: Maritime Mysteries… Jim Egan of the Newport Tower Museum in Rhode Island shares his theory of how the tower once functioned as an advanced astronomical calendar, or “Horologium.” Liked it? Take a second to support New England Legends on Patreon! This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT Privacy & Cookies Policy
Emmy-Nominated New England Legends Television Series Explores “Witchcraft” in its PBS Return
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – October 23, 2017 – New England has long been full of witchy tales. For those who practice the craft, there have been tribulations, and for some who never even cast a spell, there were trials. These legends and the magic behind them have lessons to teach us even centuries after they were born.
Podcast 1 - Dungeon Rock
Welcome to the New England Legends weekly podcast! In Episode 1, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger discuss the legend of Dungeon Rock in Lynn, Massachusetts. Hiram Marble claims spirits told him where to dig for pirate treasure. He spent decades looking… but did he find it? You can find out more about Hiram Marble and Dungeon Rock by watching Episode 2 of the New England Legends television series.
Use Technology As a Differentiator to Create a Better F&I Customer Experience - Dealer Marketing
As you already know, consumers’ buying behaviors are evolving. Not only are more transactions than ever being initiated online, but now, some companies are promising a complete online transaction. You may wonder how your brick-and-mortar dealership will compete with the latest technologies that offer a fully automated, consumer-driven online transaction. The answer is the customer experience.
Ghost Hunting at Night
Home Features Ghost Hunting at Night 0.00 avg. rating (0% score) - 0 votes I just returned from the Kent Paranormal Weekend in Ohio. It was a great event at an old, haunted theater. We had the chance to pow wow with each other over ideas and theories about ghosts and monsters, and all the wonderfully weird stuff that gets kicked around at these things. During a Q&A, someone asked our panel the question: Why do we ghost hunt at night? It’s a great question.
Emmy-Nominated New England Legends Television Series Returns to PBS with "Eccentrics and Mad Scientists"
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – October 19, 2016 – New England is full of ghosts, monsters, and other mysteries that are more than just campfire tales. These legends and lore are as much a part of New England History as are the famous ancestors whose names grace our towns and schools today. Just in time for Halloween, WGBY in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Vermont PBS will be broadcasting the series including “Eccentrics and Mad Scientists”—the latest episode of New England Legends.
Edith Wharton's The Mount
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts is renowned for its beauty and majesty – but there’s also a sinister side to it. Marital infidelities, madness, and death are also a part of this gilded age mansion’s tale, and ghosts of the past are said to haunt it today. Legend Hunter Jeff Belanger turns a page in Wharton’s story to uncover some of The Mount’s deepest, darkest secrets. Liked it?
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