155 replies to this topic

[herenow]

I'm still here and still trying to figure out what is going on in these woods.
Here's an update:

A 3-pronged mark

1) I found this mark on a quartz stone in the woods (which has since been dug up and stolen).
2) A deer pawed out that same mark in the snow last winter right over where the quartz had been.
3) I found that same mark on a small piece of quartz which somehow showed up on my kitchen floor.
4) And now I've found a signature on an old "Indian" deed selling the town of Salem, MA to the whites, which looks to me to be the same 3-pronged symbol. I have the Native American woman's name, and I can trace her father and grandmother back to the area where I have found the symbol in quartz and in the snow.

One picture shows the deer paw marks over where the original quartz had been.
The next picture shows the quartz I found in the middle of my kitchen floor.
The 3rd picture shows the Native American woman’s “marke” or signature.

I’m open to any suggestion as to what I’m picking up on. Or maybe I’m just trying too hard to connect unrelated things.

.

[barb_s13]

The print in the snow and the symbol look very much like turkey tracks to me. No doubt the area was hunted by the native Americans way back when, and oftentimes, they carved common symbols into quartz and other types of stone to give them blessings from the hunter spirit - since deer and turkey were numerous at that time, there's no doubt they wanted to carve common tracks in the stone.

I haven't had time to read every single post, but it sounds to me like you are on a journey of some sort, spiritual perhaps - and an interesting one at that - but I also wonder if someone if someone is playing with you, as well. Leaving the amulet, the Buddhist face, it makes me wonder if it's someone that is just trying to freak you out.

The photos of the area may prove it was once either an Indian burial ground and/or meeting place - most likely a place they lived, too.

I was in aerial photography in the Navy, and the photos don't show anything out of the ordinary. The writings say <something> River, so check to see if there once was a waterway there. Thanks to development, many of the waterways in Massachusetts have been diverted and/or removed entirely. These maps are often used by developers when looking for places to build.

I hope this helps, but I think that some more research into early native Americans in the area, as well as the first settlers may answer many of your questions. Fascinating stuff, though! Massachusetts is a great place to explore - we live in southeastern MA., and there's just so much history here. Thanks for posting.

[herenow]

barb_s13, on Feb 16 2012, 08:01 AM, said:

The print in the snow and the symbol look very much like turkey tracks to me. No doubt the area was hunted by the native Americans way back when, and oftentimes, they carved common symbols into quartz and other types of stone to give them blessings from the hunter spirit - since deer and turkey were numerous at that time, there's no doubt they wanted to carve common tracks in the stone.

I haven't had time to read every single post, but it sounds to me like you are on a journey of some sort, spiritual perhaps - and an interesting one at that - but I also wonder if someone if someone is playing with you, as well. Leaving the amulet, the Buddhist face, it makes me wonder if it's someone that is just trying to freak you out.

The photos of the area may prove it was once either an Indian burial ground and/or meeting place - most likely a place they lived, too.

I was in aerial photography in the Navy, and the photos don't show anything out of the ordinary. The writings say <something> River, so check to see if there once was a waterway there. Thanks to development, many of the waterways in Massachusetts have been diverted and/or removed entirely. These maps are often used by developers when looking for places to build.

I hope this helps, but I think that some more research into early native Americans in the area, as well as the first settlers may answer many of your questions. Fascinating stuff, though! Massachusetts is a great place to explore - we live in southeastern MA., and there's just so much history here. Thanks for posting.

Hello Barb,
I did find the person who left the Buddha head. It's an artist who has left these all over the world where she has felt special power. Finding her is a story in its self with I won't go into here.
There is a river close by. I'm sure the original people built weirs there, or at least fished here.
I'm not sure this is a Native American thing. I think it is much older than that.

[barb_s13]

Hello Barb,
I did find the person who left the Buddha head. It's an artist who has left these all over the world where she has felt special power. Finding her is a story in its self with I won't go into here.
There is a river close by. I'm sure the original people built weirs there, or at least fished here.
I'm not sure this is a Native American thing. I think it is much older than that.
[/quote]

Oh, you have piqued my curiosity now! Why did she feel the woods had special powers and what powers did she sense? How in the world did you find her (you can be brief)?

I agree that it could be much older than that, but also including Native Americans as well. It sounds like a place that people are drawn to for some reason. I live near a place just like that here in Kingston. We live close to the north river and several small brooks. Behind us is a sloped hill that goes down into a small pond.

I have several photos, because I take my camera wherever I go, but I can't figure out how to upload them here. The land is now used as a Christmas tree farm, but there's a trail that cuts into the woods and is quite mystical. I think the small hills sprinkled throughout are Indian mounds, but can't be certain, although it has been proven the Native Americans and early settlers used the land for growing grasses to feed livestock.

I did some research and found out that they used makeshift wooden dams to block the streams in the spring to grow the grasses and then they would let the streams flow over the land during the winter. The water would freeze, so they could slide large trees to the sawmills to cut wood for various reasons. Talk about Yankee ingenuity!

This is fascinating stuff, thanks so much! Have a great day.

[herenow]

barb_s13, on Feb 17 2012, 08:00 AM, said:

Oh, you have piqued my curiosity now! Why did she feel the woods had special powers and what powers did she sense? How in the world did you find her (you can be brief)?

I agree that it could be much older than that, but also including Native Americans as well. It sounds like a place that people are drawn to for some reason. I live near a place just like that here in Kingston. We live close to the north river and several small brooks. Behind us is a sloped hill that goes down into a small pond.

I have several photos, because I take my camera wherever I go, but I can't figure out how to upload them here. The land is now used as a Christmas tree farm, but there's a trail that cuts into the woods and is quite mystical. I think the small hills sprinkled throughout are Indian mounds, but can't be certain, although it has been proven the Native Americans and early settlers used the land for growing grasses to feed livestock.

I did some research and found out that they used makeshift wooden dams to block the streams in the spring to grow the grasses and then they would let the streams flow over the land during the winter. The water would freeze, so they could slide large trees to the sawmills to cut wood for various reasons. Talk about Yankee ingenuity!

This is fascinating stuff, thanks so much! Have a great day.

How I found the artist… Here’s the really short version.
I’d been searching the web, libraries, Buddhist places of worship, for about a year and a half. I was obsessed.
I was telling this story to a person who I’d found during this pursuit, and she knew of the artist.

The artist did not remember where or when she had placed it, but she did remember placing it in these woods.

There are traces of the original people all over these woods. I’d love to see your photos. Can you email them?

[barb_s13]

I wish I could figure out a way to upload them here. The most recent ones were taken right after the last snowstorm. I imagine I can add them to my profile...I'll try to figure that out.

It's a beautiful place, but modern progress is encroaching slowly. The town bought a parcel of the land to create a throughway for emergency vehicles from the fire station to the town ball fields. Malcolm (my dog) and I have seen a variety of wildlife on our walks, including deer, coyotes, foxes, red tailed hawks, owls and turkeys (we got chased by an angry momma turkey once).

The owner of the tree farm is very old and his health is failing. He has a couple of trailers and a body repair shop in the woods, and very recently built a large log cabin. I fear it won't be long until the place is full of houses. The ridge, which used to be all woods has three new houses on it.

Our street, in front of the house is a state highway. Turkey come up from the woods and stop traffic as they try to cross the road to get to the North River and several cranberry bogs. I guess there's a reason we serve cranberry sauce with turkey on Thanksgiving, because they love them!

I'll see if I can add photos to my profile, or I'll find a place to put them, so I can share. I'm busy getting ready for the Dead of Winter event next weekend at the Borden Bed & Breakfast. It should be a nice break!

[LycanGhost]

Barb, try creating a PhotoBucket account. Upload the pictures there, and use the photo button here to show them.

[barb_s13]

You read my mind - will do, thanks!!

[LycanGhost]

You're welcome!

[barb_s13]

Sorry it took so long, but my tree farm photos are here: http://s1133.photobu...b... Tree Farm/

I'm creating an album with all of my paranormal event/investigation photos and will share them as soon as that's compiled.

Thanks for the idea!

[LycanGhost]

You're welcome, Barb!

[herenow]

barb_s13, on Feb 29 2012, 09:50 AM, said:

Sorry it took so long, but my tree farm photos are here: http://s1133.photobu...b... Tree Farm/

I'm creating an album with all of my paranormal event/investigation photos and will share them as soon as that's compiled.

Thanks for the idea!

Great photos, and that looks like a place people have been going to for thousands of years.

[barb_s13]

Yes, there have even been some archeological digs in the area and artifacts have been found. It's hard to get exact information, because the report only identified the general area, not specific landmarks.

One interesting story is how the early settlers used the land in two different ways. The area contains several brooks that are connected and wind around until they meet up with the ocean. Back in the day, there were many logging mills, because Kingston was a big shipbuilding town.

In the summer, they would block off the waterways using makeshift wooden dams (locks?) along the major brooks to grow hay for livestock in the fields, but in the winter, they would raise them, so the fields would then flood and the water would freeze, so they could slide (or drag) large cut trees to the mills to be turned into planks. I love this example of Yankee ingenuity!

The town is also famous for Silver Lake, which had a huge ice-making operation. They supplied ice to all the homes and businesses in the area.

There is even a local militia group that meets down the tree farm to do reenactments. I find paper musket (no idea what they call them sorry) things all over the place after they leave. I haven't found anything else of significance, but I know that others have found arrowheads and points down there. One of these days I'll go back down there and leave the dog at home and do some looking around the small pond.

When walking around, you definitely get the sense that the place is special, you can almost see the early people hunting the woods - it has a cool vibe for sure.

However, I worry that it will be developed when the elderly gentleman that owns the tree farm no longer lives there. They've already got a machine shop and recently added a log cabin. The town purchased the paint ball camp across the way from the tree farm (separated by train tracks) an area I believe has the most artifacts.

[LycanGhost]

Well, that just sucks. Do you know this older gent? If so, does he have any family in the area that would want to take care of the land?

[barb_s13]

Yes, I do know the fellow. His son is now caring for the land, but I don't see him often on our walks. I hope to run into him this summer, so I can ask him what the plans are for the tree farm and surrounding woods.

But what really concerns me most is the fact that this small tract of heaven is one of the only areas left around here for wildlife. They don't have much land to roam around here anymore. We've seen eastern box turtles (a creature of concern these days), owls, deer, coyote, foxes, turkey, muskrats, red-tailed hawks and much more.

In the 28 years we've lived here, I've witnessed new house construction come closer and closer, too. I would like to think this land will be there when my kids have kids, and their kids have kids - but I doubt it.