The 3 Spine Chilling Legends of Maine

Maine is my first stop on the map for monsters that have the potential to be living among us. Before we get started on our journey, however, I'd like to take a quick detour and talk a little about Maines history.

Maine was the 23rd state to join the United States of America on March 15, 1820. Maine was referred to as the "Land of the Frozen Ground" by the Algonquian-speaking people that inhabited the region. This state was the biggest of six, area-wise, of New England ( 35,380 sq. miles). Four-Fifths of this area is under forest coverage. Easy to see how these creepy crawlies could be living right under our noses. As of 2019, it is estimated that 1,344,212 people live in this state. Along with the human residents living here, there is also the wildlife which includes deer, moose, black bears, foxes, lynx, coyotes, porcupines, fishers, and bobcats just to name a few. Not to mention the amazing aquatic species both in fresh water and the ocean.

Now that we have some background on this beautiful state, let's jump into the creepy crawlies that are believed to also inhabit this lovely landscape.

#3 The Monster of Pocomoonshine Lake

Starting off our list is the fabled Pocomonshine Lake Monster or "Poco" as the locals call it. Poco is a shy and reclusive critter that is said to not be aggressive towards people. It is said that Poco resides in Pocomoonshine lake but also visits Crawford Lake. Pocomoonshine Lake is four square miles of water in Washington County. The American name for Pocomoonshine Lake is Nesiek, which means "muddy from the great fight". What great fight is the question though. The Algonquin Indians shaman, John Neptune, had a disagreement with The Micmac chief at the time. It must have been a serious disagreement too because the Shaman and the Chief decided to have a rather large rumble over this disagreement. Legend has it that the chief turned into an enormous serpent, roughly 40 feet long, and the shaman turned into a giant horned snail. A great battle ensued and the shaman came out the victor, tying his vanquished opponent to a tree next to the lake on the west shore. While the Algonquin Indians had this legend for centuries, The Europeans first documented the creature in 1882. Sewell Quimby ran a nearby sawmill and confirmed a trail in the mud. This track was reported to be 3-4 feet wide and 3 feet deep in some areas. Poco is said to be a dark olive green color, have oily skin (no scales), and have flippers for feet. Speculators have said this legend might have just been otters swimming in a chain pattern or it could have been a Plesiosaur for the water sightings. As for the mud marks, people believe they could simply be from the freezing and thawing of the swamp. There have been no recent sightings of Poco to date. What do you think Poco is? Just a legend or something more living among us?

#2 The Cherryfield Goatman

The second legend to join this list is the Cherryfield Goatman. One Maine resident had the experience of a lifetime when he encountered this seemingly mystical creature. This man was no stranger to the woods. He was a very active outdoorsman who hunted, fished, and even logged in Maines forests for decades, but nothing could have ever prepared him for that fateful day that he encountered the Cherryfield Goatman. As the story goes, back in the 1950s, a Cherryfield resident was driving through the woods on the outskirts of town. As a responsible individual would, he filled his gas tank before leaving home for his journey. He soon became confused as to why his truck gradually came to a halt and his fuel gauge read empty on this lonely road. The man proceeded to exit his truck and check the gas tank, sure enough, it looked empty. Frustrated by the inconvenience he got under the truck to check for a leak in the fuel system. Much to his surprise, he didn't see a leak or even any fuel on the roadway. The man came out from under the truck and looks ahead to see non-other than the goatman. The Goatman was described as half human-half goat. The bottom half of this creature was that of a hairy goat and the top half was that of a man with a flannel shirt on. Horns had grown from the creature's head along with pointed ears like that of an animal. The Goatman was said to have smiled at the man and then proceeded to scamper off back into the forest. In (I'm sure) shock and terror, the man jumped back into his truck and locked the doors. In the panicked state, he frantically tried to start his truck and get out of there, even if it was just on fumes. Much to his surprise, the truck started and the gas gauge read full once more. The man immediately drove home and never seen the goatman again. (Are we sure he didn't stumble through a wardrobe into Narnia?)

#1 The Razorshins

Last but not least we finish our list with the Razorshins. This creature is very dangerous unless you have an offering of whiskey. The Razorshins are an immortal humanoid who had a thirst for liquor during the prohibition of Maine. These creatures were alleged to have razor-sharp shin bones fully built-in. It was strongly encouraged, that if you were a new employee of the logging companies in the area, that you left a jug of whiskey outside your cabin door on the first full moon after you started. Legend has it that if the jug was emptied by morning and the Razorshins liked the whiskey, they would fell a tree with their shins for the new guy. However if one failed to provide the Razorshins with whiskey it wouldn't end well. There were tales of the Razorshins scalping and otherwise mutilating new employees in the woods that failed to offer the customary tribute. What do you think? Do you think the Razorshins are real or just a tale told to rookies so that the other guys could get free alcohol?

Keep following along on this journey through the states! Up next I'll be discussing the ghost that haunts Catherines Hill in Maine. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you at the next one!