
Gloucester Sea Serpent
Also known as: Cape Ann Serpent, Great New England Sea Serpent
Hundreds of witnesses watched a giant serpent patrol Gloucester Harbor for weeks in 1817.
1817
Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts, USA
60-100 ft long
Curious, non-aggressive
Historical (no modern sightings)
The Lore
In August 1817, a massive sea serpent was observed repeatedly in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts over several weeks. Hundreds of witnesses, including fishermen, sailors, and prominent citizens, described a dark serpentine creature 60-100 feet long moving through the water with a series of vertical humps. The Linnaean Society of New England conducted a formal investigation, collecting sworn depositions from dozens of eyewitnesses. It remains one of the best-documented sea serpent flaps in history.
Body Type
Folklore Origin
Notable Witnesses
- Amos Story
- Solomon Allen
- Linnaean Society of New England investigators
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