This picturesque lake in Massachusetts has a particularly eerie reputation. Located in the town of Dennis on Cape Cod, Scargo Lake is certainly a place of great natural beauty. The deep blue water is edged with trees and lake homes, and amazing views over the lake can be had from historic Scargo Tower. However, there’s more to this beautiful spot than meets the eye.
The origin and history of the lake is steeped in folklore.
There are many Native American legends about how the lake was formed, with most featuring the beautiful Princess Scargo. One story tells how a young warrior going to war gave the princess three fish in a pumpkin to remember him by. The fish began to outgrow the pumpkin, so the princess had the women of her village dig out the lake with clam shells so that the fish could live in it. The lake is actually fish-shaped, and it’s said that nearby Scargo Hill is made of the dirt that the women dug up.
Some local legends suggest that the princess never left the lake she created.
Visitors have reported hearing the high-pitched cries of a woman at night and seeing a shadowy figure kneeling by the shore. The figure is said to have long dark hair and to vanish if approached.
Some late-night visitors report encountering the spirit of a man who plays a musical instrument (in some tales it’s a guitar, in other’s it’s a flute) while strolling along Princess Beach. Still others relate seeing glowing lights hovering over the surface of the water.
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However, there could be an even more mysterious reason for those hovering lights.
In January 7, 1971, locals reported that a strange metallic object had floated through the sky near Scargo Lake and seemed to have crash-landed near the lake. The object was described as pulsing with orange light and. The reports could have been written off were it not for the large hole that had appeared in the ice covering the frozen lake.
The police, newspapers and Air Force were all notified and an investigation commenced. However, due to the freezing temperatures, the divers that were sent below the surface of the lake to look for the object could only search for about 15 minutes before the darkness and cold forced them to return to the surface. The lake quickly froze over again and the incident was forgotten by spring. However, locals have related that ever since the object was sighted, an odd humming sound can occasionally be heard emanating from the water.
The spooky stories don’t stop at the waterline, however.
Scargo Tower, an old stone watchtower that overlooks the lake, seems to be plagued by a particularly loud spirit. There are multiple accounts of visitors hearing a loud, banshee-like scream coming from the tower. Sometimes this scream is followed by a loud thud or crunching sound, which has led some people to believe it is the spirit of an unfortunately clumsy individual or perhaps the ghostly reenactment of a past suicide.
If tales of spooks and aliens don’t scare you off, there’s plenty to enjoy at this scenic spot. There are two public beaches on the lake: Princess Beach and Scargo Beach. Princess Beach is sandy a great place to relax by the water. Scargo Beach is also pretty, but there isn’t a sandy shore. Scargo Lake is also full of brook, brown and rainbow trout and anglers are welcome to fish its waters. Though eerie tales surround this lake, there’s no denying its beauty.
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