Murders and Mysteries of New England · Marti Shaw

The Curse of the Saco River

·13 min·1 clip

Marty Shaw describes how three drunk Englishmen threw a Native American chief's infant son into the Saco River to test a racist myth about swimming.

Host Marty Shaw explores the folklore of the Curse of the Saco River, a legendary vengeance placed by Saco tribe chief Squando after three drunk Englishmen caused the death of his infant son in 1675. The episode details the tragic incident, the curse's stipulation for annual deaths, and the historical ambiguity surrounding its origins.

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