I have been going to the saco river every year and nobody evr dies but my cousin was swimming and he started drownding and he almost died but luckly my dad jumped in and saved him and nobody got hurt so from then on my family has not gone all these years.

Whatever….not true never happens !!!!

Yes, there is a real folk legend of the Saco River, but the above story is pretty much wrong. To get the true story of the curse I suggest you go to ‘The Saco River Journey’ an on-line intro to the Saco. And yes, many folks have parished in that river over the years, and coincidently or otherwise, some years it is “three” people! I live by the New Hampshire border, by the Saco and a lot of old timers in this region of Maine feel very strongly about the Saco River Curse. It is a little creepy- I won’t go near it, nor will I let my kids go in it if I can help it!

i want to see proof

WOW Dude radical oh yeah you must be a real genius to make this website it better not be fake because i believe it!!

Theres a story just like that down in utah! this story its said that a woman takes kids that are by the river and pushes them down in… im not sure if its true.. but one of my friends when she when down she felt as something was pushing her into the river..the story is mainly about a woman that had kids and when they didnt behave she would drowned them to teach them a lesson.. so one day the kids drowned her cuz they were getting tired of her … any questions my email is Sweetcherrysuki@yahoo.com

I grew up in the area and have been aware of the curse for years. I know personally one person that drowned when I was in school eons ago and having been away 25 yrs I don’t know what’s been going on, but when I was living there, 3+ people did die every year. The curious thing is, the above legend hasn’t changed any over the many years since I first heard it.

I lived in Portland, Maine for a number of years and have swam in the Saco River in the Buxton, Bar Mills, and Saco area. It is true! Check the local papers and news archives.

Check: http://www.outdoors.mainetoday.com/canoeing/020814riverdiary.shtml

That Legend is true it was like seven or eight years ago I was seven or eight. Me,my mom, my moms friend denise,her daughter shanon ,my friend anber and i think her mom kim. We all went swimming down there and we were in like the little pool and it has a stream that goes in the river.Well we were swimming all of us kids and we were joking around and playing shanon and amber and, kim went to go get lunch out of the car and i was there in the pool by myself my mom and denise was laying out in the sun!And all of A sudden I was going down stream in the river and this guy yells hey is that your kid my mom not thinking grab me by my hair and pulled me out! Since then we haven’t swam or even been down there since so yes the legend is true!!!!

I grew up in the Fryeburg area, which the Saco runs and yes the curse is very much true. In my years of living there, there were several deaths due to the river. The current that runs is very unpredictable. One minute you could be in a foot of water and the next a few inches. You just never know. Two summers ago I took my young son swimming in the Saco by Canal Bridge Campground, Fryeburg and he started to go under. I luckily pulled him to safety and then myself was dragged under. I was never so terrified of drowning in the Saco until that moment. I thank God that there were two men near by that pulled me to safety. So, for those of you who do not believe, trust me, it’s a powerful river when it wants to be.

yes it is very true i live on the river in steep falls limington area have lived in buxton hollis cornish areas also been on the river my whole life it is no joke !!!! she is very very mysterious!

britany how do u know have u checked?omg there seem to be 3 bodies floating on that river! yeah rite!

if people want proof check the death records of people that have parished in the saco river!!! i lived in the biddeford saco area my entire life and a couple people that died there happen to be friends of mine…..

yeah rite how can i check death records when i live in jersey CI?

I love angel

Well, I would like everyone out of state to know, that yes, there are usually at least three deaths per year on the Saco River – but consider, this is an extremely long river that travels way up into the state, and with all the people that swim in it every year, there are bound to be that many drownings. One happened right where we live on the river, near the mouth in Biddeford, when a 10 year old boy jumped off a bridge and struck himself on the bottom. His body was found right on the edge of our property, about 2 years before we moved here from New Hampshire. Accidents happen, especially when dealing with a river versus a lake. This river is very dangerous in the spring when the snow is melting, and we have had several floods as a result. Not the result of some curse, just human nature to at times take stupid risks.

This is all true. People who disagree obviously have not been around the area for long. 3 white males DO die every year in the saco river. If ou don’t believe us… do the research and check out the statistics.

Yes i have lived in biddeford maine and the story is true i have had 2 friends that had died there in a row.

I moved to Maine in 1999 and just recently left in 2006, My son still lives in Biddeford Maine. In the entire time that we lived in Maine there had been three deaths each year, coincidentally I do believe they were all white males. Whether it is due to the Native American curse or just human stupidity remains to be seen but I can tell you that newspaper research will support this “Urban Legend”

I lived in York county in the 1970,s.
I would go with my Dad to the Biddeford Saco area .
One outing we were at a lumber yard that bordered the Saco river, I had always heard about the curse, on this particular outing I wadered close to the edge of a steep embankment and the earth crumbled under my feet.
My Dad heard me screaming as I clung to a root.
He pulled me up.
I will never forget almost becoming a victem of the curse.

If you have ever taken a trip on the Saco you would know that there is a ton of beer and other things consumed.The river is stong in springtime and early summer.Sooo big suprize that people drown.

Kayaker Found Dead In New Hampshire
10/29/2006
A 36-year-old man from Conway, New Hampshire died Saturday while kayaking on the East Branch River.
Authorities say the man, whose name is not being released, was paddling with two other men when he rolled his kayak in Bartlett, New Hampshire and was unable to roll back over.
About an hour later and six miles down the river, in the Saco river, his body was recovered.
Authorities say he was an experienced paddler and wearing a life vest, but because of the heavy rain, the river was choppy.

http://www.wlbz.com

I personaly believe that the curse is real. I think that it is strange that every year three white males are killed on the saco river. I have had one scauy encounterand don’t plan to have another. In 2004 me and my friend had went up there to swim. Well we went in and it was all good until i turned around and i couldn’t find her. I finally found her and pulled her out of the water. she had ALMOST drowned. If I hadn’t pulled her up right then I would have grabbed her dead body. Since then I have went back once. ONCE! On my second trip I was alone or so I thought. Well my neighbor had decide to follow me and when I went into the water he jujmped me and i was carried under the water and when i finally came up I was all alone. I don’t believe that was the curse it was just my neighbor but what happened to my friend we both believe it waas the curse. since my second frightning incounter with the saco river I haven’t been any were near it on foot! If you have any questions you can E-mail me at horses_should_be_free@yahoo.com. you can reach my friend at Phantom_stallion_girl@yahoo.com!!!!! thanx

I personaly believe that the curse is real. I think that it is strange that every year three white males are killed on the saco river. I have had one scauy encounterand don’t plan to have another. In 2004 me and my friend had went up there to swim. Well we went in and it was all good until i turned around and i couldn’t find her. I finally found her and pulled her out of the water. she had ALMOST drowned. If I hadn’t pulled her up right then I would have grabbed her dead body. Since then I have went back once. ONCE! On my second trip I was alone or so I thought. Well my neighbor had decide to follow me and when I went into the water he jumped me and i was carried under the water and when i finally came up I was all alone. I don’t believe that was the curse it was just my neighbor but what happened to my friend we both believe it waas the curse. since my second frightning incounter with the saco river I haven’t been any were near it on foot! If you have any questions you can E-mail me at horses_should_be_free@yahoo.com. you can reach my friend at Phantom_stallion_girl@yahoo.com!!!!! thanx

I very much can support this legend,I have been going to the saco area of maine every summer for the last 4 years,everyone on this comment page is right.I don’t know if the legend is actually true but take a look at the evidence.When I went to the Saco River with my aunt in summer of 04 we went kayaking,normally I’m the kinds girl who loveds a good paddle but something about that river is just not right.The currents are way to strong and its almost as if the river has a mind of its own.
When I got into my kayak and decided to paddle out ,I was shocked to find that I couldn’t steer my kayak!My warning to anyone who wants to venture out to the saco river,be carefull.Being alone in that river is no joke.Its dangerous.

I have heard about this before and 3 people died in a raft in march of 06.

I also agree with Paul.

This is scary but it seems so not true!
Duh people!!
Only gullible people would believe this stuff.

I live next to the saco river it is true believe me

Take it from someone in the Coast Guard, this river is more deadly than most. People die from drowning every year, yes, this is true. But most rivers, or any other body of water for that matter might average one per year. Not the 3 or more that this one racks up. If you don’t believe this, you’re a fool. You can argue with me until you’re blue in the face that it’s just coincidence. Facts are facts my friend. Not all truths are easy to swallow.

do u want 2 evr say hi?i du. cu cu im a baby!im going to pu.
im goin to p.do u have to use the bathroom in your diapy.

One time there was a ghost hiding in my daipy.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I screamed that can you believe that?

sup dudes im back.why arent you peeps writin back.are u scared?dont worry i already used the bathroom in my diapy.my favorite colors are brown and yellow.oh no i have to go potty in my diapy again.peace out peeps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i luv u rachel!!do u luv me?come over to my house tonight at 5555n783cherrystreet and my phone # iz abc-defg.

i believe this is true….we went there alot when we were little. i almost drowned myself for no apparent reason. my mother got really ill after returning from the river one day. she was sick for a really long time. that was the last time she ever stepped foot there.

This is true i live in biddeford the next town over and one person that went to my school in like 3rd grade died in that river after diving in a hitting a rock knocking him unconsutios….My best friend andrew his real dad fell into that river drunk hit the water sank drown and floated up three days later.

Umm, perhaps that is true but keep this in mind. Though some people may die in the Saco river a year or so, does not make it cursed. The odds are in every river, lake or large pond, somone drounds. It just happens, doens’t make it curse just happens. And I think that perhaps this article maybe exagerating the amount of people killed as well.

I am originally from florida. Was visiting my cousins in maine. I can tell you that river is treacherous.I could tell by the way the water was running thru and over the dam area there by the bridge. I have seen lots of rivers & undertows in the ocean, and rapids in colorado-nothing compared to this.

It makes for a nice story, but the fact is that the Saco River is pretty long by Maine standards and is frequented by swimmers, kayaks, canoes, and campers. In the summer months it can be hard to find a place to even beach your canoe because of all the campers which typically are high school and college students looking for a place to drink away from home. I know of many people who come from Mass. just for this reason. Any body of water that sees that much traffic and alcohol consumption is going to see accidents. There are plenty of non-alcohol related accidents as well. The Saco river is known for having a lot of debris from trees as well as sudden whirlpools created by rock formations. All of these factors can lead to experienced swimmers and boaters drowning. Statistically, you’re more likely to die in a car accident on the way to one of the boat launches than you are to die, excluding those who increase their chances by swimming or boating drunk, or alone.

I think it’s true. Stranger things have happened here in South Dakota that nobody can explain. We all hear the stories and warnings. Some people refuse to even talk about it.

it is true because one day i was in india and me and my friend georgia saw three ghosts a child and two kiddnappers and that was the last time we ever went to india

it is true because one day i was in india and me and my friend georgia saw three ghosts a child and two kiddnappers and that was the last time we ever went to india

I live in Saco and have swam in the saco many many times in my life. The Saco River is a very dangerous river with some nasty undertoes in spots. As far as it being haunted it very well could be,Maine is a very haunted place. A cousine of mine’s father was direct descendent of Judge/colonal Johnathan Buck (Bucksport,Maine) He had a witch hung and she put a curse on his grave of her foot. I’ve driven by it several times and it freaks me out every time!!!

It’s True! I drown there 3 times last year! Could it be people there can’t swim or are too dumb to know how dangerous rivers can be? Just curious…any questions email me via seance.

My husband told me a close version of this story (which appears in several other forms as well that can be looked up) when I first moved to Fryeburg in college. I can tell you from swimming in the Saco myself that there are several weird anomalies that I haven’t seen in other rivers – like the underground ledge that almost caught me unawares my first time practicing scuba diving (minus the heavy air tank) and would have trapped my drowned body underneath it for quite some time had I not seen it coming toward me and gone over the top, scraping my belly badly while fighting the current that so wanted to keep me down there.
After that first experience with the Saco, I always waited until the news of the third drowning before swimming in the summers we lived nearby. Whether it was because I was more aware of the river’s oddities or whether it was related to the curse, I never had another “near miss” – but I’ll still wait for the third drowning report before I take my kids over to canoe, kayak or swim the Saco.

This is actually true. A lot of out of staters don’t believe it anyways, but the story is true. The Saco claims at least three lives each year. It’s never in the same spot of the Saco either.

Maine sucks. End of story.

I live on the saco river and I agree that 3 people die there every year.

OMFG thats really scary….

This is completely true. I grew up in the city that teh river gets it’s name from! Saco, Maine. We learn about the curse in grade school but most know of it before hand. Check any local papers and such…you gotta love Urban Legends…even worse when they’re true!

I Grew up in Saco right on the river, as a child spent many a Saturdays talking to the women quite elderly at the time over at the York institute Museum, they told me many stories about Saco, and the Indians, in fact in my own neighborhood was an old colonial cemetery , and there on the unsanctified outskirts of this cemetery where some Indian graves, a grave of a mother and a child, a child who was drowned by early settles in Saco to see if an Indian baby really could swim, it could not and drowned, the Indian baby’s mother is the one to put the curse on these three men to drown, and the curse continues to this day!

I Grew up in Saco right on the river, as a child spent many a Saturdays talking to the women quite elderly at the time over at the York institute Museum, they told me many stories about Saco, and the Indians, in fact in my own neighborhood was an old colonial cemetery , and hear on the unsanctified outskirts of this cemetery where some Indian graves, a grave of a mother and a child, a child who was drowned by early settles in Saco to see if an Indian baby really could swim, it could not and drowned, the Indian baby’s mother is the one to put the curse on these three men to drown, and the curse continues to this day!

Hardly no one swam in the river until 1948 or 49 when there was a whole year where there were no deaths. It was also said that it wasnt the woman and 3 men that died, but instead the men were playing a trick on the woman and threw her baby into the river. She got him out but he got sick and died. The baby was the chiefs son which is why he placed the curse on the river. It was also said that the chief made peace with the white man a while later but people still continued dying in the river. My opinion is that it’s just a river with a nasty current. Lots of those around and not because of a curse.

I think the story is true. So many ppl have drowned there and there are always at least 3 ppl a year. And it just so happens that it is always 3 white men. Any of u ppl who think it is not true can look it up and stop being stupid. Also sammy what the hell is ur problem ur messages don’t even make sense. Are you a ******* baby cause u are soo imature.

i live in saco and it is true i kno people who died in the saco river

I live by the Saco River and the legend is true. At least three people die every year on this river.

I don’t believe in people casting spells and ****… coinsidence!

yeah its true and actually to tell u the truth the cops and coast gaurds are actually looking for a 12 year old boys bodie right now he fell in yesterday afternoon.so yeah for u people that dont live in maine look up stuff about the saco river its not a safe place

They found him…he is the third to drown this year…but the river may claim one more male, as one of the victims was female…

but how do you know that is real if you were not alive to see it or here about it

I live close by in Kennebunk. I read about the little boy being found in the paper, and At work we were discussing the curse, and whether the curse states 3 white men, or if it including women too… Don’t go in the water we still have 1 man to go!

The little boy was not white…2 more men to go.
History has proven it to be true. It happens every year except once in the 1940’s. People were forbidden to go in or on the river to try and break the curse.

im sorry but isnt this story a bit racist i mean only the Caucasions (white people) die my uncle was a person who lived near there and for sum reason whenever hes near he hears a crowd of people and when i went i heard voices sayin hes here i think im a desentent of this person who was killed

I think the Ghost Hunters…(T.A.P.S) should do an investigation on it.

^…not sure TAPS does rivers though, but cool idea.

I like this ghost story. Hey, Have you ever heard of Chloe’s Hallow. This is based on legend, though. A long time ago, a black slave woman named Chloe fell in love with a white man. She and he had an affair. People found out about his affair and hanged Chloe for it. People have said that if you go there you can hear the wind howling and some people have actually seen her hanging. This is in Artursan, Kansas like the Sally House.

omg evry one is saying it is not real IT IS my best friend ramend (the little boy u r all talking about just died about 4 weeks ago in the saco river

This is true. I used to live a mile from this river, and the story was well known to everyone who lived around it, but the story was different. Three white men had captured and killed the cheif’s daughter, and he set a curse on the river saying that every three years at least three white men will die.

i dont know i’ll try to find somthing on this

im back and not with much info many pepole have deid here and pepole are still dieing allof them white men or boys

i have more info a 41 year old man that was priononced missing waws found dead in the saco river tusday may 13 2008
by the name of keith O’brien he had been missig for naerly a month befor his body was found he was last seen on the rialroad brig on april 16 i got this off of sunjornal.com if any one from the saco river area would like to cament on this please do .

Hysteria,ghost do not exist and water deaths are acts of god and nature it can happen to any careless meatball.

JaMeS,
This is about a curse on the river, not ghosts.
A death in the Saco is most likely an accident, ‘careless meatball’ or not.
If you don’t believe in the paranormal, curses, or ghosts that fine…but it doesn’t mean they don’t exsist.

Yes, this story is true, about 3 or more people die every year, swimming, boating, in the “Saco River”. I hope someday people beleave in this story!

My brother grew up with a friend of his.And went to school with this friend. His friend was swimming in the saco river the other day. With his family and tried to swim across the saco.When the river most dangerous to swim. He was pulled under by the stronge current. And really drowned. They was swimming down by the damn. A BIG NO NO! I beleave in the curse of the Saco River and I feel it is true.Guardian.Angel37@y7mail.com

I go to the Saco every year for a canoe trip with a bunch of people and at least where we go (canal bridge to woodland acres) the rivers current isn’t fast at all. It can get a little stronger in parts, but its not dangerous. Booze can make it dangerous, but that’s it

I wish Ghosthunter would learn to spell or stop posting however….

The story has changed a bit over time. It has become an Urban Legend. I grew up next to the Saco River, as a child in the 80’s the story I was told was of an Indian Medicine Women who’s lover and child were killed by the early settlers. Out of much grief she placed a curse on the river that 3 people would die every year and then commited suicide by drowning herself in the river, so that her soul would remain there waiting to claim the white man and their childrens souls. This story scared the **** out of me as a child, I hated swimming in that river. I was afraid of what might lurk beneath. I had an over active imagination.

saco river has to be cursed because more people die on that river then ever. there was a 12 year old boy that was playing with some friends on some rocks and he fell in and died. it took searchers 3 days to recover him in the river..

It does happen. The Saco river is notorious for killing swimmers. Someone just died recently.

If you want the true story of the curse…look up “Squando” online. He was the chief, I believe. The child drowned was his son…and he placed the curse on the Saco River. I’ve lived here all of my life…and it’s TRUE!!!

It is very true. I believe more than 3 have drowned this year already.

people the sacoriver is very long river and its easy to have 3 die a year

I’ve been living in Saco all my life. I live on the Saco River, and every year a few of my friends, and others have passed away in or on the Saco River. I believe the curse is very real, and if three or more people haven’t been taken as victims yet, I strongly suggest you be very careful if you decide to partake in any activities on or in the river.

It is true. I know quite a few that have died there. If you live loval, every summer when someone dies, people will talk about it and how many that makes for the year. If you’re not local, then you can’t say it’s not true if you’re just talking out your ***.

I have been coming to Maine all my live and I have heard storys about the curse of the Saco river. When I was in my teens my Aunt lived on the saco river one summer day a freind and I went for a walk on the river and we saw this boat with three or four man in it and all of a sedden we heared screaming so we turned and looked to see what was going on and the boat was going around and around very fast so we ran to get help but by time they got there it was to late.
About 15 years ago my husband and I movied up To Maine and were he is working there is this guy that was telling my husband a story about the river and it was the same one as I had seen it was weired that all these years later I meet someone that was there the same day and saw what I did.

I live in Maine,and I hear of some people who have died every year in the soco River.In the year of 1969 my bother and his friend died in the Soco river.They fell asleep on the highway and drove into the Soco river.

It is very true three men do die in the Saco every year and I remember this guy who was swimming with his family at Hiram Falls he started to drown and there was nothing his family could do about it and it took about 3-5 hours just to find him and it is sad cause this is a small town and everyone knows everyone

I have lived in Bidd or Saco my whole life and right next to the river for a good part of it. At least 3 people die in that river every year. Just go over the bridges between the two cities or the railroad bridge and look at the memorials that are replaced or put up from someone that has died there.

in 2008 there were 5 drownings in the Saco Bay (the Saco River Delta); 3 in 2007; I know, because I live on the first house after the bridge over the damn, and every few months, I watch from my bedroom window as the National Guard closes the dam, and dredges the river in search of bodies. Most years the bodies wash up 2 or 3 days later, in the Gully at Old Orchard Beach

Seriously… I live in the area and have gone canoeing, camping, kayaking, etc. etc. on the Saco since I was a kid. My friends and I have even jumped off bridges into the river and no one’s gotten hurt from that. The river can be really unpredictable and the fact of the matter is that some people are just plain stupid. Kayaking in flood waters in the spring? Of course someone’s going to die if they attempt that. Yeah, there’s a legend about the river, but isn’t this also like saying the ocean’s cursed because people drown in it? I’d chalk this one up to coincidence (and for the record, I am a believer in the supernatural).

About this soco river…It could be true or it could not.The only way to find out is lissen to our Maine news and see if anyone got killed in that river this year and lissen how many got killed in other rivers in Maine.I just know my brother died in the Soco River,but it wasn’t the river that killed him,but it was the drop from interstate 95 and falling asleep and going down a hundred ft. to a crash into the soco river.If the river wasn’t there,I don’t know if him and his friend would be alive now.I have heard storys of drownings in the river and kids diving in and died. I never payed attention how many died.But I will pay more attention.I too have conoe down the River with lots of other people,and it is very populated in the the summer.If only we would know the unknown,if three die or not every year.

i was at the saco river one day and i was climbing on some rocks… and i slipped fell and hit my head!! i had to be rushed to the emergency room… i have gone back but i dont go very deep anymore and dont climb on rocks!!!

i live in cutler maine and my house is very haunted.So i believe all of these legends are true.I guess people don’t believe it cause they haven’t excperinced anything like this well i hope some day that the ones that don’t believe something strange will happen to youuuuuuuuuuuu……. Ha Ha Ha Ha ………..

can u tell me more im a ghost hunter

i live rite along the river on Bartlett St.
i’ve only known to 1 kid who has dead there
it was only last year too. but….
I HAD NO FRICKEN CLUE I WAS LIVING NEXT TO A HUANTED RIVER!
I USED TO ALWAYS SIT ON THE PEER! WHAT IF I DIED OMFG!
(lol spaz attack)

This is definately true. I lived in Maine half my life and its always proven to happen. Maine was home to a vast Native American population. I’ve heard the legend of the curse and its always been told the same way. To play the sceptic a moment, there are parts of the Saco River that are pretty swift, and to a novice can prove tricky. Still, interesting coincidence.

i live right next to saco. believe me. more than three people die in the river every year

Omg you’re all bull, it’s real like that Brittany girl, uhh hello?
Raymen was my best friend he died there. What about that girl in the car those tw people. And that girl who jumped off, there’s now a cross on the river. So like I bet you don’t even LIVE in Saco you torists. I’m the one who lives in Sacco & my dads a fire fighter, so ther IS three people a year.

The real Saco Curse is about the a sachem of the Sokokis tribe named Squandro whose son Menewee was thrown into the river by three white english sailors. The boys mother pulled him from the river but he died shortly after. Squandro mourned for three days then cursed the river, commanding the spirits to “claim 3 lives a year until all white men had fled its banks.” Every year until the mid 1940’s it has sometimes even more. I think the curse still holds because some bodies probably have never been found since it is a big river. I cant wait for our camping trip to Saco this weekend!

This story is true, stupid *******.
Read the newspaper, or ask your parents to sound it out for you.

my dad fell asleep in the river and almost got pulled down still alive and my cosin almost got pulled down when he was younger put he was saved by my gramps on my moms side

I’m a Maine resident who lives on the Saco River. The story is 75% wrong. Some white sailers intercepted a skuaw with a baby. They wanted to test the notion that indian babies could swim at birth so they took the baby(named Menewee) from her and trew it in the river. The mother dove in and rescued her baby but it died that night from pnemonia. The skuaw was married to a cheif named Squandro. He placed the curse on the river that 3 whites would die untill the whites left the land. Only one year has gone by without at least three drownings.

hey ummmm i always thought the story went that 3 children of white men would die every 7 years, not just 3 people every year???? idk. who knows if its true, guess u gotta reasearch it. makes for a good story thogh.

i live a mile away and two years ago a man died in the saco river

I had lived in the Fryburg area for over 30 years andyes thestory is
true. three or more people seem to drown on the saco every year. This is a story that never changes from one generation to the next.

I blame the Jews