Dungeon Rock Pirate Day is Saturday at Lynn Woods

LYNN ? Looking for some swashbuckling Halloween fun that is not too intense or scary for the little ones ? look no further than Lynn Woods, where an infamous pirate named Thomas Veale once roamed.Yes, Pirates did indeed frequent Lynn and the surrounding area in the 1600s. Legend has it a pirate treasure and the remains of Veal are somewhere in the vicinity of Dungeon Rock in Lynn Woods.Park Ranger Dan Small said Dungeon Rock Pirate Day at Lynn Woods, which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20 (rain date Sunday, Oct. 21) from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., is a free family friendly event.?Dungeon Rock Day is about kids, pirates and fun,” he said. “All ages are welcome but this event is geared towards the youngest buccaneers. It’s not scary, you won’t see any blood and nobody jumps out and frightens you. In fact we guarantee no bad dreams.”Small explained in the summer of 1658, a black pirate ship that flew no flag appeared in Lynn Harbor. A boat was lowered from the ship, a chest was loaded into the boat, and four oarsmen rowed it toward shore. The boat headed up the Saugus River and landed near the Saugus Iron Works. According to local legend, the next day ironworkers found a note asking to purchase a supply of shackles, hatchets and shovels. The note promised that if the tools were made and left at a secret location, then a supply of silver would be left to pay for them.The pirates made camp in a place now known as Pirate’s Glen, which is near the Saugus River. British soldiers stationed nearby heard about the pirates and set off to capture them. Three of the pirates were reportedly captured and hanged but Veale escaped into the woods taking his treasure with him. Veale ended up at a cave in Lynn Woods where he lived for a while and repaired shoes for a living.But an earthquake hit causing a piece of rock to fall and sealing the opening of the cave with Veale inside with his treasure.The remains of Veale and his treasure were left undisturbed for almost 200 years but in the 1830’s two attempts were made to recover the treasure by blowing the entrance open with power kegs to no avail.Small said in 1852, a Spiritualist named Hiram Marble believed he had received a message from the ghost of Veale.?He thought the ghost of Thomas Veale told him if he dug at Dungeon Rock, he would leave a rich man,” Small said. “As you tour the tunnel, you will notice that it makes abrupt changes in direction. The spirits would lead the diggers in one direction and then another, creating a twisting path into the rock. But the treasure was never found.”Enter Lynn Woods through the Pennybrook Entrance, where you will meet your own pirate guide for the tour of Dungeon Rock. Wear comfortable shoes and enjoy the one-mile hike to the entrance of the cave, which was dug in the 1850’s by a treasure seeker. Along the hike to Dungeon Rock you are sure to encounter groups of boisterous pirates that will want to engage the youngsters in a little buccaneering.More than 40 volunteers make Dungeon Rock Pirate Day possible so be sure to support their effort by patronizing the gift shop or “Hogs Breath Inn” for some pirates grub. The menu includes sausage, pepper and onion sandwiches, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chili, popcorn, assorted snacks and beverages.If you go: Reservations, which may be made by calling 781-477-7096, are strongly suggested to avoid waiting in line and reduce parking lot congestion.