Legend of ‘Satanic Imps’ Revived With New Sign in Massachusetts Town

EASTON (WBSM) — The Satanic imps are back in Easton, Massachusetts, and they may have been upset that someone attempted to erase them from the town’s history.

Months after a beloved sign was removed from the site of a former 18th-century sawmill that told the tale of a “wizard who purportedly used satanic imps to run the mill at night,” a new version has appeared, apparently ready to keep the legend alive for years to come.

The sign was replaced earlier this year by one that simply said “Mill Pond” and “Easton Conservation Commission,” but reportedly, a tree fell on that sign and destroyed it. However, things are not always so mundane in the heart of the mysterious paranormal vortex known as the Bridgewater Triangle.

READ MORE: What Is Massachusetts' Bridgewater Triangle?

Resident Gary Hight snapped a photo of the new sign and shared it in the Everything Easton, MA Facebook group, and some members of the group think the imps may have played a part in getting the sign replaced with one that continues the myth.

“They put up a sign without the details and a tree fell on it,” Paul Kasparian wrote. “The satanic imps must not have been happy with it.”

“Awesome, now maybe the imps won’t cut a tree down to destroy this sign, lol,” wrote Susan McAuley.

How the New Easton Sign Brings Back the "Satanic Imps" Legend

The newest sign now reads “Mill Pond” and then, “Site of the sawmill built by John Selee in the 18th century and continued by his son, Nathan, a wizard who purportedly used satanic imps to run the mill at night.” It’s the same messaging that was on the original sign that was first erected in 1999, but was missing from the one put up in January 2026 to replace it.

READ MORE: Easton Removes Infamous 'Satanic Imps' Sign

Why Easton Removed the 'Imps' Sign in the First Place

Some accused the town of trying to scrub the legend from the history books with the more simplistic sign. One town official said the redesign was more about consistency across all signage.

“A few years ago we had a student evaluate our wooden signs. A number of the signs were breaking down and in need of replacement,” Jennifer Carlino, Land Use and Environmental Planner for the Town of Easton, told us at the time.

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“As part of the town’s wayfinding project, it was conveyed to the conservation commission that all signs should be adapted to this new sign format,” Carlino said. “The Community Preservation Committee and Town Meeting approved the expenditure of 12-14 new signs and they were installed in the past few weeks.”

We reached out to Carlino to find out what had changed that led to the decision to include the legend on the latest sign, but had not heard back as of this writing.

The Story of the Easton ‘Wizard’ and His Imps

Easton resident John Selee opened the sawmill in 1755 to take advantage of a construction boom in his growing town.

Selee planned to turn the sawmill over to his son Nathan, but legend has it the son was a brooding young man who was more interested in the dark arts than a day’s work. It was rumored that he made a pact with the devil in order to profit off the mill without having to do any of the work himself.

READ MORE: Was UMass Dartmouth Designed by a Devil Worshiper?

Another Easton resident named Tam O’Shanter was said to be walking down the road late one night when he heard the sawmill running. Rumors circulated that Nathan Selee was a wizard, and that his deal with the devil was fulfilled by a team of imps working the sawmill at night, allowing Selee to make all the money without doing any of the work in exchange for his eternal soul.

Around 1792, the sawmill closed down, and over the years it rotted away, leaving just the site that exists today.