— JOIN US October 4, 2026

The Devil’s Footprint

Folklore, history, and community in Ipswich, Massachusetts

For generations, people in Ipswich have told stories about a strange mark in the granite beside First Church in Ipswich, UCC.

According to local legend, the mark was left by the Devil during a confrontation connected to the preaching of George Whitefield in 1740. The details change depending on who tells the story. The rock does not.

The Devil’s Footprint Project brings together the folklore, documented history, and community traditions surrounding the legend. Through public events, storytelling, historical research, music, art, and conversation, we explore how one small mark in stone became part of Ipswich history.

The rock is still there. The story is still told.

Ipswich, Massachusetts

Devil's Footprint Project

Planning for October 4, 2026

This site brings together the folklore, the documented history, and the community events connected to the granite ledge outside First Church in Ipswich, UCC. People have been telling stories about this mark since at least the mid nineteenth century. The legend shifts across time, but the footprint stays the same.

In 2025 we held the inaugural event at Meeting House Green with walking tours, storytellers, and a printed collection of the oldest known versions. Planning is underway for the 2026 annual event with a stronger focus on local writers, youth submissions, and broader community partnerships.

If you are here for the legend, the research, or the festival, you are in the right place.

The story people kept telling

The Folklore

Legend says that on Tuesday, September 30, 1740, the Devil was hiding inside the North Congregational Church. Young George Whitefield preached with such fire that the Devil burst out. They battled up the steeple. Whitefield cast him down. The Devil fled, leaving a single scorched hoofprint in the stone.