Shaken from his experience, Steve decides to listen to Levi Cobb, who gives him copies of old letters and diaries from the town's forefathers. He learns that the town was purged of Christianity in the late 19th century, and any Christians taking residence in the town were either martyred or driven out of town. Those remaining in the town moved from Old Town and reestablished Hyde River after signing a charter. The sordid bargain of the town charter, "If this be Sin, let Sin be served," gave the dragon reign of the town. It began at an unthreateningly small size but grew over a century to a length of forty-five feet. The town's founder, Benjamin Hyde, was believed to have control over the dragon, and was the ancestor of Harold Bly.