Throughout history there have existed many tales designed to frighten the faint of heart and make their skin crawl. These legends have sweeping effects on regional cultures and traditions and New Jersey is no stranger to myth. In the spirit of Halloween and all things spooky, we will jump head first into three of the most well-known legends in Jersey mythos.
Devils Tower
In the town of Alpine, New Jersey stands a six-story stone clock-tower which ominously looms over the surrounding town. The Gothic tower, aptly named Devil’s tower, was built in the early part of the 20th century with a history clouded in mystery. It has since become tied to numerous legends, including the tale that the Devil himself resides within its walls.
The legend holds that the tower was built by a man for his wife so that she could see the New York City skyline, however one dreadful night she climbed the tower to discover her husband with another woman, causing her to jump to her death. Now it’s said if you drive around the tower in reverse six times, your car will get veered off the road by the spirit of his late wife. Other rumors say the same driving pattern will give you a meeting with the Devil as the tower had been the site of satanic rituals, supposedly. In addition to these apparitions, many others have had different experiences with ghouls and phantasms in and around the tower. The Devil’s Tower and the many different ghosts that inhabit it have sent chills down the spines of many, and earns a place as one of the most haunted locations in New Jersey.
Clinton Road
Our next legend takes us to the quaint town of West Milford in Passaic County, more specifically the 9.3 mile long, Clinton Road. Like the Devil’s Tower, this road has been the origin of many legends ranging from sightings of paranormal entities to a place where witches and satanists gather to perform their rituals. With such a reputation, it’s no surprise that many travel the path to see if they can catch a glimpse of the infamous spirits roaming the area.
The most famous story from Clinton Road is that of the Ghost boy bridge, which can be found after the ‘dead man’s curve.’ Supposedly if you throw a coin into the water, the boy will emerge from beneath the bridge and return the coins to the surface. Now it’s reassuring to think that young phantom has your best interest in mind, some have contradicting these stories with their own tales that he would push them into the murky water below. Regardless, it’s eerie to imagine what lurks beneath the surface, especially if you don’t know his true intentions.
Another famed landmark along Clinton Road are the ruins of an old palace constructed in the early 20th Century. According to many accounts, Cross Castle is the site of many evil rituals as well as home to a catalog of apparitions not all of whom tend to be friendly. The road is home to many other spirits which haunt the motorway, from ghost camaros to ghastly creatures that haunt the surrounding woods. The only advice you should take, if you consider visiting yourself, is that you should NEVER leave your car when driving along Clinton Road, or you run the risk of bringing one of them home with you.
The Jersey Devil
Our final stop in Jersey Folklore takes us to the forests of the Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The over 1.1 Million acres of vast wilderness is the origin of many New Jersey myths, but none as great as the Jersey Devil. The creature is described as having a goat head, bat-like wings, and stands tall on his hooved legs, with a forked tail draping down.
According to the popular origin, the Jersey Devil was born to a woman named Mother Jane Leeds in 1735. After discovering she was pregnant with her thirteenth child she cursed it, proclaiming that once born it would be “The Devil.” Unfortunately, for Mother Leeds, her curse would come to fruition after she went into labor on a particularly stormy night, giving birth to the ‘Leeds Devil’ now known as the Jersey Devil. The legend has been popular since before the original Colonies had received independence from Britain, with many eye witness accounts dating back to the 18th Century. While many believe the story to be nothing more than a Hoax, fostered in the imaginations of early settlers, one can not help to wonder if he is really out there stalking the Pines. Undoubtedly, the Jersey Devil has left its mark on Jersey Culture with him being considered by some to be the unofficial mascot of NJ.
