Weird NJ
Guys, I’m really excited for this post. I think it’s a perfect thing to post about for Fortnight of Fright, even though it isn’t remotely bookish–Weird NJ. I know that the people behind Weird NJ have since expanded to cover all the weird, creepy local folklore and ghost stories in other states, but Weird NJ is where it all started. My sister and I used to scour the website and the books to find places close to us to go see. Some of them are legit scary as hell, others are just odd places or landmarks. It’s all super fun. But because this is Fortnight of FRIGHT, I’m going to highlight a couple of the creepier places and legends in my home state. WOOT!
The Union Hotel is SUPER CREEPY. It’s only about 20 minutes from my house and used to be a pretty popular bar. I’m also pretty sure my childhood babysitter got married there, which means I’ve been there because I was in the wedding. Which means I might’ve been in the same place as a GHOST, even though I definitely didn’t see one. Anyway, the Union Hotel isn’t open right now, but it’s still standing there, all creepy and whatnot. Check out the Weird NJ website for more details about the HAUNTINGS!
Is this not the most tingle-inducing street name you’ve ever heard? I mean, SHADES OF DEATH. There are absolutely LOADS of stories about how this road got its name. I barely touched on some in my little synopsis here. The great thing about Weird NJ is that they basically serve as a collection of stories and recollections from locals who’ve visited each site. The stories about Shades of Death Road are freaky. I will pass on going there.
First of all, this place looks absolutely scary no matter what picture you look at. This one is the inside of the tunnel entrance, but the outside of the entrance is in the middle of these creepy woods in the middle of nowhere. Which is ironic because the Gates of Hell are in a part of New Jersey that is not the middle of nowhere at all. But still. Second of all, I don’t know how long people could last walking through this tunnel system without going nuts from being scared. I would maybe last a few minutes. The utter darkness would be bad because I’m a chicken.
Ahhh, yes. The Jersey Devil. The mythical beast we named our hockey team after. I don’t often make it down to the Pine Barrens where the Jersey Devil is said to roam, but it’s still a pretty interesting legend. There was a rash of attacks in the early 20th century that was attributed to the Jersey Devil, and there have been a few sightings. The Weird NJ website has way more details–read if you daaaaaare!
What about you guys? Any local legends where you’re from? Haunted houses? Ghosts? Share them in the comments! The creepier the better!
I loooove this!!! What a great post. Totally going to research that Weird NJ site. Shades of Death Road… if I was braver, I’d investigate because that sounds fascinating. And maybe the Ninja Turtles are hiding in the Gates of Hell 😉
I actually grew up in Monmouth County, NJ but didn’t hear too many ghost stories, plus I’m a scaredy cat. I’m sure there were some though! I lived near a Revolutionary War battle site. I do remember going to Washington DC as a kid and my grandma bought be a book about Haunted DC. It was spooky.
Also, my friend and I moved to an apartment in San Diego a few years ago and were told the previous tenant died in the house. We almost didn’t move in because my friend was so freaked out, she completely believes in ghosts and the whole nine yards. But luckily nothing ever happened while we were there…