History

Ghost Tales, Urban Legends and Cemeteries From Central New Jersey

Urban Legends, Ghosts, Murder, Nuns gone insane, the Devil, and other horror stories we’ve dug up from Central New Jersey’s past. Maybe urban legends, but they’re OUR stories!

When the leaves start turning and the nights get cooler, ghost tales and horror stories take over the autumn campfires. Volunteering with some friends, a list was gathered and presented during a few walking tours organized in Basking Ridge, as well as for a haunted fright night at the local Ross Farm. There are great ghost stories all around central New Jersey. Are they true? Well, history has a way of validating some, while at other times, they just become great campfire stories. Enjoy.

Local Cemetery History Research

There is a wealth of history to be learned from a cemetery. We have a rich genealogy embedded in many of our stories, and we strive to describe other facts,… Read More »Local Cemetery History Research

Basking Ridge Evergreen Cemetery is a Living History Lesson

You can learn a great deal of history by visiting a cemetery. NOTE: A quick reminder: Warren was part of Bernards Township until the 19th century, while Far Hills and… Read More »Basking Ridge Evergreen Cemetery is a Living History Lesson

Origins of Cold as Balls and Cold as a Witch’s Teet

The phrase “cold as balls” reportedly comes from the contraction of metal on ship’s cannons, causing the iron balls to fall. The expression “cold as a witch’s tit” originated from the belief that witches, portrayed as cold-blooded in the 1600s,…

Legendary Horror Tales and Ghost Stories from Central New Jersey

Urban Legends, Ghosts, Murder, Nuns gone insane, the Devil and other horror stories we’ve dug up from Central New Jersey’s past. May be urban legends, but they’re OUR stories! When… Read More »Legendary Horror Tales and Ghost Stories from Central New…

The Tale of Jersey’s Devil Tree

The Devil Tree of Liberty Corner (Somerset County) Urban Legend 1 Devil Tree – The Tree and the Caretaker Me and my friends were all contemplating going up to the… Read More »The Tale of Jersey’s Devil Tree

Peapack has a Jacobs Ladder too!

To expand on an earlier post: The PLOT THICKENS… there’s a 2nd Jacob’s Ladder! So I kept digging about Jacob’s Ladder. Not that I wanted to, but the internet has… Read More »Peapack has a Jacobs Ladder too!

Paranormal Oddities at Basking Ridge’s Astor Estate Town Hall

👻 The 3rd Floor “Spirit of the Astor Estate” in Basking Ridge. A spirit has haunted owners and workers wandering the third floor causing ghostly havoc at times.Reported by a… Read More »Paranormal Oddities at Basking Ridge’s Astor Estate Town Hall

Bill Beatty and the Hills Haunted Phareloch Castle

Tucked below the Hills on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township, New Jersey, sits a turreted French Norman-style castle known to locals as Pharelock Castle.… Read More »Bill Beatty and the Hills Haunted Phareloch Castle

Haunted Roots – The Horror Tale of the Devil Tree in Central New Jersey

  Listen in as we welcome award-winning journalist and Walking Dead actor Matt Ryan, along with filmmaker Will Cook, as they share the creation of their film HAUNTED ROOTS, “The… Read More »Haunted Roots – The Horror Tale of the Devil…

Liberty Corner had the REAL Zip the Pinhead – Yow!

Liberty Corner’s Most Famous Resident? In a quiet little rural village in New Jersey that’s known more for Memorial Day parades and quiet strolls up and down Church Street, there’s… Read More »Liberty Corner had the REAL Zip the Pinhead –…

The World’s Greatest Broadcast in New Jersey History – War of the Worlds

on Mischief Night, Cabbage Night, Goosey Night, or whatever you call it – October 30th – RE-LIVE the WAR OF THE WORLDS. GO LISTEN WITH YOUR FAMILY The date was… Read More »The World’s Greatest Broadcast in New Jersey History –…

A Unique Bedminster Cemetery-“God’s Acre”

So we’re over at the Bedminster Farmers Market, and while meeting a few locals, one of the patrons mentioned, “Why don’t you research what’s going on over at the slave… Read More »A Unique Bedminster Cemetery-“God’s Acre”

Honoring Civil War Black Soldiers at the Lamington Black Cemetery

The Lamington Black Cemetery is an African American cemetery in the Lamington section of Bedminster Township, New Jersey, located on Cowperthwaite Road. It is also known as the Cowperthwaite African… Read More »Honoring Civil War Black Soldiers at the Lamington Black…

The Hills Church & Cemetery & Pluckemin’s Pigtail Mountain

In the early 1700s, German Lutherans settled around Pluckemin and established one of the region’s first congregations. By 1715, they had built a small log church on what is the… Read More »The Hills Church & Cemetery & Pluckemin’s Pigtail Mountain

Basking Ridge’s Oldest Cemetery

Cemeteries showcase some of history’s greatest reminders of where we came from. Many people new to the area are unaware of the local history until you trace it back to… Read More »Basking Ridge’s Oldest Cemetery

Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey #3

Believe it or not, the dead are alive in central New Jersey, especially in northern Somerset County. The question is not whether they are real or not, but rather whether… Read More »Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey #3

Retrospective: Liberty Corner – History in the Cemetery

The Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church was founded in 1837 to serve the growing rural community in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township, New Jersey. Its adjacent cemetery, established shortly… Read More »Retrospective: Liberty Corner – History in the Cemetery

Fairview Cemetery – Westfield, New Jersey’s Largest Resting Place

Being raised in Westfield was a great experience, and sometimes it goes by so fast you never have time to sit back and reflect. As I look back now, there… Read More »Fairview Cemetery – Westfield, New Jersey’s Largest Resting Place

Blairsden- The Horror, The Nuns and Other Urban Legends

Weird New Jersey magazine launched an all-out attack with urban legends about what went terribly wrong inside the Blairsden Estate in Peapack, New Jersey. This article was originally posted on… Read More »Blairsden- The Horror, The Nuns and Other Urban Legends

10 More Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey

Believe it or not, the dead are alive in central New Jersey, especially in northern Somerset County. The question is not whether they are real or not, but whether they… Read More »10 More Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey

St. Bernard’s Cemetery is Bernardsville History

Historical Note: Bernardsville was still part of Bernards Township up until 1924. Cemeteries are one of the best sources for historical research and MLH leverages many burials in cemeteries to… Read More »St. Bernard’s Cemetery is Bernardsville History

Taking Jacob’s Ladder to the Devil’s Tomb (Grave)

Devil’s Tomb & Jacob’s Ladder –Look what happened when Weird NJ Issue #12 came out. A place that sits quietly in obscurity for hundreds of years comes to an abrupt… Read More »Taking Jacob’s Ladder to the Devil’s Tomb (Grave)

Unexplained Disappearance at Warren’s Hofheimer Mauseleum & Grotto

Mysterious death, lights in the woods at night, strange chemical smells in the air, paranormal activity, and a YouTuber’s missing persons report continue to plague what is felt to be… Read More »Unexplained Disappearance at Warren’s Hofheimer Mauseleum & Grotto

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