Township Historian

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 Haunt of New Jersey’s Devil Tree and a farmhouse.” Residents publicly speak for the first time about what it’s like to live inside an urban legend. Our recording below includes video snippets, commentary, and the making of the film not seen during the interview.

A Fun Mischief Night Interview

Mischief Night Interview: The Essence of Haunted Roots
Meet Matt Ryan and Will Cook – the award-winning documentary filmmakers.
Runtime -1hr with new behind-the-scenes footage.

Recorded Friday, October 30, 2020

Give the Gift of Haunted Roots and support local history – Click Here

Matt’s not just an actor and filmmaker, he’s also from the area. So the Devil Tree story is not just a story to him. It’s personal.

Watch for Free

The tale of the devil tree continues as the documentary “Haunted Roots” was the winner of the American Golden Picture International Film Festival’s best documentary short film.

Meet Matt Ryan and Will Cook from the documentary Haunted Roots as we talk about the Devil Tree and other Jersey paranormal stories.
Click Here to Stream the documentary film “Haunted Roots”

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

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

Paranormal Oddities at Basking Ridge’s Astor Estate Town Hall

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

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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

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…

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

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!

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

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

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)

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 –…

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