New Jersey’s Pine Barrens: Alleged Home Of The Jersey Devil
Famartin/Wikimedia CommonsThe Pine Barrens are a huge swath of woodland in central and southern New Jersey — and one of the most haunted forests in the United States.
The New Jersey Pine Barrens are a thick forest spread across 1.1. million acres. They’re also believed to be one of the most haunted forests in the United States — and are purportedly home to the terrifying creature known as the Jersey Devil.
The Pine Barrens’ spooky history arguably began centuries ago, when the area was inhabited by Lenni Lenape Native Americans. When they were forced to leave their land and relocate to Ohio in the 18th century, they left behind generations of their ancestors buried in the Pine Barrens.
People have since reported seeing various ghosts in the area, from a small boy killed by a car to the notorious pirate Captain Kidd to a Black doctor who was allegedly lynched for practicing medicine during the days of slavery.
But the most famous creature said to lurk in the Pine Barrens is indisputably the Jersey Devil.
Famartin/Wikimedia CommonsSaid to be one of the most haunted forests in America, the Pine Barrens stretch out across more than a million acres.
Legend has it that the Jersey Devil was born to a woman known as “Mother Leeds” back in 1735. It was not a wanted child: Leeds already had 12 children, and her husband was an alcoholic who was unable to provide for his family. When she found out she was pregnant, Leeds cried: “Let this child be the devil!”
Though the baby was born normal, it quickly transformed into a monster with the head of a horse, the wings of a bat, and dragon-like talons. Legend has it that the Jersey Devil has been haunting the Pine Barrens ever since and countless sightings along with several photographs have surfaced over the years.
