October is finally upon us, and what better way to celebrate the spooky season than by sharing a few of local urban legends!
The Jersey Devil
A creature with glowing red eyes, feathers, fur, leathery, bat-like wings, and a cruel, snarling face is said to roam freely in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
Legend goes that the creature was born a normal infant into an unwelcoming mother. Mother Leeds already had twelve other children and not enough money to care for all of them. While carrying the child, she wished for it to be born a spawn of the devil. Her long-forgotten curse came true when the newly born sprouted wings, claws, and fangs and attacked the entire Leeds family.
Now known as the Jersey Devil, this creature terrorizes the forests of south Jersey and kills anyone that comes across it. If you ever find yourself in the Pine Barrens, pay close attention to every snap of a twig.
The Watcher
For the majority of people, moving into your dream home is, well, a dream come true. So it was a joyous occasion for the Broaddus family when they were able to buy such a home in the summer of 2014. Everything about the 1.3 million dollar house seemed perfect.
Then, a letter came in the mail just a few days before the Broaddus family was supposed to move into the house. The pristine white envelope was delivered to “The New Owner” of 657 Boulevard with no return address. The author, however, referred to himself as ‘The Watcher’. The horror-stricken Derek, the father of the Broaddus family, read the letter first, “How did you end up here? Did 657 Boulevard call to you with its force within?”
This may already seem creepy to you, but the letter became much darker as Derek read on, “657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming. My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time. Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out.”
The family continued to endure torment from the Watcher, even after any plans to move into the house were canceled. The mysterious sender somehow knew the nicknames of each of the family’s children and details about each family member.
The family hired many professionals including former FBI agents and private investigators, but no trace of the Watcher was found. The person going by this chill-invoking name is still out there, still hoping for the ‘new blood to roam the house once again’.
The Gates of Hell
When talking about the most haunted locations, many believers in the paranormal will mention the underground network of tunnels nicknamed ‘The Gates of Hell’. However, this location isn’t only known for being haunted. It is also reported to be the meeting place of cults.
When you enter this hell-like location, you are quickly submerged into the darkness. The walls are covered in graffiti left by generations of explorers. The tunnels go on for seven levels, including quite a few secret rooms. Visitors to the Gates of Hell have reported hearing whispers and seeing shadows in the dark, winding, stone tunnels.
You don’t need to believe in ghosts, however, to find these tunnels bone-chilling. You are likely to find animal carcasses from sacrifices, evidence of satanic cult presence, and many locked doors, hiding unknown horrors within.