12 Strangest Places in New Jersey

From the small town that sighted of an infamous cryptid, to haunted roads, here are 12 Strangest Places in New Jersey

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6. Greystone Mental Asylum
One of the older mental asylums in New Jersey, this here was built in the state capital of trenton, new jersey in 1876 and is one of the few that still stand today. Originally built to only house 350 people it expanded many times to reach an astonishing 7700 mentally ill people in horrifyingly overcrowded conditions. It’s also considered to be one of the most haunted places in the State of New Jersey, and there’s quite a few in this state.

5. Leeds Point
This is the birthplace of the legendary New Jersey Devil that has wreaked havoc on the entire state. You definitely don’t want to explore the Pine Barrens forest on your own because it’s supposedly the roaming grounds for this mysterious cryptid. In 1735, a practicing witch gave birth to her 13th child at this location. Pine Barrens in New Jersey has often been considered a creepy place to be ever since native americans explored this forest. She stated that she no longer wanted anymore kids and she cursed the child during her pregnancy by saying,”May my 13th child be the devil”. Others claim that when finally gave birth, a terrifying bat winged creature flew out of her and escaped through the chimney. The Jersey Devil is said to have the head of a goat, the wings of a bat with cloven hooves and a forked tail. Many still report seeing the Jersey devil to this day.


4. The Meadowlands
New Jersey is known as the Garden State but don’t let the name fool you. It’s home to one of the most polluted places in the US. Known as the Meadowlands, it’s a vast, flat wasteland which was home to illegal dumping operations often conducted by the Mafia when they ran this territory. Located near the stadium where the Giants and Jets play their home games, is an area primarily underwater with many reeds and damp, marshy land. This land was unable to be urbanized into a big Metropolis like the neighboring areas and only really seemed useful for dumping things. During world war II the military used it as a place to dump rubble that was created from the Battle of London! This was also a classic place where the mafia would make people “sleep with the fishes”. We can’t get into too much detail about the grizely discoveries made here, just take our word that this is a strange place!. Despite the obvious pollution, some species of birds and crustaceans have managed to survive



3. McGuire Air Force Base
Did you know that Jersey is home to one of the most radioactive places in North America?! During the Cold War, America was quite eager to have the best nuclear arms of any country in the world. The McGuire Air Force Base was seriously contaminated from weapons grade plutonium in 1960. Located just south of Trenton, this was home to Launch Shelter 204 that stored nuclear, intercontinental ballistic missiles. An unexpected explosion happened in a helium that caused a fire in the nuclear tipped BOMARC missile. The fire burned for about 15 minutes and was extinguished with water. This resulted in radioactive material and water to flow throughout the air force base. Some pieces of debris were found a half mile from the explosion. It could have been much worse considering how close it is to populated areas. The contaminated area stretches an estimated 7 acres and it’s closed off with a barbed wire fence. So don’t even think about coming here!


2Hindenburg Site
In 1937 a German passenger airship was flying over Manchester Township in New Jersey which erupted into flames with 97 people on board in 1937. The entire event was captured on camera with many dramatic scenes that shocked a lot of people. Many are unsure what exactly caused this to happen but since the giant zeppelin to erupt and it still remains quite the mystery. The dramatic event has a notorious audio to go along with it with the most famous line being oh the humanity. The site in modern times is marked with this memorial and it’s almost like the ground around it is still unable to grow grass which still makes it a little bit strange. Surprisingly, 61 people made it out alive in what was a shocking moment for many in history..


1. The Devil’s Tree
While we already discussed the possibility of there being the devil somewhere in Jersey but what about the possibility of there being a tree that’s truly cursed by the devil himself. The tree branches without leaves are already pretty creepy on their own but many claim that this tree was the sighting for hangings. There are certainly some crazy legends about this tree and seem to make people do the unthinkable! Some believe that near this tree, there’s a stone that covers up a portal to hell! The tree has gained such a wild reputation, that the landowner has gone through quite a bit to keep it from being vandalised

[markvngnz_]

Shocked Clinton Road isn’t on here, thanks for giving us locals that break 😂

[Gloryboyz]

Im glad to be from north jersey south jersey got all that creepy shit

[fanaticat]

Batsto Village is actually a tourist attraction. My husband and I went there before the pandemic started, they gave a tour of the one house, they have a little museum, gift shop...a nice place to visit.

[savagetuner]

Pine Barrens NJ is actually really nice, people are avoiding a beautiful woodland

[delta.]

I luckily got to explore Greystone a few times before they tore down the buildings. Definitely one of the more creepy places I've been in

[thelonerider]

Used to ride past the "devil tree" all the time with fellow cyclists. We laughed at the "legend". Then one day there was a bad crash several guys piled up on the road, right as we were going uphill approaching the pasture. I am not superstitious so don't think the tree had anything to do with it, but it was an odd coincidence.
BTW the tree is rather creepy looking

Re: the jersey devil, it lives in trenton it's called the governor lol.

[BP__c]

I live in NJ and have seen and or visited most of these places. Growing up a town from Camden, yes, its not a great area, but its much better than this video depicts. I know plenty of police that work there, assisted by state troopers. There is a great waterfront with the aquarium, battleship USS NJ and the Wells Fargo center. Not to mention, the home of Campbells soup, RCA records (which is now luxury loft apartments), Rutgers University which continues to expand, several new companies, as well as recent groundbreaking for new homes, communities and corporate buildings. While i'm not saying Camden is a gem, its definitely on its way and doing the best it has done in many years.

[villasisbacag]

I was told by one of my friend’s father that the New Jersey Devil was a very tall man who was born with deformed feet and teeth like fangs. He lived in the Pines by himself because of the harassment from people and apparently became a very angry person.

[geeelouise]

I love how ppl always choose the worst pics of Camden. Campbell's building? Nope. City hall area? Nope. The aquarium? Nope. Lets show some old ass photo of some abandon houses. Honestly folks CMD is not terrifying its not a war zone & unless ur specifically going out of ur way into drug areas(idk how ppl get lost/end up there) you're fine. If u can visit Philly you'll do just fine in Camden

[jessemartin]

I grew up in NJ and it is beautiful and wooded with lakes, the Watchung Mts., plenty of places to bicycle, pristine Island Beach State Park, the rides at Asbury Park, writers and musicians, the Great Swamp, etc. Also, Plainfield was a stop on the Underground Railway. There's creepy places everywhere. You could find creepiness in a parking lot, if you wanted.

[Silicon-rpzt]

I honestly got the feeling that you're from NJ, but that got totally shattered when you said Greystone was in it was in Morris Plains.

[TMOLVIK]

Great video! Just a reminder that the asylum is located in Morris Plains, NJ, not Trenton. It was also destroyed a number of years ago.

[donniedarko]

I went to County College of Morris as a Photography major. Needless to say, me and everyone of my fellow classmates between 1997 - 2000, we explored every square inch of the buildings.
It was horrific as to what we found. Padded rooms, medicine in their pristine shape in refrigerators, Locked in cabinets etc...but everything was in tack. Creepy doesn't begin to describe our adventures. We found escaped inmates, wandering and confused, we found run down dark-rooms where steam was pouring from the ceiling. We found straight jackets, jail cells and weird washing stations for people who couldn't bathe on their own accord.
22 year later and I still have the negatives and patient so creepy.

[laynnalucia]

I live in Jersey.
B4 sandy my brothers boyscout troop was invited with family to spend a night submerged under water in the submarine in Hackensack.
It had to raise every time someone had to use the bathroom. It was so loud we all woke up about every 3hrs because SOMEONE had to go! (They were all around the age of 7-10) Only working bathroom was in the gift shop on land.

[jakeepup]

My friend and I had a huge black pickup truck riding right behind us, flashing us, trying to push us off the road. I was driving hearing whispering in my ear I couldn't make out. We got to the end of the road at the stop sign. The truck vanished, the whispering stopped, and we booked it out of there. This was about 4 year ago, I've gone back a couple times and haven't had anything happen. But I'll remember that night for as long as I live.

[thomashendershot]

One of the more infamous asylums in New Jersey lore is Greystone, located in Morris Plains/Parsippany. First conceived in1871 and known as The New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum at Morristown, the institution first opened its doors (to a mere 292 patients) on August 17, 1876.(NOT TRENTON ) I WORKED THERE WHEN IT WAS KNOCKED DOWN> MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMM> TOOK IT OVER IN Ground was ceremonially broken on November 16, 2005 now called Central Park...

[bambamnj]

I'm actually surprised that the Carranza memorial in Tabernacle, NJ didn't make your video. This is a monument built to honor a Mexican pilot who crashed during a good will flight from Mexico to the US and back. My understanding is no one really knows why he crashed. The story goes that the area around the memorial is haunted and if you drive there around midnight, park facing the memorial and flash your head lights three times at the memorial, strange things with happen... people have seen lights in the sky, heard a plane flying overhead that suddenly disappears, seen lights and heard voices in the woods approaching their cars. I've been there a few times. It is a creepy place at night.

[thelonerider]

Not to be a stickler, but I think greystone is in morris something or other. It was horribly overcrowded, as you said, and was recently torn down a few years ago.
Other than that, thanks for putting some spotlight on my home state. People say nothing happens here. I say, we're surrounded by history and cool stuff.

[athenapoe]

Overbrook Asylum (Essex County Hospital) in Cedar Grove, NJ should be on the list. Although they tore it down in the past few years, it was 77 acres (blocks long- like it's own little town) complete with its own firehouse. It was a mental asylum with a TB ward and was a place to drop off unwanted children (most were just children that the parents couldn't control). It started failing when prescription meds became popular and most people were able to self-medicate at home.

[rykerthibeault]

Yo I leave in New Jersey and honestly I've never heard of these places. Oh by the way I practically live in the Pine barons and it's all a myth about the Jersey devil