Episode 3966: Dark Enigma - Who’s Afraid Of the Jersey Devil - Or How Jersey Tamed It’s Most Prolific Legend

Please be aware the stories, theories, re-enactments and language in this podcast are of an adult nature and can be considered disturbing, frightening and in some cases even offensive.  Listener Discretion is therefore advised. 

Welcome heathens welcome to the world of the weird and unexplained.  I’m your host, Nicole Delacroix and together, we will be investigating stories about the things that go bump in the night, frighteningly imagined creatures, supernatural beings and even some unsolved mysteries and all sorts of weirdness.  So, sit back, grab your favorite drink, and prepare to be transported to today's dark Enigma.... 

And on today’s Dark enigma well, we’re starting to run low on listener suggestions, so if you have one, send it in so I can add it to the roster, but today’s little delight is for all my friends and fans in the beautiful state of New Jersey!  So, with that said, we will still be playing our drinking game and as you know, the drinking game is only for those of us that are at home and have nowhere else to go tonight.  The choice of libation, as always my darlings, is yours, so choose your poison accordingly… Alright, now for the game part how about every time I say Devil that will be a single shot and every time I say  Jersey , that will be a double shot.  Now that the business end is out of the way we can jump headfirst into today’s dark enigma… so make sure your hair is extra big, tons of hairspray as we jump into today’s dark Enigma and Who’s Afraid Of the Jersey Devil - Or How Jersey Tamed It’s Most Prolific Legend

The story of the Jersey Devil is an authentic folk legend, one that has an amazing origin story and for the number of sightings over the years. The tale is as varied as the number of people who claim to have seen or heard him. For over 250 years, tales have circulated about the nocturnal ramblings of a creature emerging from the mists of a lonely desolate marsh. As interest in the supernatural has grown, tales of the Jersey Devil have grown to blend folk belief with South Jersey history.
 
 

To understand the legend of the Jersey Devil, you must first understand his birthplace. It is a remote region extending 1700 square miles across southeastern New Jersey. It is actually a giant aquifer with dense stands of white cedar. Inside, the air is calm, still and cool - the shadows heavy. The cedar stands throughout the swamp stain the streams red with tannin. One area of stunted trees is called the Pygmy Forest. While many consider it a barren wilderness, twenty-seven varieties of orchids grow there. In the early days, travel was difficult for the cedar swamps were great obstacles. Some roads are old Indian trails. Others are old stagecoach roads. Some roads are paved, others are sandy. Roads lead to places named Hog Wallow, Double Trouble, Sooy Place and Mary Ann Furnace. These names date back to colonial times when settlers first came to New Jersey. The birthplace of the Jersey Devil is called the Pine Barrens.