Weird History: Haunted New Jersey

Halloween Season is upon us and with that comes staying up late googling local haunts and urban legends in your area! No, just me? Whatever. Growing up, I was always looking for ghost stories. They brought together my interest in the macabre and and my fascination with history. And growing up in New Jersey...well...New Jersey has plenty of ghost stories. And urban legends. So much so that they made an entire magazine out of it. Then in 2022, Home Advisor named New Jersey the most haunted state to live in. Well done, New Jersey. Well done.

As a life-long New Jerseyan, I thought it would be fun to take some time and compile a list (you know I love a good list) of 45 haunted spots across all 21 counties. For privacy, I am skipping currently inhabited residential properties. Abandoned locations and places open to the public are featured below.

Reminder, abandoned doesn't mean it's not private property, so don't go poking around without doing your research. And honestly, if you are reading this blog you are a horror fan. You should know better than to go poking around in general.

Enjoy!

Atlantic County

The Absecon Lighthouse in Atlantic City (official site / local lore)

Batsto Village in Hammonton (official site / local lore)

Jonathan Pitney House in Absecon (official website / local lore)

Leed's Point in Galloway Township (local lore)

Bergen County

Devil's Tower in Alpine (local lore)

Easton Tower in Paramus (official site / local lore)

Burlington County

Burlington County Prison in Mount Holly (official site / local lore)

White Hill Mansion in Fieldsboro (official site / local lore)

Ong's Hat in Pemberton Township (local lore)

Camden County

Atco Ghost in Atco (local lore)

Collings-Knight House in Oaklyn (official site / local lore)

Cape May County

Congress Hall in Cape May (official site / local lore)

Flanders Hotel in Ocean City (official site / local lore)

Cape May County Historical Museum in Cape May Courthouse (official site / local lore)

Elaine's Restaurant in Cape May (official site / local lore)

Angel of the Sea in Cape May (official site / local lore)

Cumberland County

Leonard Gibbon House in Greenwich Township (official site / local lore)

Essex County

Lady in White in Newark (local lore)

Gloucester County

Eglington Cemetery in Clarksboro (official site / local lore)

Hall Street Little School in Monroe Township (local lore)

Red Bank Battlefield in National Park (official site / local lore)

Hudson County

Laurel Hill Park ("Snake Hill") in Secaucus (official site / local lore)

The Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton (official site / local lore)

Hunterdon County

Lambertville High School in Lambertville (local history / local lore)

Union Hotel in Flemington (local lore)

Mercer County

Trenton Psychiatric Hospital in Trenton (local lore)

Middlesex County

Proprietary House in Perth Amboy (official site / local lore)

Piscatawaytown Cemetery in Edison (local history / local lore)

Monmouth County

Seabrook-Wilson House in Middletown Township (official site / local lore)

Morris County

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany-Troy Hills (local history / local lore)

Darress Theater in Boonton Township (local lore)

Ocean County

The Grenville Hotel & Restaurant in Bay Head (official site / local lore)

Hindenburg Hangar at Lakehurst in Manchester Township (local lore)

Passaic County

Ringwood Manor in Ringwood (official site / local lore)

Clinton Road in West Milford (local lore)

The Gates of Hell in Clifton (local history / local lore)

Salem County

Ye Olde Centerton Inn in Elmer (official site / local lore)

Hancock House in Lower Alloway Creek (official site / local lore)

Somerset County

The Devil's Tree in Bernards Township (local lore)

The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage in Somerville (official site / local lore)

The Old Bernardsville Library in Bernardsville (local lore)

Sussex County

Vernon Inn in Vernon (local lore)

Union County

Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth (official site / local lore)

Warren County

Jenny Jump State Forest in Hope (official site / local lore)

Shades of Death Road in Liberty, Independence, Allamuchy Townships (local lore)

Know a spot we should know about? Share it in the comments!

[Image Credit: photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, NJ,3-MOUHO,8-2 via Wikimedia Commons]