New Jersey was the third state to ratify the constitution following Pennslyvannia and Delaware, making it one of the oldest states. NJ is also one of the 13 original states that were the first 13 British colonies. NJ was the first state to sign the Bill of Rights in 1789.
With so many firsts, and over 600 battles, skirmishes, and acts of war during the American Revolution, NJ has a deep history. With that history come a lot of stories, and plenty of them of the spooky variety. New Jersey was nicknamed the Crossroads of the American Revolution because of the major battles fought here and because George Washington and his men spent more time in NJ than anywhere else.
Jockey Hollow in Morristown is reportedly haunted by colonial soldiers, a woman in a white dress carrying a lantern, and shadowy figures. The Spy House, also known as the Seabrook-Wilson House, is a historic and reportedly haunted house in Port Monmouth, New Jersey, where a Revolutionary War soldier apparition is sometimes seen.
Park Lane, Carlstadt, also known as Cobblestone Hill, is the borough’s infamous cobblestone road. Alleged to be frequented by the supernatural, there is a tunnel entrance said to be buried in the adjacent woods. It is believed to run beneath the road and serves as passage for spirits of those buried in nearby Berry Lawn cemetery. It’s also believed that a part of the Underground Railroad led by Harriet Tubman passes through the area. Reported sightings appear as apparitions, possibly from nearby Berry Lawn cemetery.
Lyndhurst Town Hall Park: The fountain was once the scene of a murder. The man who was murdered has since haunted the area, some say. Sometimes at night, the man’s eyes can be seen flashing in the fountain, according to ghostsofamerica.com.
The Steuben House in River Edge: A Revolutionary landmark built in 1752, The Steuben House was used by George Washington as a temporary headquarters in September 1780. During that time, 14,000 soldiers also camped nearby. New Bridge ended up serving as a battleground, fort, encampment ground, military headquarters, and intelligence-gathering post.
The ghost of General Baron von Steuben was first reported in the 1950s. Steuben was allegedly sitting in a chair when he struck up a conversation with a woman who had been working there. Originally occupied by Loyalist Jan Zabriskie, the home was given to Major General Baron after the war, and later sold back to the Zabriskie family.
Resorts Casino was Atlantic City’s first legal casino, opening its doors on May 26, 1978, and occupying the Victorian-era Chalfonte-Haddon Hall complex. It’s also been among its most whispered about, from bumps in the night, hallways that echo, and an energy that permeates everything and just hangs around.
The Ocean Tower is often cited as the epicenter of ghostly disturbances, with guests having reported a “sensation of being followed,” or having seen “shadowy figures,” Casinos.com reported. The website’s recent analyses placed Resorts in the top five worldwide based on traveler reviews mentioning ghosts and hauntings.
Reported hauntings could stem from the casino’s origins as the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel. The building’s long history also includes serving as a medical facility during World War II, which has led to stories of spirits of patients and soldiers.
Little Red Schoolhouse, Lyndhurst: A functional museum and popular local landmark operated by the Lyndhurst Historical Society and is over 100 years old and thought to be the oldest schoolhouse in Bergen County. Twice in the past 20 years, paranormal investigators picked up unusual activity at the Risdeside Avenue building.
In 2016, the paranormal group UnScene Paranormal investigated the schoolhouse, using devices like the Ovilus, Kinect motion detector, and a Spirit Box to document alleged activity. Crew Taryn “Taz” Truese of Lyndhurst, Paula Colonnello of Elizabeth, Cyndie Aiello and her daughter Adriana Pasterchick of Nutley teamed up with Historical Society President Scott Ackerson to conduct a paranormal investigation of the building.
iN 2008, Alliance Ghost Hunters of Jersey City visited the Little Red Schoolhouse. The group included paranormal experts, spiritualists, and mediums, and reportedly captured a video camera moving on its own and a child’s whimpering.
During both nvestigations, instruments reportedly picked up words that sounded like “teacher” and “fire.” The group also allegedly detected a child’s voice and recorded the name “Wendy” or “David.”
Elks Club, Lyndhurst: Housed in the 1927 building at 251 Park Ave Lyndhurst, where the BPO Lodge 1505 launched in the township, there have been reported paranormal activities over the years. The building is reportedly home to the spirits of a young girl and a woman known as the “green lady.” UnScene Paranormal investigated and captured “one of the best EVP/Spirit Box responses to date.”
Old Canal Inn, Nutley: Established in 1934 as JoJos Tavern, the Skorupski family bought it in 1948 and changed its name to the Old Canal Inn. Local legend says it is where the Death Chair is located, and anyone who sits there risks having a heart attack.
It started when two men fought over the same seat. Both men died 10 days later of a heart attack and to this day the Inn has roped-off the area around the chair. At least three people have died after sitting on the chair, reports Weird, NJ.
The Inn serves a “Death Seat Burger Platter” paying hommage to its haunted history. But there remains a warning on the Death Seat.
The Beacon, Jersey City: The Beacon is a mixed-use development located on a 14-acre site on Bergen Hill, one of the highest geographical points in Jersey City. Despite extensive renovations and redevelopment, rumors of hauntings at The Beacon in Jersey City persist.
Residents and locals still report paranormal activity, including splashing coming from an empty pool, shuffling feet, slamming doors, and shadowy figures lurking around corners, according to reports and forums about the building and topic.
Formerly the site of Jersey City Medical Center, its busy emergency department was gunshot-wound central, aside from also having a psychiatric asylum, and morgue. Those reasons could be enough to keep stories of the dead very much alive.
Employees, potential residents, and residents have said in forums that there are flickering lights and non-working elevators, always random, plus pets who won’t enter the building or leave an apartment once moved in. Sauna temperatures have been seen to fluctuate without input, and muffled chatter suddenly cease as soon as anyone starts to enter a room. The tunnels that connect the other buildings have been reported to sound active. And timecan pass unevenly in different parts of the building.
