From the early days of colonial America right up to modern times, people in New Jersey have passed along the legend of the Jersey Devil. This monster supposedly lives in the boggy woodlands of the state, soars over the landscape on giant wings and bursts through chimneys to attack people and animals.
Devil Horse: Most descriptions of the Jersey Devil say it looks like a horse with horns like a goat's and the wings of a bat. The creature supposedly lives in the bogs of the New Jersey Pine Barrens and flies into towns to wreak havoc.
Colonial Times: Stories of the Jersey Devil began in the mid-1700s. Colonial Americans may have used it as an explanation for the unknown wildlife in the area.
Bad Times in Jersey[]
A trail of hoofprints convinced people a Devil had passed by.
Some see the Jersey Devil as the sign of bad things to come. Early sightings of the creature came just before disastrous shipwrecks and even coincided with the outbreak of the American Civil War. Other stories claim that the beast swoops into towns to stalk animals and abduct small children-which, legend has it, are its primary sources of food.
Demon Mother: The most popular version of the Jersey Devil's origin is that the monster is the child of a woman who had 12 children and didn't want any more. When she became pregnant, she wished that her 13th child would be "a devil."
Headliner: During January 1909, more than 2,000 people from 30 towns claimed to have seen the Jersey Devil. Some even took pictures of the creature's "footprints," for local newspapers.
It's Not Santa[]
When the Jersey Devil was hungry, it barged into any dwelling it chose. Smelling a simmering pot of stew, the monster dove down a chimney and burst from the flames unharmed. The cook was terrified, but the Devil wouldn't harm her if she left the beast alone to devour its meal.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The Jersey Devil is featured in Where In The World? on Monster Mania 36.