The start of 2013 has been very good to me, and the outlook is looking bright. My Robert Frost project has been going great and the feedback on it has been good. I was even asked to present it, but I’m still thinking about that. My first trip in 2013 was familiar ground, and this time I didn’t get lost!
Being an avid reader of all things weird, strange, and out of the ordinary, the magazine Weird N.J. has lead me to some interesting places. Not to mention plenty more in the future. The day was perfect for where I was going. Chilly and foggy, a perfect setting for a creepy adventure.
My first stop was Rutgers University to have a fat sandwich at R.U. Hungry. Anytime I am in the area, this is the place to fill my belly. The destination afterwards was the infamous Devil’s Tree. The stories and the history I read of the tree are perfect bedtime stories to have you pull the covers up to your nose. Are they true? I don’t know. The lynching, the murderous farmer, and the curses on the tree could all just be urban legends.
Yet, going there for the second time, I am very curious what this area looked like back then. Seeing this tree during the day isn’t scary. There is a winery next to it and houses in front of it. As for the black SUVs that chase visitors out? It is a park and you aren’t supposed to be there after sunset. It is either the cops or people just having fun.
Regardless, the legends have given this tree a reputation. The tree has burn marks, cuts from axes, and to prevent future destructions, a fence now wraps the tree. I will say this tree is a sight to see for its size. Unfortunately if you are going there to see ghosts, specters, or the devil himself, you might have a better chance somewhere else. Then again, I didn’t try and chop the tree down to obtain a curse. Maybe you can test the legends?
Favorite Sights & Sounds 