Eerie Local Legends Too Close To Home

From a woman in white, to headless horsemen, and a mysterious unsolved murder, there are multiple local legends in Hackettstown and surrounding areas. The Cyclone Chronicle’s Samantha Swayze, editor-in-chief, and Elizabeth May, co-executive managing editor, set out to explore some of these bone chilling locations.

Did you know the very college you attend, Centenary University, is haunted?

Centenary University: Ghosts Linger On Your Campus

Founded in 1867, Centenary has been through changes and seen various groups of students and staff. As previously written in an article by Swayze, the Hackettstown community speculates that our campus is haunted. 

Different locations on campus are suspected to have paranormal activity, but the two most prominent buildings are Seay and Taylor Memorial Library. 

Swayze took part in an investigation in April of 2025, witnessing different paranormal activity. She spoke of what happened when investigating in The Little Theater, which is located in the Seay building. 

“I sat blindfolded in a chair in the closet with a static dome (ghost hunting equipment) sitting near the entryway of the closet. Caelyn Campbell, a Centenary alumna, asked out loud, ‘if anyone is here, can you go say hi to Sami in the closet.’ I felt something walk into the closet and the static dome was set off with a light pointing in the direction of the doorway, meaning it picked up static as if someone walked up to the closet. It felt as though someone walked into the closet and was standing right in front of me, but no one was there.”

Many students and staff have paranormal experiences on campus. Be sure to ask your classmates and peers if they have seen anything spooky at Centenary. 

Jenny Jump

Jenny Jump State Forest is located in the Great Meadows/Hope area. Anyone with Jenny Jump in their back yard knows the local legend of the young girl Jenny. Her story is a quick one. 

Jenny was the daughter of a local settler who was out picking berries alone one morning when she was snuck up on by Lenni Lenape Indians. Jenny ran and her father heard her. Jenny was up on a mountain and her father in the field below. In a desperate attempt to save his daughter, he told her to jump, “Jump Jenny, Jump!” and so she did. Jenny didn’t survive the fall. 

Many people claim they have seen Jenny’s ghostly figure in the forest. What only adds to the rumors is Shades of Death Road located within the forest. 

Shades of Death Road: Ghost Lake and Faery Hole

One of New Jersey’s most haunted roads is only a mere 15 minutes away from Centenary’s campus. When taking US-46 to Hope Road, you will eventually find a wooden pole with Shades of Death Road written on it, indicating the beginning of the infamously spooky street. 

There are many theories as to why Shades of Death is haunted, one being a plague that killed most of the town, their bodies then placed on the street for doctors to collect. Their spirits are allegedly trapped on this road, causing travellers to feel unsettled when passing through. 

Some locals have mentioned seeing a woman in white walking Shades of Death Road. When it’s dark out and there is no one else out on the road, people have seen this woman asking for a ride. When letting her in their car, they eventually take their eyes off of her long enough for her to disappear and never be seen again. This is a common sighting not only on Shades of Death Road, but in many areas across the world. 

Another reason behind the eerie 6-mile road being haunted stems from Indians throwing the bodies of early settlers into Ghost Lake, which supposedly causes the constant state of fog surrounding the water. Ghost Lake is located on Shades of Death Road, holding walking trails in the surrounding area. 

Along the shore of Ghost Lake, there is a cave people call the Faery Hole. In 1918, there were signs of people living in the cave, leaving behind different resources such as pottery shards and arrowheads. 

Whether you believe in the spooky stories of Shades of Death and Ghost Lake or you just enjoy an adventure, take the trip and venture to the foggy water yourself! 

The Cellar Door

A small antique and handcrafted store found in Belvidere, NJ, The Cellar Door hides a ghostly secret. There have been many instances of ghost apparitions and figures out of the corner of people’s eyes, but the most notable instance comes from staff members. 

One evening three staff members sat in the back eating lunch when they heard the door open then close. One staff member reported seeing a young girl run through the store, but upon investigation the little girl was nowhere to be found. The only evidence they have to prove what they saw was real was the security camera footage showing the door open and close. 

Shippen Manor

Shippen Manor’s history is rich and extensive. The manor was built in 1754 by the Shippen family, a well-known wealthy Quaker family. Many members of the family came and went through the estate, but not many stayed. Eventually the manor would shift ownership to the Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission. 

In the early 2000’s there began to be sightings of figures in windows of the manor. Paranormal investigators have also experienced seeing specters in 19th-century period clothing and clear electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) responses. There’s also been reports of items disappearing, doors opening and closing, and the sounds of footsteps. 

Princess Doe

By far one of the saddest stories we’ll share in this article is the story of Blairstown’s Princess Doe. In July of 1982, the body of a young girl was found in Cedar Ridge Cemetery. Her identity remained undiscovered for years, even with the assistance of psychics. Princess Doe’s body was buried in Cedar Ridge Cemetery and remains there. 

With this tragedy came many stories of locals seeing and hearing things in Cedar Ridge Cemetery. Many believe these occurrences are Princess Doe reaching out from the beyond. 

While it's a devastating story, there is some good news. Princess Doe’s case has officially been solved. In 2022, she was identified as Dawn Olanick and her murderer, Arthur Kinlaw, has been charged. Her spirit may finally rest in peace. 

Yellow Frame Church and Cemetery

This yellow building may not seem all that spooky, but it holds many different paranormal tales. It’s said that Yellow Frame Church once had a minister who passed away after his first ever sermon and now he wanders the church in autumn. 

It’s not just the church but the cemetery as well. Yellow Frame Cemetery holds three legends; the groundskeeper who continues his job postmortem, the sounds of children’s giggles near the graves of children, and New Jersey’s very own Headless Horseman—well not really, since this apparition of a figure on a horse still has his head. 

Friday the 13th

While this may technically not count as haunted, there’s still a very important and spooky part of Blairstown, NJ we haven’t covered. Many horror hounds already know that Blairstown and surrounding areas were featured in the very first Friday the 13th movie. That’s right, Jason Voorhees is a Jersey local. 

Located in Hope—right next door to St. John’s Methodist Church—is the Moravian Cemetery, which is in the background of a few scenes in Friday the 13th. If you travel to Hardwick next, you’ll find the original camp used during shooting, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco. 

Last but not least, take a drive into Blairstown where one of the coolest Jersey diners sits. The Blairstown Diner was not only featured in the first movie, but also is one of Jason's biggest supporters. Swing by on a Friday the 13th and you’ll see why.

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If you’re in the area this spooky season, go explore the local history and hauntings of Warren County. 

Information was sourced from “Warren County Hauntings and Other Strange Phenomena” by Elanor Wagner, “Jenny Jump, Ghost Lake, and Faery Hole” by Weird N.J., and “Shades of Death Road” by Weird N.J.

It’s not just local legends you should be afraid of in New Jersey. There’s a Devil in our woods, a road so haunted many avoid it, and so much more you can find in The Jersey Devil Isn't The Only Thing Lurking In New Jersey's Woods.