The Jersey Devil: Prince of the Pine Barrens Part 1

Astonishing Legends

Scott Philbrook

History, Society & Culture

4.6 • 9.8K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2017

⏱️ 104 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

They say if you meet someone from New Jersey, Pennsylvania or New York, you don't ask them if they've heard of the "Jersey Devil," you ask them if they've had some kind of encounter with it. The legend of the curious cryptid is so prolific, they've no doubt heard of it, and if they've spent any time near the Pine Barrens of "The Garden State," more often than not you'll find they've experienced some evidence of the beast, or know someone who has. Folklorists say that there are more than 30 variations of the legend, but the main origin story of New Jersey's own "Official Demon" goes all the way back to 1735, and a Mrs. Leeds of Galloway, NJ, who upon a difficult delivery of her 13th child, exclaimed it might as well be a devil – which, if the tale is to be believed, you should never do. Since then, the story has been so popular that the idea of The Jersey Devil has made its way into movies, television, and video games, and is even the inspiration for the name of New Jersey's National Hockey League team. But why has this tale endured for at least 282 years? Is it because somehow the legend is just so fantastic that people can't forget it? Or is it because, as so many residents throughout the years have claimed, from New Jersey's eastern shores, through the mysterious Pine Barrens all the way to western Pennsylvania, something really is out there?

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0:00.0	Sometimes running a business can feel like cycling uphill with square wheels.
0:07.0	But zero online accounting software can help predict the future cash flow of your business.
0:15.0	So you can stay one step ahead. Soon it'll feel more like free-wearing downhill.
0:21.0	On a tandem! What, mate? With a messer on the back.
0:25.0	Oh, that's nice.
0:26.0	Search zero with an axe. The cost healthy business is beautiful business.
0:30.0	This week's episode of astonishing legends is brought to you by Harries.com,
0:33.0	Movement Watches, and the Great Courses Plus, as well as our contributors at Patreon.com.
0:38.0	And we're back.
0:39.0	Rich Adams chair looks so sad and empty.
0:41.0	I know. I saw him at the end of the driveway looking all despondent as I drove up.
0:47.0	I guess I probably should have invited him in.
0:49.0	Seriously though, we were thinking about topics we could have him back for,
0:52.0	and he really should be here for this cold open.
0:55.0	Have you heard about the new Mothman flap going on in Chicago?
0:58.0	Yeah, I have actually. I'm only because our listeners brought it to my attention
1:01.0	on both Twitter and Facebook, which by the way, I gotta say it's been awesome.
1:04.0	I wanted to say thank you to everybody because we can be so buried in the show.
1:08.0	We miss current events that are happening.
1:10.0	It's so great now to have this network of listeners who are like,
1:13.0	oh my god, you gotta check this out or check that out.
1:15.0	And we hear about Twitter and Facebook because I wouldn't know what was happening.
	...

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