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Madison Historical Society Presentation - April 24, 2018
Dr. Brian Regal will present "The Secret Life of the New Jersey Devil" on April 24, 2018 in the Chase Room at the Madison Public Library
Historical Society Presents “Dr. Brian Regal: The Secret Life of the New Jersey Devil”
MADISON – On Tuesday, April 24th, Dr. Brian Regal will speak at the Madison Historical Society on “The Secret Life of the New Jersey Devil”. Regal’s presentation will take place in the Chase Room of the Madison Public Library beginning at 7:15 PM. Light refreshments will be available from 7:00 PM. The presentation is open to the public, and there is no admission charge.
“This will be our fourth presentation in the Society’s 2017 – 2018 program year,” stated society vice president and programs chair, Jim Malcolm. Our speaker is a professor of the history of science, technology, and medicine at Kean University. Professor Regal’s research focus is on the development of evolution theory and its relationship to politics, culture and religion. He is a Fellow of the Linnaean Society of London, and the Kean University Center for History, Politics and Policy.
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Dr. Regal will talk about the New Jersey Devil, a popular piece of North Eastern folklore. It is widely believed to have been demonic offspring of an eighteenth century character known as “Mother Leeds.” It continues to be sighted and searched for to this day, has inspired television productions, and is the mascot of the state’s hockey team. Unfortunately, there is no physical evidence for the creature’s existence or that it was originally based upon a monstrous birth. Along with Dr. Frank J. Esposito, Regal’s latest book, “The Secret History of the Jersey Devil”, is a complete reexamination of the origins of the legend of the Jersey Devil.
The Madison Historical Society’s role is to assemble, record, and preserve all matters of historical interest concerning Madison and its residents. Formed in 1922 to preserve the old Bottle Hill Tavern, the Society has organized a significant collection of historic documents, maps and photographs over the intervening years. These are housed at the Local History Center at the Madison Public Library. For more information about the Society or to inquire about membership, call 973-377-0722, ext 8 or visit the Society’s website at www.madisonhistoricalsociety.org.
