10 Of New Jersey's Scariest REAL Places

Forget the haunted hayride. New Jersey has plenty of real-life scary places of its own, brimming with tales of both horror and extreme tragedy. Take a virtual walk down New Jersey's haunted past, or hop in the car some dark night and check out some of these spooky places yourself:

1. Hopewell, NJ: Ever heard of Charles Lindbergh? In 1927, he was the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic and he enjoyed much of the wealth and fame that accompanied the feat. Seeking an escape from his celebrity, he moved with his wife to a secluded estate, "Highfields," tucked deep in the Sourland Mountains. Only weeks after they moved in, tragedy struck: The couple's 20-month-old son, Charles Junior, was kidnapped. While the couple was downstairs one evening, he was snatched right out of his crib from the second-floor nursery; someone left a ladder about 75 feet from the house.

The baby was missing for two months before his body was found in a shallow grave just a few miles from the home. A German carpenter, Bruno Richard Hauptmann, was tried and convicted for the murder and put to death via electric chair in Trenton State Prison in 1936. Prosecutors at the time said he kidnapped the child for ransom money, but he maintained his innocence until his death. Theories abound about the haunting case, with many saying that Hauptmann was just a scapegoat and caught up in the anti-German sentiment that gripped America at the time. Some even speculate that Lindbergh himself was behind his son's murder, but that was never proven. You can still drive through the dark woods to see Highfields, and feel the horror and sadness of a child's kidnapping and murder on the property.

2. Marlboro, NJ: There are several now-shuttered mental institutions in the state, but perhaps none are more famous than the Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital. After more than 60 years in operation, the hospital was shut down in 1998, amidst numerous reports of "inhumane care and treatment of mental patients,” as well as poor living and working conditions. An undercover investigation by the state also found corruption, illegal environmental practices and a “range of irregularities" that had been quietly going on for years — unnoticed — in the heart of New Jersey's farmland. Marlboro Township residents also frequently reported seeing escaped patients from the grounds.

The 411-acre hospital property is currently overgrown and has been used for military exercises. It's also become a popular Weird NJ location. Many ghost stories surround the site, particularly its slaughterhouse. Local legend says the hospital was built on a cattle farm and the original owner of the land wound up as a patient of the hospital. Stories have been told of hearing squealing pigs and cows at night, as well as footsteps and voices near the slaughterhouse site.

3. Madison, NJ: Drew University in Madison made this list from Reader's Digest as one of the most haunted campuses in the country. The college was established in the late 1800s, giving it over 100 years of hauntings. "Whether it's sightings of the student that supposedly hung them self from the rafters of Asbury Hall or the dark-haired woman spotted on the fifth floor of Hoyt Hall, these ghosts are forever residents," the magazine wrote about Drew. Some academics at the college have even wondered if the campus could be haunted. Hear what they have to say in this video:

4. Hackettstown, NJ: Centenary College in Hackettstown also made the Reader's Digest list. That's because in 1886, the body of a murdered woman was found behind the college, and some say her spirit never left. "Here are frequent Tillie sightings along the grounds and school, and even the campus grill is named after her," Reader's Digest notes. The school hasn't shied away from talking about Tillie. Watch a video, made by the school, discussing her haunting presence:

5. Westfield, NJ: Why not take a drive past 431 Hillside Avenue in Westfield, New Jersey? The home mysteriously burned down in 1972, but its tragic past makes it infamous among fans of American true crime. It was at this address that on November 9, 1971, quiet accountant John List methodically shot his wife, mother and three children on a weekday afternoon, killing them all.

The List family was wealthy — and reclusive. Their mansion, Breeze Knoll, sat perched on a small rise and was the most stately in Westfield, itself a wealthy, upper-middle class New Jersey suburb. While his children were at school, List first shot his wife in the back of the head and then his mother, who lived with them, above the left eye. When his 16-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son came home from school that day, he shot them each in the back of the head. List then made himself lunch and drove to Westfield High School to watch his elder son, 15, play in a soccer game. He drove the boy home, then shot him repeatedly in the chest and face. He lined the bodies of his wife and children up in Boy Scout sleeping bags in the grand ballroom, and dragged his mother's body up to her attic apartment. He then cut his own picture out of every family photograph and fled. He also sent notes to the children's schools, informing them they would be gone for a few weeks visiting family.

Even more horrifyingly, neighbors didn't find their bodies until a month later, on Dec. 7. That was because they noticed all the mansion's lights were on, burning brightly from every window day and night. Finally, as the bulbs began to burn out one by one, people called police, who finally discovered the gruesome scene inside. Why did he do it? A five-page letter List wrote to his pastor was found on his desk, where he explained that he saw too much evil in the world and killed his family to save their souls. It was also later revealed that List was critically in debt. List wasn't apprehended until years later, when someone recognized him from America's Most Wanted. He had remarried, moved to Virginia and was again working as an accountant. He died in prison at age 82.

6. Westfield, NJ: Westfield comes in yet again on our list, and this is because of — you guessed it — The Watcher's House. Yes, some real estate just can't shake an unfortunate reputation, and 657 Boulevard is such a place. The drama surrounded the property began in June 2014, when a couple with three young children purchased the home for more than $1 million. The excitement of purchasing their dream home quickly went south, however. The new owners claim that within days of moving in, they began receiving letters from a stalker who called himself "The Watcher." Disturbing letters from the “The Watcher” reportedly included phrases like: “My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time.” “Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them to me,” the stalker wrote. The couple said they were too scared to move into the six-bedroom house due to alleged threats. Its current owners now have the property up for sale for $1.2 million but have had no luck, claiming they cannot sell the house because of the bad publicity surrounding it. A renter currently lives there now. And he said he, too, received a letter in February, 2017 that was "more derogatory and sinister than any of the previous letters."

7. Totowa, NJ: Riverview Drive in Totowa is infamous in the area because it's the site where a young girl was killed by a truck on her prom night. Locals say the girl still lurks on the road, and her spirit will cause disruptions on your cell phone. It's also said that her ghost brings death, and any sighting of this girl means a loved one will die soon. She is said to appear along the road all in white.

8. Clinton Road, West Milford, NJ: Why not take a nice drive down Clinton Road some dark evening? If you haven't heard of it by now, Clinton Road is one of New Jersey's creepiest and most isolated. There are numerous tales of paranormal activity said to occur on this ten-mile stretch of roadway in the mountainous northern part of the state. Clinton Road will actually be featured in an upcoming new movie starring Ice-T and Vincent Pastore. If you want to take a drive, find Clinton Road where it begins at Rt. 23 and drive it all the way north to its terminus at Upper Greenwood Lake. If you dare.

9. Shades of Death Road, Warren County, NJ: Just the name alone was enough to make it onto our list! This winding road in rural, wooded Warren County has a history that goes all the way back to New Jersey's colonial days, when this part of the state was considered wild, unconquered wilderness. It's said that Native Americans were tortured by white settlers in this area and thrown alive into a nearby lake. It doesn't help that the road is dotted with abandoned cabins, from which many report seeing and hearing strange lights and noises coming from inside. Others said they've seen the ghosts of the dead walking along the road at night.

10. Alpine, NJ: Who knew that one of NJ's spookiest spots was also in its richest ZIP code? At the turn of the century, Manuel Rionda was a wealthy Cuban-born sugar baron. He built Rio Vista, a sprawling, 300-acre estate in Alpine for his wife, Harriet Clarke, including a particularly unique tower from which he wanted her to see the sparking lights of New York City just over the Hudson River. However local lore says that what Harriet could also see from her tower was her husband with another woman and, in despair, she threw herself off it one night. Each time attempts are made to demolish the historic tower, a construction worker dies in a mysterious accident. It has been said that strange noises come from inside the tower, and if you circle it six times at night, the ghost of Harriet Clarke will appear.

Happy haunting and Happy Halloween!

Top image via Pixabay