Do you believe in ghosts? Whether you just saw a horror movie or are a true believer of paranormal activity, you may have the suspicion that ghosts are real and you are not alone.
People all across New Jersey participate in a blog where they log in their own personal anecdotes where many claim they have come in contact with real ghosts. The website is called Ghosts of America, from the search engine company Stratus Pikpuk, and has thousands of alleged ghost sightings published on their website.
Anyone can submit their own ghost story to their page by selecting their location and fill out their form. The site warns that they are can not verify if any of their stories they publish are true.
The site has ghost stories from all over the country, even New Jersey.
Cranbury coffee
One of the more recent stories comes from a resident of Cranbury where he said he smelled coffee and tobacco but neither substance were in or near his house. After his CD case went flying and hit his car, he called a medium, someone who claims to be in contact with the world of spirits, and she said the ghost of the original owner of the house was pranking him.
Fair Lawn sightings
The site contains some chilling stories of alleged ghost encounters in some Bergen County towns. Fair Lawn has seven ghost sightings listed on the blog. One post from 2019 said there is a rumor that the ghost of a girl who killed herself after her father killed her boyfriend haunts the area by the "OldRed Mill," at Red Mill Road.
A man named Kevin posted a blog that in 2016 that said he was driving home on Route 20 in Fair Lawn when he saw an old woman"dressed in the turn of the century clothes" which "were all dark black with a large hat." He called the restaurant she seemed to be approaching and Kevin claimed the owner said there "have been strange things seen here, but could not discuss this event as he needed the business."
Oradell Reservoir
One blog shared the terrifying tale of the Oradell Reservoir, which they claim is haunted by an old farmer whose farm was flooded. The story read that he chained himself to the stove, set his house on fire and screamed for help when he and his house burned to the ground. "Sometimes on quiet nights you can hear him screaming for help. Just go to the lake on a quiet night and listen close, and you'll hear him," the blogger wrote.
Jersey City home
Someone said an unusual presence ominously infected her best friend's father's house on Boyd Avenue in Jersey City. She explained her and her friend would constantly hear noises from the floor that they were not on, and said the volume knob would move on it's own with no one touching it.
She shared how doors would shut by themselves "This was not a standard hinged door that could maybe shut in a breeze or with the settling of the house. It HAS to be pulled. Needless to say, we were both frozen in our seats too terrified to move." She said another time that her friend had the eerie feeling of "pressure on the mattress next to him like something had just sat down next to him or was pushing down on the bed."
Great Falls man
Some stories even share pictures of what they claim to be paranormal activity. One picture was submitted by someone with the username Maria which showed a man posing next to the Great Falls in Paterson at night. She said the photo was taken on a digital camera in 2008. The post says a paranormal girl can be seen in the photo if zoomed in, but the quality does not present a clear image.
Jackson woods
Another alleged ghost picture was taken in Jackson. The user said in 2020 they went to a remote location by the woods in Whiteville Road and Hope Chapel. The picture shows a white streak and complete darkness surrounding it but the user said if you zoom in you can clearly see the outline of a black figure. The person used a SB7 spirit box for ghost hunting which revealed the name Oliver, then the word ''rancorous."
Toms River sightings
The Jersey Shore may be a popular area for ghosts as the website has 26 sighting stories in Toms River. One blog post claimed their family's house"off an Indian Hill in Toms River" was haunted. The user said the family heard "extremely loud bass music coming from the basement stereo" and "deep voices between 3:00-3:30 a.m."
The post said an eerie women figure haunted the Tom River house, "I believe the ghost caused dysfunction in our family. We were torn apart living in that house just as the family who lived there before were. In 2012 I saw the woman figure years later telling me in a half sleep that I'd never get away. Going back to 1990, my brother would have vivid night terrors wake up screaming about that same woman."
Another post shared that a family that used to live in Round Tree Drive in Toms River one night saw a glowing face in the bedroom window. "We all were woken up and freaking out. My mom went to the priest for prayer then we ended up moving." One comment under that post said that there are rumors that the area used to be a formal Indian burial ground.
The user Savannah shared a chilling story about how she was babysitting her aunt's daughter in Toms River and heard a piano playing in the basement, but when she went downstairs the music stopped and there was no one there. The story continued where she went to use the phone, but there was no phone dial, and she left the house to call the police.
Plenty of other stories are available on their website in case you want a chilling story before bed this Halloween season.