Weird NJ - Weird New Jersey

09/23/2026

Happy Jersey-Style Birthday to Bruce Springsteen, who was born on this day September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, NJ. IIllustration by Joe Oesterle, who writes...

"I call this one, “Bruce Springsteen eating a slice of pizza while riding on the back of the Jersey Devil, down the shore, on the boardwalk.”

"I spent portions of every summer of my life until I was 22 and moved to California, and while California is great, I do miss the daily Summertime sightings of Bruce Springsteen eating a slice of pizza while riding on the back of the Jersey Devil, down the shore, on the boardwalk. True story."

09/19/2026

It was on this day, September 19,1972, that the body of a teenage girl was discovered atop a cliff, locally known as the Devil's Teeth, high above an abandoned quarry in the town of Springfield, NJ. The co**se was found thanks to a dog that brought home a badly decomposed human forearm to its master.

The deceased would later be identified as Jeannette DePalma, a local teenager who had been missing for six weeks. Before long, witchcraft, satanism and police conspiracies would all become suspects in the bizarre case.

09/18/2026

On this day in Weird NJ history, September 18, 1933, actor Robert Blake was born Michael James Gubitosi in Nutley, NJ. Blake became famous for his central role as "Mickey" in the final years of the Our Gang (Little Rascals) short film series from 1939 to 1944.

He is best known today for his title role in the 1975–78 television series Baretta. During his long career Blake portrayed more than one real-life convicted killer, including Perry Smith in the 1967 film adaptation of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood,” and Westfield, NJ murderer John List in the made-for-TV movie “Judgement Day: The John List Story.”

Blake was arrested in 2002 for the 2001 murder of his second wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. He was acquitted of the murder by a deadlocked jury in criminal court in 2005. Commenting on this ruling, Los Angeles County District Attorney Stephen Cooley called the jurors "incredibly stupid" to fall for the defense's claims. Public opinion about the verdict was mixed, with some believing Blake guilty but many feeling that there was insufficient evidence to convict him.

Blake was later found liable in civil court for Bakley’s wrongful death in a case brought by Bakley’s three children. Blake died March 9, 2023 at the age of 89.

09/17/2026

On Sunday, October 18, Weird NJ will be taking part in all the frightening fun at the first ever Clinton Road Zombie Run!

For generations, Clinton Road has been one of New Jersey’s most mysterious and legendary destinations. The isolated stretch of road cutting through the woods of West Milford has inspired chilling stories of phantom headlights, strange creatures, unexplained activity and the ghost of a young boy said to return coins tossed into the water near the infamous bridge. On October 18, 2026, those legends will come alive during the Clinton Road Zombie Run.

Runners can choose from the Zombie Crawl, 5K or 10K and experience the eerie atmosphere of Clinton Road in an entirely new way. Whether you are a competitive runner chasing a personal best, a casual participant looking for an unforgettable adventure or a horror fan ready to embrace the legend, there is a distance for you.

But runners will not be alone.

We are also calling upon zombies, creatures and restless spirits to emerge from the woods and help bring Clinton Road’s haunted history to life. Volunteer zombies will line the course to frighten, entertain and encourage participants as they attempt to escape the undead. Come dressed in your most terrifying costume, perfect your zombie walk and become part of one of New Jersey’s most unusual running events.

Participants are encouraged to dress for the occasion, bring their bravest friends and prepare for a day filled with running, costumes, scares, music and legendary Clinton Road fun. Every finisher who survives the course will earn a Survivor Medal, while awards and costume recognition will add to the excitement.

The question is not simply whether you can finish—it is whether you can survive Clinton Road. https://www.facebook.com/events/1514748763181354/

09/15/2026

On this day in Weird NJ history, September 15th, in 1958 one of the most tragic railroad disasters in NJ history occurred when a commuter train plunged from an open drawbridge into the murky waters of Newark Bay. In a bizarre twist, the deadly disaster would lead to a windfall payout for scores of NJ gamblers.

The train was traveling from Bay Head to Jersey City. As it crossed the 1.5-mile span of tracks over Newark Bay it should have slowed to 22 miles an hour, but was it was doing nearly twice that speed. What nobody on the train realized was that the drawbridge they were bearing down on had been partially opened. Neither the engineer nor the brakeman seemed to acknowledge the multiple warning signs they should have alarmed them to the impending danger.

Two locomotives dropped 40 feet into the bay, followed by the first two coaches. All sank immediately. A third coach, number 932, dangled precariously off the bridge for two hours before it too toppled into the water. Divers recovered 48 bodies in all. As the locomotive crew was killed, the true cause of the accident was never determined.

That grim scene and ill-fated digits 932 would soon bring good fortune for betters in the numbers racket, who had seen the numbers on the train car in front page photos on late editions of the area newspapers. Thousands of people in the area played the number in the pari-mutuel handle, the illegal lottery of the time.

The following day the numbers 9-3-2 hit, garnering a record $50 million windfall in payouts to an unprecedented number of winners. Bookies throughout New York and New Jersey either went broke, into hiding or were simply never heard from again – all except one, Joseph Vincent “Newsboy” Moriarity of Jersey City. Read the full strange saga of this tragic disaster, and the man who made a mint off it (temporarily), at our website.

09/10/2026

09/08/2026

It was on this day in Weird NJ history, Sept. 8th in 1934, that the passenger liner S.S. Morro Castle ran aground just a few yards from Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ. 137 passengers and crewmembers died aboard or while trying to escape from the fire engulfed ship. Many mysteries still surround the wreck of the Morro Castle, which remains one of the worst maritime disasters in U.S. history. Was one of the heralded heroes of that fateful day, the doomed ship’s radio operator, actually the true villain of the catastrophe?

09/06/2026

On this day in Weird NJ history, September 6, 1833, Antoine Le Blanc was hanged on the Village Green at Morristown for the triple murder of one of Morristown’s most respected families. The story of Antoine Le Blanc should have ended there, but it was really only just beginning. After the hanging, Le Blanc’s death mask was made, then his body was skinned and his flayed hide crafted into “charming little keepsakes” and sold as wallets and bookmarks. Each item was hand-signed by the Sheriff of Morristown to assure authenticity. Read the full story…

09/05/2026

Sat. Sept. 12: Rockabilly Uprising & Smithville Artwalk!

Weird NJ is excited to once again be taking part in all the mayhem at Rockabilly Uprising in Smithville taking place at Historic Smithville, NJ - The Village Greene on Saturday, September 12 from 10am till 5pm. This year the Uprising will be combined with Smithville Artwalk into a single day event perpetrated by our good friends, the miscreants at the Underground.

We’ll be bringing issues of the magazine plus all kinds of other Weird NJ stuff like; special issues, books, T-shirts, stickers, patches and posters. Come share your own strange story with the Marks, have your photo taken, and get some of your Weird swag signed.

75 Vendors of art and unique items, Live music, special guests and a pin up contest with a $100 CASH prize. Free admission. Free parking. Free fun! Come out and support local music & art. Fight the mundane!

615 E Moss Mill Rd, Smithville, NJ.

09/04/2026

Murder and the Haunting of the College of New Jersey’s (Trenton State) Kendall Hall

It was on this day in Weird NJ history, September 4, 1977, that an aspiring young music major was brutally murdered while practicing piano in an empty auditorium at The College of New Jersey (then known as Trenton State College). To this day, the murder is unsolved. Ever since that time, strange ghostly occurrences have been reported surrounding Kendall Hall at the college.

Her name was Sigrid Stevenson, and she had one passion – playing the piano. One late night, like many other, she snuck into a Kendall Hall to practice. She sat on the stage, in front of an auditorium with hundreds of empty seats, and played. But as she practiced that night, she was murdered at the piano.

Sigrid’s killer walked from the stage, a free person. Sigrid’s promised future wilted, and in its place, a mystery arose. The case would involve psychics, ex-roommates, and professors. To read the full story and hear witnesses’ personal tales of the paranormal activity they’ve experienced, read more below.