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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leeds Point, the Jersey Devil's reputed birthplace, ranks #2 in New Jersey

A new index ranks places by published accounts, not legend

September 30, 2026

With Halloween approaching, Leeds Point in Galloway, the reputed birthplace of the Jersey Devil, ranks #2 in HauntBound's 2026 index of New Jersey's most haunted places. The index ranks 162 New Jersey sites by separate published accounts and how far back they go, not by fame or search popularity.

Leeds Point ranks #2. According to local tradition, a woman known as Mother Leeds cursed her 13th child during a difficult labor in 1735; the newborn is said to have transformed into a winged, horse-headed creature with cloven hooves and a forked tail before escaping into the Pine Barrens. Four separate published accounts describe activity there, the earliest dated to 1735. During a mass sighting wave in January 1909, newspapers across South Jersey and Philadelphia reported dozens of encounters, including tracks found in the snow and a Bristol, Pennsylvania, police officer who said he fired at the creature.

Also in the top ten: Clinton Road at #3 in West Milford, Lambert Castle (Belle Vista) at #8 in Paterson and the Inn of the Hawke at #10 in Lambertville.

Statewide, The Southern Mansion in Cape May ranks #1 of the index's 162 documented places. The index's most commonly reported phenomenon is apparitions, on record at 80 New Jersey sites.

"We rank by evidence, not legend: independent published accounts, documented history, and how far back the reports go. We don't claim ghosts are real, or that they aren't. We document where the reports concentrate, and we show our work," said Ben Fineman, editor of HauntBound. The ranking shows each site's documented record.

Visiting:Leeds Point, Galloway: no public site or confirmed location marks the birthplace legend; Atlantic County's Leeds Point Natural Area is public land.

For media:The full ranking: https://hauntbound.com/most-haunted/new-jersey/The fact sheet, with cleared images: https://hauntbound.com/press/fact-sheets/new-jersey/A short version follows.

HauntBound (hauntbound.com) is a family-friendly field guide to more than 6,000 documented haunted and historic places across the United States, ranked by published evidence rather than legend. No venue pays to be listed or ranked.

Media contact: Ben Fineman, Editor, HauntBound, editor@hauntbound.com

Short version

SHORT VERSION

Leeds Point, the Jersey Devil's reputed birthplace, ranks #2

Leeds Point in Galloway, the reputed birthplace of the Jersey Devil, ranks #2 among New Jersey's ten most haunted places in HauntBound's 2026 index, which ranks sites by separate published accounts rather than fame. According to tradition, a woman known as Mother Leeds cursed her 13th child in 1735, and the newborn was said to transform into a winged, horse-headed creature that fled into the Pine Barrens. A mass sighting wave swept South Jersey and Philadelphia newspapers in January 1909. The Southern Mansion in Cape May ranks #1 statewide.

Full ranking: https://hauntbound.com/most-haunted/new-jersey/