Sunday June 2^nd at the Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ. 3:30 PM until whenever. This is the last scheduled WNJ event of the 2013 Spring/Summer season. So come on out and help us celebrate the new issue, get all of your WNJ stuff signed by publishers Mark Sceurman and Mark Moran, and enjoy a great party with a bunch of like-minded weirdoes. All ages are welcome, so bring the whole family!

Tickets are just $7.50 in advance and $10 the day of the show. They’re for sale through the Weird NJ web site, our Amazon storefront, or by calling our toll-free number 1-866-WEIRDNJ (934-7365). Price of admission includes one FREE copy of the new issue of Weird NJ at the door. WOW—That’s a $5 value!

Not only that, but as our gift to you the first 50 people through the door on the day of the event will receive a complimentary souvenir Weird NJ beer mug.

There will be two rockin’ bands for your musical entertainment: The Dirty Stayouts and The Poor Man’s Opera.

The Dirty Stayouts describe their sound as Cow Punk & Dirty Rock N’ Roll, and promise it is unmatched by any other band! You will leave a show feeling dirty and wanting more… Live it Up!!!

The Poor Man’s Opera plays an eclectic mix of songs that you’ve heard before, perhaps a long long time ago, but can’t seem to remember when, or who they were originally performed by. Somewhere around the second verse though, you may find yourself thinking, “Hey, I remember this tune, and I think I really liked it once!” By the third chorus, you’ll be singing along.

There will be documentary films shown in the club’s Crossroads Lounge featuring some on New Jersey’s most picturesque and haunting abandoned locations, courtesy of our friends at Antiquity Echoes.

You can read all about this legendary roadhouse in the brand new issue of Weird NJ, #40. It has a long and colorful history of hauntings and howling music. The Stanhope offers a cash bar and full menu of tasty American fare, and an outdoor beer garden and smoking lounge.

Stanhope House owner Jon Klein will be on hand to share tales of the many ghosts that inhabit the Stanhope House, and he just might tell you the secret of what lays at the bottom of the 40-foot deep well that is located just beneath the floorboards of the Crossroads Lounge.

Your name will be put on a mailing list at the door. Please print out your conformation reply once it is sent to you and bring it the day of the show. If you order more than one ticket, your name will appear plus the extra amount of tickets you ordered.

Haunts and Hoochie-Coochie at the Stanhope House

The following is an excerpt from our article on the Stanhope House from the new issue of Weird NJ:

On any given night you might hear the sounds of banging, thumping and bloodcurdling howls emanating throughout the Stanhope House, a tavern, music venue and former rooming house near the banks of Lake Muskenetcong in Stanhope, NJ. Usually though, those plaintive wails are just the sound of one of the legendary blues acts that have been playing the club since back in the early 1970s…but that is not always the case. You see, according to some, the Stanhope House also plays host to an entirely different kind of “soul” that haunts the place––the spirits of guests who have checked into the inn over the years and never checked out. The honky tonk is rife with stories of the resident ghosts randomly opening and closing doors and moving objects about the place and unexplained footsteps are heard walking around the upper floors when no one is there.

Stories of multiple tragic deaths, including murders, suicides and death by fire, pepper the 222-year history of the Stanhope House, making it a likely spot for restless spirits to hang around. Originally built in 1790 as a single-family home, what we know as the Stanhope House today would have a number of different names and incarnations, including serving as a post office, a general store, a stagecoach stop and eventually an inn (some allege it was also a brothel). When the Morris Canal was constructed across northern New Jersey it ran virtually right past the door of the inn. The canal was in operation from the 1820s to 1920s and when workers needed someplace to stay, the Stanhope House became a rooming house to accommodate them. There were about 30 rooms on the second floor, and on the third floor in the attic, where it was routinely over 100 degrees in the summer, there were another 20-30 small rooms added for the more aromatic of the workers, such as the muleskinners and the drovers. From its very early days there has always been a tavern in the building in one form or another.

The music has been the main draw at the Stanhope House ever since they started booking big name blues acts back in the early 1970s. The roster of talent reads like a who’s who of Blues-Rock history. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Paul Butterfield, Charlie Musselwhite, Dr. Jon, Luther “Guitar Jr.” Jonson, Lonnie Mack, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Hubert Sumlin, Richie Havens, Jon Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Albert King and Buddy Guy all performed on the Stanhope House stage, most more than once.

The Stanhope House’s web site describes the scene ‘back in the day’ this way, “Picture Muddy Waters’ deep, grainy voice trading chicken recipes with former club Matron, Mama Wrobleski or the original Hoochie-Coochie Man, Willie Dixon stopping by for Thanksgiving dinner. All of it happened at The Stanhope House…”

The Stanhope House is haunted from the rafters of its attic all the way down to its stony basement foundation. With such a long rich past of both supernatural and musical history, it is a unique and unusual landmark. The new owners have spruced up the décor a bit, making it look a little more like a funky blues club now rather than its former juke joint appearance, but have still managed to retain the authentic vibe that made the Stanhope the cool place that it was. Whether you’re searching for spooks or just want to hear some great live music while enjoying your beer, it’s a pretty good bet that you’ll find what you’re looking for at the Stanhope House. It’s one of the last great American roadhouses––and it’s found just down the road, in Stanhope, New Jersey.

The Stanhope House is located at 45 Main Street in Stanhope, NJ. (973) 347-7777, www.stanhopehousenj.com. Go here for directions.

This weekend the 4th annual Steampunk World’s Fair will be held in Piscataway, NJ and Weird NJ will be there Friday May 17 and Saturday May 18. Drop by our table, say hello and get the brand new issue of the magazine signed by publishers Mark Sceurman and Mark Moran. Other special guest WNJ authors like Joanne Austin and Rusty Tagliareni will also be stopping by to sign the books that they penned. So polish off your goggles and oil up your brass gears and sprockets, because it’s going to be a weird scene!

Not familiar with the Steampunk phenomena? You can check out Weird NJ’s full story on last year’s World’s Fair here: Steampunk World’s Fair. Here’s a description of the event from the SPWF web site:

“Whether you are a steampunk veteran or total curious bystander; a person wearing jeans and t-shirt, or an entire suit of armor made out of authentic 19th century brass pipe; whether you’re Rennie, Jedi, Geek, Goth – none of the above or all of the above – it doesn’t matter to us! We welcome you no matter how you’re dressed, no matter what your background is, and no matter how much or little you’ve ever played with Steampunk! This is YOUR festival – come on in and enjoy!  As Steampunk ambassadors, we’re honored to have people from every genre, every level of experience, and every walk of life at our humble event!

The Steampunk World’s Fair III brought in over 4,000 attendees! Thanks to all of you who came by! To stay in the loop about what we’re doing, please feel free to check out our Facebook group, RSVP to our Facebook event, and/or join our mailing list via the link on the right-hand side of this page.”

Visit the Steampunk World’s Fair web site for all the details.

Photo by Ryan Doan

Weird NJ

• Weird NJ Issue #40 Release Party Saturday evening 5/11 6:30 – 9.  Meet WNJ Publishers Mark Sceurman and Mark Moran and have any and all of your Weird NJ stuff signed. The dinosaurs will be turned on and moving. Lanterns will be placed along the trails for when it gets dark. There will be beer will be sold at the lookout/yurt area and legendary DJ Bruce Ciccone will be spinning the prehistory pop.

Snake Hill Asylum movies will be screened and walking tours of the Hill will offer a rare chance to see the ruins of the old lunatic asylum.

Concessions booths will be open selling hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, Italian ice, sodas, ice cream. Gift shop will be open, and selling the brand new issue of Weird NJ magazine.

FREE ADMISSION for the park and FREE PARKING after 6pm Saturday. If guests wish to come earlier in the day, the Day Pass ticket price with $1 off is $19 for kids, $24 for adults ($10 for parking). Coupon for $1 off the Explorer’s Pass for any Weird NJ guests that wish to return to the Field Station during the daytime (this will be valid for the entire season). For more details and directions please visit the FSD web site.

Other Activities Going on During Weird Field Station Weekend

• Paleontologist Jason Schein from the New Jersey State Museum will present on the most bizarre and weird dinosaurs • Secaucus historian Dan McDonaugh will present on the weird history of Snake Hill. • The State Museum will present weird items from their collection called “Weird State Museum” • Mesozoic Concentration will use images of notable weird locations from around the state.

Field Station: Dinosaurs is a world-class family attraction that combines cutting-edge science with the creative minds of great artists and teachers to create a one-of-kind experience that’s thrilling, educational and fun.
Set against the breathtaking natural backdrop of the New Jersey Meadowlands and nestled at the base of a 150 million year old rock formation, the Field Station is an oasis of natural wonder just nine minutes from New York City. Over thirty life-sized, realistic dinosaurs (including the ninety foot long Argentinosaurus, the largest animatronic dinosaur ever made) come to life thanks to the brilliant engineering of the world’s leading roboticists and the imagination of FSD’s artists.

The story of the dinosaurs is vividly presented on twenty acres of wild, unpredictable woods, mysterious pathways, and mountain trails. Scientists from the New Jersey State Museum have worked to ensure that the exhibition encompasses the latest theories and discoveries in the fields of paleontology, geology, and environmental studies. The expedition takes every family on a shared adventure – full of mystery, surprise and a sense of awe.

No one has yet claimed ownership of a giant head found last week floating in the Hudson River, but we may have scooped the major news outlets on its possible origin.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, a rowing crew from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, found the 7-foot-tall, foam and fiberglass head damaged and adrift on April 22.

The team’s coach considered the enormous, Greek-style noodle a water hazard and enlisted 10 students to haul it to shore. It’s since become a school attraction.

Oddly, no one has seemed interested in retrieving the head.

However, Weird NJ was quick to identify it from issue 12 of the magazine, published in 1999, in which a reader-submitted article placed the head in Bergen County, New Jersey:

After learning about a giant head in someone’s backyard, we decided that an extended lunchtime investigation trip was warranted. The head turned out to be everything promised. The head sits in the backyard of a house in Bergen County, which shows telltale signs of being a truly weird place. In addition to the head, there were small Tiki idols on tree stumps, and a large painted fish hanging on the side of the house. As we stopped to take a couple of photos, the owner of the head came out to his car. We decided to ask him about his big head and whether we could pose next to it. He granted permission for our photo shoot and explained that the head came from Saks Fifth Ave in New York. The question we didn’t ask; why would you want a giant head sticking out of the ground in your backyard?

–Kevin N & Ken H

There’s been no word on how the head ended up some 50 miles away, and we’re still unsure of the previous owner’s name. If the Weird New Jersey team and I discover anymore information, we’ll be sure to let you know!

Thanks to Wesley Treat’s Roadside Resort.

That’s right folks, it’s hot off the presses and headed toward a store near you! The brand NEW issue of Weird NJ, #40 will be available throughout the state starting May 1st…and it happens to be the BEST ISSUE EVER! Weird NJ is carried by all major chain book stores and hundreds of independent outlets in New Jersey. If your favorite corner shop or convenience store doesn’t carry Weird NJ, ask them why not. It’s quick and easy for any retailer to set up an account with us and get on the Weird bandwagon. All they have to do is call our toll free number 866-WEIRDNJ (934-7365).

You can read a full table of contents at this link. Here’s a sneak peek at just some of the strange stuff you’ll find in the new issue…

If there are no outlets near you that sell Weird NJ, you can still order the new issue online through our web site or toll free number using your credit card. So you have no excuse not to get Weird!

Standing out amongst the marshes of the Secaucus Meadowlands, rising 150 feet above the vast flatlands, is the massive rocky form of Snake Hill. Surrounding the Hill is a prison, a train station, the NJ Turnpike and the Hackensack River. In prehistoric times this area of the Meadowlands were a glacial lake, and as the last Ice Age receded, ocean water washed in, forming the marshlands we know today.  It’s an anomaly to see Snake Hill towering out from this otherwise uniformly flat landscape.

Snake Hill gained its name, legend says, because snakes were known to run rampant in the Meadowlands decades ago.  Manhattanites would travel to the Meadows for snake hunts.  Over time, the snake population has declined and the township has attempted to drop the slithery moniker from this imposing stone.  The official name of the hill since 1926 has been Laurel Hill, and it stands in Laurel Hill Park. The name was changed by freeholder Katherine W. Brown, who proclaimed that the accomplishments that took place on Snake Hill were the “crowning laurel of Hudson County.”

Snake Hill is also known as “Graffiti Rock” due to the tradition local college fraternities have of climbing the rock to spray paint their emblems on it. Snake Hill has been heavily quarried over the years––at one point it was over two hundred feet tall and five times wider than it is today. The rock was actually the inspiration for what became Prudential’s Rock of Gibraltar logo.

While it is currently a park, Snake Hill has been the site of a variety of different institutions over its history.  An almshouse was located here, and several hospitals, including a children’s eye hospital, and a penitentiary.  Most famously, Snake Hill was the site of a huge complex of buildings that served as a psychiatric hospital. 

Although it has long since been demolished, controversy still surrounded the old lunatic asylum until recent years. Its graveyard, which was used from the 1880’s through 1962, was located next to Snake Hill, and as the new train station was being built, graves were disturbed by construction equipment.  

While clearing land for a road leading to the rail station, workers discovered an outcropping of pine coffins and construction was brought to a halt. It was discovered that over 4,000 deceased lie in the vicinity. It’s estimated that there could be up to 10,000 undiscovered graves in areas where construction has not upturned them.  Those buried here were largely mentally ill, immigrants, or indigents. A campaign began to preserve and memorialize the dead of this Potter’s Field. Families of many of the deceased protested the destruction of the area, and began efforts to identify their relatives among the vast numbers of anonymous graves. The already difficult identification process was complicated even further by a scandal that occurred in 1973, when John Marinan, superintendent of the county morgue, removed all of the headstones from the area when he was supposed to disinter a number of bodies.  This has only added to the confusion lying beneath the surface of Snake Hill. Eventually, under court order, a mass exhumation was undertaken.

Remembering Psycho Island

I grew up in Bergen County and as a little boy, when my family would go to the shore via the Turnpike, I can remember a rather scary looking hospital which my father said was a hospital for the criminally insane.

It was on a big rock outcropping, almost like an island in the middle of a vast swamp, which I guess it was. I remember that you could see the institutional beds on the top floor as you drove by.  It was a very eerie looking place, at least to me as a young boy.  It was torn down quite a number of years ago, but the smoke stack from the incinerator is still standing. I’ve never been able to find out much about it. The Meadowlands are pretty strange.  –Larry Suglia 

Plaque located at Laurel Hill Park commemorating those buried at Snake Hill.

Passing Snake Hill

I grew up in Hillside during the 40′s, 50′s and early 60′s. Whenever my mother would take us to the city on the Lyons Avenue 107 Bus (that was in Newark), the bus would go past this huge hill on its way to the Lincoln Tunnel.  Going towards New York, it was on the left. There were a ton of fraternity symbols painted on the rocks near the highway.   My mom told my brother and me that there was an old insane asylum and a prison on that hill when she was a kid, and it sure looked like it.

The hospital was at the very top and looked like something out of a Dracula movie. There was another group of buildings in the middle of the hill, but it was too far from the road to see anything that might identify it.

What is now called “The Meadowlands” was then referred to as “The Pig Farms.”  I’m 56 years old now and sometimes think about it. The “hill” was totally removed in the 1960′s, but I bet people have all sorts of stories, pictures, and legends about what really went on there.  –Andrea Jay

And the weird history of Snake Hill is not over yet! In its current incarnation the site is home to Field Station: Dinosaurs, a family attraction that features over thirty life-sized, realistically recreated robotic dinosaurs (including the ninety foot long Argentinosaurus, the largest animatronic dinosaur ever made).

The story of the dinosaurs is vividly presented on twenty acres of wilderness trails throughout Snake Hill. Scientists from the New Jersey State Museum have worked to ensure that the exhibition encompasses the latest theories and discoveries in the fields of paleontology, geology, and environmental studies.

A trailer for the 2006 documentary film “Snake Hill.”

Weird New Jersey from Brian Johnston on Vimeo.

Take a little road trip with Mark and Mark as we travel along Route 22 to see some of the sights, like Edison concrete houses, Eldorado Gardens, the Flagship, and more.

We’ve just started an official Weird NJ Instagram feed and we’d like to invite all of you to follow our photo stream at WEIRDNJINSTA. You can share your weird photos by hash tagging us #weirdnjinsta (#roadside #abandoned #tombstones #weirdoes #legends #haunted #etc etc…)

Mark and Mark will be appearing at the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival on April 5th and 6th. Come on down and hang with us and share some weird stories and a few brews!

http://acbeerfest.com/photos.asp

We are very pleased to announce that Weird NJ’s special issue Forsaken: Abandoned in and Around New Jersey by Rusty Tagliareni is now available for your e-reader! Forsaken is a 142 page full color digital edition devoted to forgotten sites throughout the Garden State and beyond. This new ePub contains lots of additional exclusive photos not featured in the print version of Forsaken. See it now on your favorite reading tablet; iPad, iPhone, or smart phone. Available through iBooks and Nook.

Of course, if you’re an old school reader who prefers turning paper pages, you can still get a copy of Forsaken in its beautiful glossy book form through the Weird NJ web site or our Amazon store.