Weird NJ

Some stories from WeirdNJ.com…

The Devil’s Tree

The “Devil’s Tree” off Mountain Road in Bernards Township is the center of numerous legends involving murders and suicides, including a farmer who killed his entire family and then hanged himself. Anyone who has tried to cut down the tree has met an unusual demise, with the souls of those killed by the tree providing it with a natural warmth, which is why the spot is cursed. Conspicuously, many attempts have been made to cut down the tree with various machinery and tools, yet all have failed.

One Weird NJ reader described the Devil’s Tree to us this way: “There’s a big field and right near the road is the tree. It’s the only thing in the field. Supposedly it’s a portal to hell and a sentinel guards it. He drives an old black Ford or Chevy pick-up truck and will chase you down the road until a certain point. You will see headlights one second, and the next nothing – the car is just gone. My friend has had the old black truck chase him several times down the road, and then it was just gone. We have had it chase us, but we were in a Firebird GTA and were out of there too quick.”Historically, Bernards Township played host to the KKK in New Jersey, lynching several African-Americans. Due to its secluded location, The Devil’s Tree was used for these lynchings in order to escape the notice of the police. The low hanging branch on the tree that extends almost parallel to the horizon is said to be the hanging branch.

The Egg-O-Mat

On the roadside of Mountain Boulevard, across from the Warren Library and
Municipal Building, is where you can find one of New Jersey’s strangest offerings: the Egg-O-Mat. It is a vending machine open 24 hours and produces “Eggs of Distinction.” Now, it not in working condition, however, it still remains standing to commemorate the area’s farmland legacy and the many delicious eggs served to hungry customers who would travel to the Egg-O-Mat at any time of the day in search of protein.

Originally built in the early 1950s, The Egg-O-Matt was run by Camillio Epstein. The machine offered a wide selection of various-sized eggs, and it was maintained by an air conditioner on the back wall.Recently, the Egg-O Mat was rescued from decay by the Warren Historical Society, and was taken apart and removed in order to be properly restored.

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