Does every state have its own mythological creature? And if so, is that beast famous enough to have a sports team named in their honor and a record-breaking rollercoaster bearing its name? We don’t think so!
The folklore of the Jersey Devil concerns a mysterious creature who’s said to roam the New Jersey Pinelands. According to the State of New Jersey’s website (yes, the Devil has his own devoted page on the official state website), the creature is believed to be the unwanted thirteenth child of Mother Leeds, a Pine Barrens resident. According to lore, Mother Leeds said she wished the Devil would take the child away after he was born.
Allegedly, at birth the child transformed into a half-human, half-devil creature with horns, a tail and wings and flew off into the Pinelands, where he remains to this day haunting the woods. The descriptions of the monster vary, but the beast remains legendary.