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The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey | New Jersey Devil Backto top Skip to main content Official Site of The State of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. 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The user is on notice that neither the State of NJ site nor its operators review any of the services, information and/or content from anything that may be linked to the State of NJ site for any reason. -Read Full Disclaimer close Get Updates close Search close Toggle social media links Twitter Facebook YouTube LinkedIn NJ.gov NJ.gov About NJ Key Links Facts & Symbols Symbols Famous NJ History Arts & Culture The Garden State NJ National Landmarks & Historic Sites NJ Maps Business Community & Wellness Key Links Your Community Vital Statistic & Public Records Civic Responsibilities & Volunteering Genealogy & History Consumer Housing & Property Assistance Health & Wellness Counseling & Addiction Services Children & Family Services Senior Services Veteran Services Disability Services Animal Welfare Education Key Links Students Parents Educators Special Needs Education Grants, Financial Aid & Scholarships Jobs in Education Directories/Lists Employment Key Links Find a Job in NJ Licenses & Permits Job Training Unemployment & Disability Employer Responsibilities Information for NJ State Employees Government Key Links Governor's Office About NJ Government State Government Resources State & Local Directories Departments & Agencies Taxes Municipal and County Government Federal Government & Other States Public Safety & Security Key Links Public Service and Emergency Assistance Phone Numbers Crisis Centers Homeland Security Internet Security School Security Crime Prevention and Response Disaster Assistance Senior Citizens Legal Resources Fire Prevention Things to do in NJ Key Links Arts & Culture Historical Attractions Museums Theaters & Concert Halls Sports Venues State Parks & Forests Outdoor Activities Family Fun The Jersey Shore NJ Lighthouses Casinos Agri-tourism/Farms Gardens & Arboretums Wineries Shopping Skiing/Ice Skating Surfing Transportation & Motor Vehicles Key Links Vehicles, Licensing, Registration and Regulations Inspections Auto Insurance Transportation and Construction Highway Traffic Safety EZ pass Maps & Publications Buses, Trains & Light Rail Motorcycles, Bikes & Boats Air Transportation Home About NJ Famous NJ New Jersey Devil New Jersey Devil On a dark and stormy night in 1735, something terrible happened in the Pine Barrens near Leeds Point. The thunder howled, and the wind roared outside. Inside a small house, Mother Leeds was giving birth to her 13th baby. No one knew for sure exactly what happened, but people had lots of ideas. "Mother Leeds said she wanted the baby to be the devil!""The baby was born with a tail, wings, and hooves and flew up the chimney!""The baby looked normal but then it changed!"That night, the Jersey Devil was born.This is one of the most popular stories about how the Devil was born, but there are many others. A different story says that a town put a curse on a young girl who fell in love with a British soldier during the Revolutionary War. When she gave birth, it was to the Jersey Devil. Another story says a gypsy cursed a girl because she didn't give the gypsy food. The curse caused her to give birth to the Jersey Devil.Locals in the Pine Barrens call it the Leeds Devil. They say it has a horse's head, long legs with hooves, two short front legs, and a bat's wings. No one knows how tall it is. Some people think it's six feet tall, others think it's only three or four feet tall. The Devil has glowing red eyes and makes loud screeching sounds. It's very ugly, and people are terrified after seeing it. During the day the Devil lives in the wetlands. At night it comes out to scare anyone it meets. NJ.gov About NJ Facts & Symbols Famous NJ History Arts & Culture The Garden State NJ National Landmarks & Historic Sites NJ Maps Business Community & Wellness Your Community Vital Statistic & Public Records Civic Responsibilities & Volunteering Genealogy & History Consumer Housing & Property Assistance Health & Wellness Counseling & Addiction Services Children & Family Services Senior Services Veteran Services Disability Services Animal Welfare Education Students Parents Educators Special Needs Education Grants, Financial Aid & Scholarships Jobs in Education Directories/Lists Employment Find a Job in NJ Licenses & Permits Job Training Unemployment & Disability Employer Responsibilities Information for NJ State Employees Government Governor's Office About NJ Government State Government Resources State & Local Directories Departments & Agencies Taxes Municipal and County Government Federal Government & Other States Public Safety & Security Public Service and Emergency Assistance Phone Numbers Crisis Centers Homeland Security Internet Security School Security Crime Prevention and Response Disaster Assistance Senior Citizens Legal Resources Fire Prevention Things to do in NJ Arts & Culture Historical Attractions Museums Theaters & Concert Halls Sports Venues State Parks & Forests Outdoor Activities Family Fun The Jersey Shore NJ Lighthouses Casinos Agri-tourism/Farms Gardens & Arboretums Wineries Shopping Skiing/Ice Skating Surfing Transportation & Motor Vehicles Vehicles, Licensing, Registration and Regulations Inspections Auto Insurance Transportation and Construction Highway Traffic Safety EZ pass Maps & Publications Buses, Trains & Light Rail Motorcycles, Bikes & Boats Air Transportation Statewide Governor Phil Murphy Lt. 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