The story of the Jersey Devil is one of the most popular myths of New Jersey history. The problem is that everything you think you know about the Jersey Devil is wrong. It is not about a spectral winged horse, demon, but rather the bare-knuckled political and religious upheavals and fights of colonial America. The real story of the Jersey Devil’s birth is far more interesting, complex, and important than anyone thinks.  It is a product not of witchcraft, but innuendo, scandal, rumor mongering, and media hype. It illuminates a forgotten part of American history. While a tale of early America it could have been taken from the tabloids and internet gossip of today.

Brian Regal, PhD teaches the history of science, technology, and medicine at Kean University. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the more esoteric realms of the past including Searching for Sasquatch: Crackpots, Eggheads and Cryptozoology (2013). He has appeared on radio, television, blogs, and Op Ed pages around the world. His upcoming book is The Secret History of the Jersey Devil from Johns Hopkins University Press.