One of the original thirteen British American colonies, New Jersey was the third colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution after the American Revolution. This makes it the third official state in the union. It was inhabited for nearly three thousand years prior to the arrival of Europeans by the Lenape Native American people, who lived along the state’s coast. Dutch and Swedish explorers were the first Europeans to settle there permanently, beginning in the early 1600s.
England later wrested control of the region from these early European settlers, named the area New Jersey after the largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey, and granted it a colonial charter. It was a location of several important and decisive battles in the American Revolution. Naturally, all of this interesting history has helped New Jersey develop some fascinating folklore. Here are some of its highlights... Read More