Myth of the Week · United States
The Jersey Devil for kids: New Jersey’s famous cryptid
· P.Sean Tales
What exactly is a "cryptid"? It's a creature from local legend that people claim to spot — but no one has ever proven. America is full of them, and the oldest and most famous of all lives (so they say) in the piney forests of southern New Jersey: the Jersey Devil.
The legend of the 13th child
The story goes back almost 300 years to a woman remembered as Mother Leeds. Overwhelmed on the night her thirteenth child was born, she cried out in frustration — and, as the legend tells it, the baby transformed: bat-like wings, a horse-shaped head, hooves, and a tail. It flew up the chimney and vanished into the Pine Barrens, where folks say it lives to this day.
The week New Jersey went wild
In January 1909, thousands of people across New Jersey reported strange hoofprints on rooftops and in the snow. Schools closed, search parties formed, and newspapers printed maps of the sightings. Was it the Jersey Devil? A century later, people are still arguing.
Why we love cryptid stories
Every state has its legendary creature — from Bigfoot in the Northwest to Mothman in West Virginia. Cryptid stories are how communities turn their forests, lakes and mountains into adventures. The fun isn't proving they're real — it's wondering.
Did you know?
The Jersey Devil is such a local celebrity that New Jersey's professional hockey team is named after it: the New Jersey Devils.
Color the legend yourself
The Jersey Devil headlines our American Cryptids coloring book — 80+ legendary creatures, state by state, each with its legend retold for kids. It's coming to Amazon very soon: tap "Alert me" on the book page and you'll get one email the day it goes live.
- American Cryptids — Bigfoot, Mothman, the Jersey Devil & more
Or start free today: grab the free coloring pages.