The Jersey Devil Attacks of 1945 (Episode 53)

In the summer of 1945, as World War II was drawing to a close, a number of unusual animal attacks occurred in and around the town of Erehwon, New Jersey, on the American east coast. Miles away from their nesting ground in the Pine Barrens wilderness, a pair of Jersey Devils were spotted circling a playground, 'befouling' a public library, burning down a barn, scaring campers, and, in the most serious incident, attacking and carrying away a 10-year-old child. 

On our annual Special Episode, we're talking about the rare North American amphibian 'Ineptias mendax' - commonly known as the Jersey Devil. We'll get into their unique biology, life cycle, diet (NOT known to include human children) and habits, as well as a full explanation of the events of 1945. And of course we'll sidebar on the Hermit of Erehwon, the 1909 sightings, two exercises in creative taxidermy, the history of Smith's Bird Farm, the Jersey Devil Gingerbread Men, and - why not?- the invention of snake oil.

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Sources for this episode include:

"My Time in the Barrens", M. Morrison, 2001 (reprint)

"Into the Lair of the Jersey Devil", M. Morrison, P. Smith for the National Geographic Magazine, 1975

"Pine Barrens Secrets: What we still don’t know about the Jersey Devil", M. Morrison, P. Smith for the National Geographic Magazine, 1979

Smith Family Papers Collection and Nemo and Burlington County Newspapers Collection, Nemo County (NJ) Historical Society, 1860-1995

"1945 Attacks: Overview", staff writer, FriendsoftheNewJerseyDevil.com, 2019