The Clinton Road story: a route surrounded by mystery and horror legends
It is located in West Milford, New Jersey and contains many rarities. A creepy story.
Silence floods the road that becomes too long for the 16 kilometers it travels. And a breeze moves the trees. Nothing is heard except the creaking of a branch and so much calm begins to disturb. Clinton Road unites two populations that have no inhabitants, between the asphalt and the wild landscape a house appears. Does anyone live? Nobody dares to ask.
Almost unexpectedly a traffic light cuts the walk. It divides this route with Route 23. The car stops the march and waits. More than 30 seconds pass and impatience begins to gain strength. One minute, two, three, four… five and finally the light changes. It is the traffic light with the longest waiting time in the entire country. The stillness, the supernatural stories make you want to get off this road in West Milford, New Jersey, United States. And soon.
Pure suggestion? Many think so. Fame precedes place. But as such it does not stop intriguing. Will it be true? Road maintenance doesn’t help, Clinton Road has two lanes, but it’s not on the State Highway system so it’s run down.
To make matters worse, the town that gave it its name no longer exists. It is rumored that the Ku Klux Klan and professional assassins deposited many corpses there. Something that, of course, was never confirmed. The route of terror agitates, scares and does not end anymore. A path marked by paranormal legends and horror.
What are these stories?
A boy on the bridge. This bridge crosses Clinton Creek. The legend details that if someone puts a coin on the yellow line and remains in place, a ghost child will return the money. This child is believed to have lost his life when he fell into the creek or was struck by a vehicle.
The ghost car. A Chevrolet Camaro appears on this route under the command of a girl who died in 1988. For this specter to be seen, explains the same legend, the girl’s story must be mentioned while she drives through this area.
Park rangers from beyond. A group of young people climbed at Terrace Pond, a site that is reached from Clinton Road. These youngsters set up their tent and got ready to enjoy themselves when two park rangers came up to see them. When recounting this episode later, they learned that these people died no less than in 1939.
A Druid temple? There is, to the East of Clinton Road, a structure that is attributed to a Druid temple where, it is said, bloody rituals were performed. The truth is that in the National Register of Historic Places this supposed temple appears as an iron foundry called Clinton Foundry that was built in 1826.
Creepy beings. There are more, unusual creatures were supposedly seen on this route. There is even talk of hybrid beings that were born after the local amusement park called Jungle Habitar closed in 1976. The imaginary holds that in order to survive these species interbred creating rare species. Possible?
A castle. In 1905 a man named Richard Cross built a castle near Clinton Road. There he moved with his three children and his wife. At the time this building suffered a fire and was finally abandoned. It is used in opportunities as a camping space or to hold parties. There are visitors who have reported paranormal events and even visions.
A murderer in the news. In Weird NJ magazine a story took everyone’s breath away. It happened in May 1983 when a man riding his bicycle found a decomposed corpse eaten by a vulture. In the autopsy they discovered that it was really a murder and that in the veins, near the heart, this deceased had ice crystals.
His skin was in an advanced state of decomposition while, due to the ice crystals, the organs had lasted longer. Thanks to the police, Richard Kuklinski was arrested, who confessed to the crime and the murder of 100 more people. For this reason he began to be called “The Iceman”.
The traffic light puts its red light back on Clinton Road and nobody can wait five minutes anymore. There are many reasons to leave the area. It is undoubtedly a place of dark legends. And you better be ready for the green light.