NEW JERSEY'S MANY GRAVITY ROADS
One of the most common local weird curiosities to be found around our state is the existence of the phenomenon known as "Gravity Road," or "Gravity Hill." In addition to these examples of gravity defying roadways, we’ve also featured stories of a Gravity Hill in the town of Jackson, and a "Magnetic Hill" located in Morristown.


FRANKLIN LAKE'S GRAVITY ROAD
"The State Of New Jersey prohibits any vehicle from backing up on an off-ramp," the police officer said to us as we were attempting to try the local legend located at the Ewing Street exit off Route 208 in Franklin Lakes.

"We will ticket any vehicle trying out Gravity Road," the officer said while writing out our ticket.

The legend of Franklin Lakes’ Gravity Road claims that a young woman was killed at the bottom of the exit ramp. When you stop at the stop sign, a mysterious force pushes you backward up the hill again. This is supposedly the ghost of the woman pushing your car away from the dangerous intersection where she was struck down. Rumor has it that putting flour or baby powder on your front bumper before trying this will reveal the ghostly handprints of the girl after the event.

Some claim the phenomenon is just an optical illusion, and although the road seems to sloping downward, it really isn’t. The contours of the embankments appear to make it look that way, but the road actually ends on an upward pitch.

Whatever you believe though, the disorienting motion of rolling backwards uphill in real and undeniable. The officer didn’t believe us when we told him we saw a ghost pushing our car, and because of this we did not deserve a ticket. We didn’t try the "historians doing research" routine either. Fine: $76 and a few points.


THE TITUSVILLE GRAVITY ROAD
Winding down Route 29 along the Delaware-Raritan Canal between Trenton and Lambertville, we were steered towards a very weird local attraction: The Titusville Gravity Road.

Once off Route 29, you’ll find Pleasant Valley Road, where the strange uplifting phenomenon occurs. If you travel a mile or so on the rural country road, you will notice a small sign on your left indicating where to stop your car for a fun-filled ride.

Once in a while, the locals will paint "Start here" at the location, but last time we visited, only the sign marked the spot. You can stop your car on either side of the road, and mysteriously, your vehicle will either be pulled forward or backward uphill, depending on which way you’re headed.

The local legend of the Titusville Gravity Road, claims that the field adjacent to the spot was once the property of a farmer who, after visiting with his neighbors one evening, came home to find his house on fire, and his family trapped inside. Carrying a lantern, he came upon a group of people sitting in a carriage watching his home burn. He pleaded with them for help, then rushed to save his family. Unfortunately he and his family perished in the blaze.

The legend states that the farmer’s ghost is the force pushing or pulling your car away from the spot. The ghost doesn’t like vehicles stopping in front of his property, where once people had stopped to gape at his burning home. Ghost lights are also said to appear further down the road, with the apparition signaling you with his lantern to help him save his long forgotten family.


GRAVITY HILL, JACKSON
We've all heard of Gravity Hills. And they all have their own stories. But this one is sure to send a chill up your spine.

When I was 15, I was taken to a road that was not familiar to me at the time. My friends would not tell me where they were taking me. They got to a stop sign at the bottom of a hill and said, "Watch this." The driver placed the car in neutral and let go of the brake. To my amazement, we started to roll backwards up the hill!

I was in awe. I asked what this was about. They told me this story: At this hill if you turn right and go about 5 houses down, you will see a house that was a living nightmare for a little girl. A girl and her father lived alone at this house, and rented a room to a stranger that they did not know. One day the girl came home from school and the stranger took her downstairs to the basement and repeatedly raped her until the father came home from work. When the father heard noises in the basement, he went down to see what it was. Much to his surprise he was brutally murdered by the stranger.

Legend has it that when you are at this hill, the father is trying to protect his daughter from any harm. Pulling you as far as he can from the house. Even though the house is now abandoned, I have heard of people driving past it and seeing a light on in the basement. So beware of the father’s ghost. He might not be so kind to the next person who stops at the hill.
- 9Volt


GRAVITY NOT A LAW IN HOLMDEL
Have you ever heard of "Gravity Hill" in the Holmdel/Middletown area? Back when I was a teenager, around 1965, there was a hill just down the side street from the huge Lilly Tulip Plant on Highway 35. You would appear to roll right up the hill when stopped at the end by the stop sign. It was very real looking. I've been there more times then I can count.

Unfortunately, there was also another hill before the stop sign where you could launch your vehicle off the road surface with ease, if driving fast enough. I did it once, and would never do it again. It was very scary. A few years later several teenagers were killed there attempting to do the same thing. The road was leveled sometime after that.
- Roland G. M.


You can read more about Gravity Road in issues #12, #13 and #14 of Weird NJ.