Paranormal Road Trip: Destination South Tom's River, NJ with Shawntelle Madison

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.  This week's stop is South Tom's River, New Jersey and our special guide is Shawntelle Madison author of the Coveted series.

The Coveted series is set in South Tom's River so it seems fitting that our guide for this week's Paranormal Road Trip be the amazing Shawntelle Madison.  Let's see what terrifying places Shawntelle has planned for our tour.

South Tom's River's Top 5 Spooky Places

The cozy borough of South Toms River, New Jersey was incorporated in 1927.  Before that point, the place had been the home to colonists from overseas and all sorts of spooky inhabitants.

Road Trip Stop #1:  Bend of the River Flea Market

The Bend of the River Flea Market, or The Bends, as the locals call it, happens to be a hot spot of paranormal activity. Most citizens go about their business, unaware that between the Victorian furniture and antiques ghosts and other ghouls roam the hallways.

According to the Fire Witch who works at the cash registers, there is a ghostly gentleman in 1940s attire who visits the back docks every morning. She leaves a lit cigarette for him in the morning, and by the afternoon when her shift ends, the cigarette is nothing but a stub.

The locals say every once in a while, during the red hunter’s moon, they see a goblin-like man sneaking on and off the property. Also, the place makes strange noises at night. The sound is loud as if someone is stacking coins into a monstrous pile.

Road Trip Stop #2:  Archie’s Burgers and Fries

If you asked anyone in South Toms River if Archie’s was haunted, they’d laugh at you. And for good reason. Archie’s has the best burgers in the area. From over a mile away you can practically taste the fresh fries and hear the sizzle of the burgers on the grill. But locals have said during the full moon they see large four-legged creatures roaming the parking lot. For some reason, Animal Removal Services refuses to drive in the neighborhood during the full moon.

Road Trip Stop #3:  Smiling Sammy’s Bait and Tackle

Right off the town marina, Smiling Sammy’s Bait and Tackle is a haunted hot spot. Compared to most bait and tackle establishments, Sammy Burnell’s place always seems strangely tidy and smells like confectionaries. It’s almost as if someone shows up nightly and cleans up any of the cigarette butts or litter left along the curb. According to city records, in the 1950s the building used to be a candy shop and a bait & tackle establishment. As you can imagine, most folks didn’t want to buy their Charleston Chews with a bucket of stinky, squirmy worms. The earthy smell inside the store confused most folks, too.

After winning the state championship, high school students once took a box of toilet paper, double-layered with extra softness, and tee-peed the place. The next morning, the owner showed up to find a free box of toilet paper and a rusty, old can of Beer Nuts at his door step.  Some citizens whisper that the candy store owner, who passed away after choking on a box of month-old, rock-hard Milk Duds, is determined for bait shop to become a candy store again.

Road Trip Stop #4:  Family Bargain Video and DVD Super Store

This place isn’t haunted per se, but well, the store is always empty. The owner says VHS and LaserDisc tapes are gonna make a comeback, but the shelves seem to be fully stocked. An investigation from a local paranormal activity group came out with inconclusive results. There seems to be a VCR that rewinds on its own…

Road Trip Stop #5:  Mr. Greg Jacobson’s Field

There’s a field not too far from a small cottage to the south of town. The illusive woman who lives in the cottage nearby didn’t have much to say about the strange field, but an investigation did reveal there’s something weird about Mr. Greg Jacobson’s cornfield. There’s a large, peculiar rock in the center of one of the fields that Mr. Jacobson refuses to remove.

“It’s weird as hell, but the crops grow well around it,” he says. He shrugs and gives a toothy grin. “My wife says I got fairies or something loco like that, but I have a feeling the neighbors are letting their cows take a dump in that field. Pure gold cowpies, I tell ya!”

If you took the time to head over there, the rock is strange to the touch. A bit warm, even on a crisp fall day. There’s a bit of a hum to it, too. Almost as if something is vibrating inside.

Want to explore more of the Coveted universe in South Toms River, NJ? Check out the Coveted series books: Coveted (Book #1), Kept (Book #2), and Compelled (Book #3).

Thank you Shawntelle for giving us such a haunting tour of South Tom's River!  

To learn more about Shawntelle Madison and her books, please visit her website, and don't miss our Q+A with Shawntelle Madison here at From the Shadows.  You can add the Coveted series here on Goodreads.

What did you think of Shawntelle Madison's picks for spooky places?

Last week on Paranormal Road Trip we visited Los Angeles with Melissa F. Olson.  Next week we'll be traveling to Twelve Acres, Colorado with Teri Harman.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!