There are a number of reasons why the number 13 is tied to the supernatural. Whether it’s religion (Judas was the 13th person at the last supper) or Nordic myths (Loki was the 13th god), its been a known fact throughout history 13 is related to “bad” things. To top it off, some historians claim that ancient witch covens use to contain 13 members, including the one that existed in what is now Watchung, NJ. Those witches now make up 13 bumps road.

In 1845 a man by the name of David Felt set out to build small village near what is now the Watchung Reservation. He named the village “Feltville” after himself. After only 5 years the town had grown to over 175 residents; that’s when tragedy struck. Over the span of the next 2 years 11 children were captured from the town, mutilated, and left for dead. Their bodies were always left near the outskirts of town. The town began to grow into a panic, fearing the unknown forces that lie in the woods.

Most of the town believed the attacks to be animal related. Hunters were sent in the forest to kill bear, wolves, coyotes and other carnivores. But the killings never stopped. Fences, traps and trip wires were used, but the killings never stopped. Families began to turn on one other, accusing civilians of the heinous crimes. They blamed the murders on devils and demons that couldn’t be seen. The town eventually turned all of that focus on one family; a kindred of 13 sisters who lost both their parents at a young age. Surprisingly the 13 sisters whose age ranged from 10-26 were doing fine. They had a local crop field which blossomed each season, even through the most jarring weather. Residents took this as an omen and accused the family of witchcraft. They claimed that the “witches” sacrificed the children to pagan gods for the good of their crops.

After a long trial the family was found guilty and hanged. As a reminder of the crimes the bodies were buried on a local road - left as 13 bumps under what is now Johnston Drive. Rumor stated that before their death, the girls put a curse on the village, one that would come to be true. In 1860 David Felt left his own town to retire in New York and stranded many of the villagers. Over the next few years illness and famine swept through and those who remained either died or deserted the town. Today some of those houses still remain, and the town goes by the name “The Deserted Village”.

Johnston Drive has since been paved multiple times, but the bumps continue to mysteriously re-appear. Some locals say that the bumps were used to slow horses and buggies who were traveling downhill, but that doesn’t explain why they would appear after the use of modern paving techniques. A majority still believe in the legend. To see the spirits stories state that you must travel down the road (going uphill) and count (out loud) all 13 bumps. Once you reach the last bump, turn around because the 13 witches will be standing behind your car. Attempts have been made to remove the bumps, but the witches refuse to be forgotten.

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RD

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Came to Watchung in 1966. Have done historical research including deaths since the 1800’s.
This story is about 100% B.S.
1 year ago
Tom

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There’s always a little truth in these stories. Perhaps someone was accused of witchcraft and condemned. This is typically the start of the myth. Think about it.
1 year ago
Mike

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But did the atrocities stop after the sisters were gone?????.
3 years ago
Tricia

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Fun story which probably has some form of truth to it.
3 years ago
Tammy

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Ok
3 years ago
Mare

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I grew up near there and was told it was Indian chiefs buried there.
3 years ago
Anonymous

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Did the Thirteen with my bicycle many times No Problem just have to watch fo old ladies trying to go up th hill
3 years ago
Arthur Pendragon

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What a bunch of crap. People will believe anything! I grew up in Iselin & graduated HS in 1970 (JFK). We’d get stoned all the time in the Watchungs then drive up or down 13 bumps. Lots of fun. Witches, etc., get a life!
3 years ago
Pete p

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I grew up rite at the bottom of the reservation and always heard of just this story -the feltville story I lways wondered what that was the deserted village back in the day you could drive back there now you can only walk but we use to ride our bikes down 13 bumps with no brakes
3 years ago
Bob

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The bumps are gone now and have been for years but back in the 1970s the bumps were there and the road was haunted. This story has 2 stories mixed together the haunted village and Johnson drive.
3 years ago
F Brin.

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Your information to put it mildly is way off.
3 years ago
Ronzo Tech

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In high school and college we’d ride our motorcycles all the way from springfield, up through Watchung near loop park then trailside museum and continue all the way over to 13 bumps, sounds a bit far fetched of an explanation but the bumps certainly remain very realAnd Any efforts of road crews to remove the bumps have indeed failed and deserted village is very much still an entity up in our local woods… we are all unique and form our own beliefs baddd on education and life experience… go check it out for yourself, form
Your own Conclusion. But please, be safe! Those roads are Potentially treacherous at night. And cation should be exercised Intelligently, plan for severe darkness and respect your fellow drivers as well as your own driving education, some of the turns at too high a speed will send you off into wooded terrain sure to challenge you and your auto’s wellbeing, please be safe. While gathering your research( 14 bumps just won’t be as eerie an attraction for “ Weird New Jersey” ?
3 years ago
Tim L.

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I am a resident of Watchung for over fifty years and I can assure you that there were never any witches buried under Johnston Dr. ! The bumps that are mentioned in the article are all but gone! Mr. Johnston, the man who the road is named after, was a railroad tycoon living atop the mountain. The humps were put in, not as a tool to reduce runaway carriages! The truth is the humps were installed as a staging area, as the carriages were going “UPHILL” , where the drivers could rest the rear wheels on the humps so the horses could rest as they journeyed uphill. Currently, a few of the humps were left as “speed bumps” as more people moved to the area and traffic became more precarious! Although there has, as long as I have lived here, been rumors of occult activity in the mining village in the reservation, it was long after the mining town had been abandoned. Sorry to disappoint you!
3 years ago
Sue D

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I lived in Mountainside, once we began to drive the Reservation was a favorite hangout. We all believed in the witches of the Reservation, the ghosts of the Deserted Village and the Girl Scout cabins. Drove over 13 bumps many times but never saw the witches, I knew most of the legend but your account filled all the information in, thanks. Pretty cool!
3 years ago
Trudy cooperman

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Great article. I never knew the whole story of the 13 bumps. Thank you for posting.
3 years ago
Jim

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I grew up only a few towns south of Watchung in the 70’s-80’s but had always heard that the 13 bumps were buried Indian Chiefs.
Currently, I live close by the Deserted Village at Feltville and never knew the story behind the village either. I will certainly think differently of it when driving on Johnston Dr, or walking the trails of the Reservation.. Pretty creepy.
4 years ago
Lynn DAmicis

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My family owned the mansion and carriage house at the top of Johnston drive, the mansion wasn’t lived in but my aunt uncle and to adult cousins lived in the carriage house! I used to play on the tennis court if the mansion, we had many picnics on that property, this was the 1950 s and early 1960s , my Uncle sold property and the Mansion became Mountain top Nursing home, all of this side of the family passed away, we never knew of any of these stories!!!
4 years ago
Robin

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AND we used to count them on the way up! But we never turned around.
4 years ago
Robin Barrett

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I remember there were 13 of them from when I lived there on top of Johnson Drive in 1966! But we thought they were leftover from horse & buggy days and that the horses called them “thank-you man”s. I was in 6th grade but I’m glad I didn’t know about the witches then!
4 years ago
Cherlyn

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I’m in shock
6 years ago

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Haunted Places, Legends and Ghosts

13 Bumps Road : Watchung, NJ

13 Bumps Road : Watchung, NJ

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