Ong’s Hat: The NJ Ghost Town That Invented Alternate Reality Games

Northeast Legends and Stories by Michael DeLude

Episode notes

Explore Ong’s Hat, the real Pine Barrens ghost town behind the legendary 1980s–90s interdimensional cult myth and Joseph Matheny’s groundbreaking Incunabula/ARG that blurred fact and fiction, inspired The Blair Witch Project, Cicada 3301, and modern creepypasta, and still draws pilgrims to the ruins today. Full deep-dive episode!

Keywords
MysterySpookyNortheast LegendsthrillinghistorichistoricalHalloween StoryLocal legendscary storynew jerseyPine Barrensunsolved historyEccentricsAbandoned placeEccentric1980scult classiccult following