Farmingdale's Allaire Village Has Haunted History

FARMINGDALE, NJ — A whole self-sustaining village once stood at Allaire, where visitors can now roam around and explore the 19th-century buildings. It was known as Howell Works and was the site of an iron-making town.

Many moons have passed since then, but some of the old residents might still linger — at least according to accounts from volunteers who have spent time there.

"We noticed the candles were flickering strangely. The flame would almost go out and then go bright again, repeatedly, like someone was taking all the oxygen away from it," one of them told Weird NJ.

With spooky season in full force, a visit to the historic grounds might make for a perfect weekend afternoon.

Besides the museum with interactive displays of 19th-century industrial community life, visitors can also roam around the 13 historic homes being inhabited by costumed period interpreters.

At its peak, the village had everything from a blacksmith to a bakery, as well as a carpentry and pattern making shop, a boarding house, a blast furnace, mills to finish iron products, a school, a church and a general store with a post office.

Hal Allaire is reportedly one of the ghosts people claim has stuck around, playing tricks on visitors and workers. He was the son of James Peter Allaire, the businessman that founded Allaire village and in 1832 moved there from New York City because of a cholera outbreak. The family settled into the residence known as the Big House.

"People would report seeing candlelight and faces looking back at them in some of the windows of the Big House, long after we had closed down for the night," the same worker told the Weird NJ. "We would also notice things going missing, chairs moved around, strange voices, and images in the mirror that weren't actually there. None of it was ever threatening, though."

Former manager of Iron Works Oscar Cheesman Smith is supposedly one of the other ghostly presences making appearances in the area, according to the publication. One worker said she saw him while waiting for a friend to pick her up and, mistaking Smith for her friend, followed him until he disappeared into thin air.

Whether or not you believe in the mystery tales, Allair is certainly a worthwhile destination.

This weekend there will be a flea market as well as a special event dedicated to Edger Allen Poe on Friday and Saturday.

"Jon us for a spine chilling evening with a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's classic stories," the event pamphlet reads.

Tickets are $29 per person and can be purchased here.