Although it is almost certainly nothing more than an urban legend – perhaps one of the first to be propelled to the masses during the Internet era – the legends and conspiracies of Ong’s Hat are, to some, a case of fact being hidden in plain sight as a work of fiction. While some people dismiss the claims unreservedly, others insist if they are not fully accurate, they are so partially, and given some of the conspiracies from yesteryear that have since turned out to be more accurate than many might have thought, they could very well be right.
The conspiracies swirling around the abandoned town of Ong’s Hat are a bizarre blend of cult-like societies, advanced research and technology into the paranormal, and secret government operations carried out right the collective nose of the American public. Indeed, they sound more akin to a science-fiction horror movie where the truth might turn out to be much stranger than fiction.
The location in question—Ong’s Hat—is in the Pine Barrens region of New Jersey, a ghost town on Magnolia Road in Pemberton Township, Burlington County. While some might doubt the specifics of the conspiracies surrounding Ong’s Hat, the Pine Barrens region is undoubtedly one of the strangest locations in the state. It is awash with UFO sightings, claims of alien abduction, and other paranormal mysteries, including, incidentally, alleged portals and gateways to other worlds.