Although I am not a Jersey native, when I had moved to the East Coast the mention of the Jersey Devil was something I heard very often. The New Jersey Air National Guard in Egg Harbor, NJ has the Jersey Devil as their mascot. I found that appropriate considering how close to the Pine Barrens the base was to one another. Growing up in California we had similar phenomena like the Santa Ana winds and how they are said to presume earthquakes as well as allowing dissatisfied wives to undergo mayhem. Those two might not be very similar but it was something that either residence in each state would somewhat fear. Not once have I ever considered hiking in the Pine Barrens if a beast like the Jersey Devil were to attack me but learning more about the history of its origin, honestly induced more fear in me. Approaching this from a more scientific perspective, I can say this is a legend that has been continued on only because of it’s infamy and during the time, people were less educated and the media was able to sell this kind of fear. It may also allow a way to blame things and phenomena for happening just like some people like to use the unexplainable for things that are hard to solve or are just too hard to face.
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Love this post Rozelle! The Jersey Devil phenomenon is much like a lot of other legends such as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster. I believe these legends were created to strike fear into the people, as well as selling phony information about them to make money, like you said. Unlike most legends meant for bad purposes, the Jersey Devil has somewhat transformed into something that's good and inviting nowadays. Like you stated already, organizations in New Jersey start to embrace the legend by making it their mascot or logo!
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