Shep Jones Rd

A Brief History: Located on Shep Jones Road in St. James, Shep Jones Road is a part of the 76 acres of the Avalon Preserve, which has sat as primarily farmland for over 300 years. It was abandoned in the early 1900’s. It wasn’t until 1997 when the Paul Simons Foundation purchased the land and hired Andropogon Associates to start restoring the grounds and turning it into ecological trails that highlight some of Long Island’s woodland heritage as well as provide a habitat for many woodland creatures.

Haunted History: The story of Shep Jones Road is that while driving on the road it’s paved and normal, but as you go deeper on it, it gets darker and the road becomes a dirt road that is bumpy. Supposedly on the side of Shep Jones Road is where “Mary’s” house used to be. The story goes that while she was sleeping in her house her mother killed her, and after the murder she was buried somewhere in the field behind her house. People say that Mary haunts the field and the woods in this area. The house that used to stand there was knocked down, but people say that her grave is still somewhere in the field. There have also been voices heard in the woods at night. Cold spots and hot spots have also been reported here. Legend also has it that there are demonic rituals that occur at the tree, which causes strange feelings while walking around the area.