6. The Legend of the Smithville Inn
Fran Coppola, the owner of the Smithville Inn, walked outside one night to put the restaurant’s trash into the cans behind the Inn. She looked up, and saw the shadow of a winged creature looming over her. She felt very calm, and instead of running away, she just continued to stare. For whatever reason, she felt that the Jersey Devil was actually guarding the Smithville Inn and protecting it like some kind of guardian angel, rather than trying to attack the patrons.
Fran Coppola fully admits that she is a true believer in the Jersey Devil, and that she had been thinking about the legend that same day before she saw the shadow. It’s very possible that this could have been a figment of Coppola’s imagination, but she swears it’s true, and even went on record in a documentary about the Jersey Devil. Visitors to the Smithville Inn will also hear about the folklore, as well.
