Suppressed Experiments Or Nothing But Fiction? The Bizarre Conspiracies Of Ong’s Hat

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 under 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.

The Beginning!

While the legends stretch back decades, the conspiracies of Ong’s Hat first enjoyed widespread recognition following the release of the 2002 book Ong’s Hat: The Beginning by Joseph Matheny. The town began life in the late eighteenth century, with legends stating that it grew from one single hut. It is further said that it was named after an inn-keeper – named Ong – whose hat had become caught on a pine branch after he had tossed it into the air and remained there for several years (although there are several variations of this legend).

By the mid-nineteenth century, the town had grown considerably, reaching its peak in terms of population and productivity (said to be a large supplier of alcohol to surrounding towns). However, by the 1930s, Ong’s Hat was essentially a ghost town, with the last of its residents having long left.

Fast-forward almost 50 years. According to the previously mentioned book, in 1978, a mysterious gentleman named Wali Fard purchased several hundred acres of land in the Pine Barrens region. He had, it is claimed, just returned to the United States after traveling the world studying various religions, spiritual teachings, and philosophies. Fard was also a member of the Moorish Orthodox Church of America and, upon moving to the Pine Barrens, formed another organization: the Moorish Science Ashram.

It is claimed that shortly after his arrival in New Jersey, Fard quickly amassed a great number of followers to his new organization, including brother and sister Frank and Althea Dobbs, scientists who had been raised in a commune that followed the teachings of UFOs and the apparent intelligence behind them. Indeed, whatever we might think of their unconventional upbringing, the siblings carried out some fascinating and intriguing research before joining the Moorish Science Ashram.

“Cognitive Chaos!”

While at Princeton, Frank and Althea experimented with and researched what they called “cognitive chaos,” essentially, research into the potential powers of the human mind. They studied telepathy, extrasensory perception, and even eternal youth and reversing aging. However, rather than being embraced by their peers for their potential ground-breaking research, they were shunned and eventually barred from the university. This expulsion eventually led them to Wali Fard and the Moorish Science Ashram.

Fard himself was fascinated by their research and was more than happy for them to establish a laboratory within his grounds and continue their work. In order that they could be eligible for funding, he quickly established the Institute of Chaos Studies. Word of their research and the apparent advances made under Fard soon spread, and a short time later, more disenfranchised scientists found themselves joining the organization. Two of these other scientists were Harold Acton and Martine Kallikak, who had experimented extensively with psychedelic drugs and how they might unlock the powers of the human mind.

Needless to say, their research fitted right in with the mindset and beliefs of the Dobbs siblings, as well as with Fard himself. It is also interesting that much of what they were experimented with is remarkably similar to the MK Ultra experiments of the CIA. We might ask ourselves whether it is possible that the Ong’s Hat conspiracies could be tied to a discreet CIA operation, an extension of the mind control experiments that first came to light in 1975 and that the agency claimed had since come to an end.

The Egg And The Gate

As their research continued, more and more devices and makeshift machines were developed, with one particular device known as “The Egg” perhaps being the most intriguing. According to the accounts, The Egg was, essentially, a sensory deprivation chamber that was connected to a central computer through electrodes that themselves connected to the respective person inside. The person also wore a specially made helmet that was designed to measure and even manipulate brain waves. After the initial device, two enhanced and improved versions of The Egg were built and experimented with, all to various, if limited, degrees of success. The third improved version – and the fourth Egg device – brought with it remarkable results.

By the time Frank and Althea were experimenting with the third version of The Egg, they were researching the potential of descending consciousness down to the quantum level. In doing so, they believed they would be able to unlock the secrets of traveling to different dimensions. When the fourth version of The Egg, however, they finally reached a breakthrough of sorts.

They eventually ran a test with a person – allegedly a runaway named Kit. To begin with, the experiment proceeded as normal. Then, as the shocked scientists looked on, The Egg disappeared into thin air. Baffled, those present were at a loss as to what had happened. Then, exactly seven minutes later, The Egg reappeared. Kit was still inside, seemingly unharmed and claiming that he had traveled to another realm of existence – to another dimension. They ran several more experiments with other test subjects, each resulting in The Egg disappearing before reappearing several minutes later. Those who took part in the tests claimed this other dimension was a world full of plants with ample amounts of water. They didn’t, however, recall seeing any people.

Scientists working on the project dubbed this apparent portal or interdimensional gateway “The Gate” and continued to experiment with it, tweaking their calculations as they allegedly learned to facilitate travel to another dimension. Then, at least according to the conspiracies, things took a strange and disturbing turn.

An Emergency Escape To Another Dimension!

A short time after these remarkable advancements in their research, it is claimed that a nuclear leak from Fort Dix threatened those based at Ong’s Hat. However, according to legend, rather than fleeing to another location in the United States, rumors began to swirl that people who were part of the Moorish community were using The Egg to escape to this other dimension – only this time, they planned to stay in this other realm and establish what would essentially be an interdimensional colony. Not long after, the existence of The Egg and the apparent ability to travel to other dimensions soon reached the intelligence agencies and, ultimately, the government.

According to most sources, once the government became aware of the activities taking place in Ong’s Hat, they descended upon the facilities there. Furthermore, several of the members of Fard’s society were killed during the operation.

Of course, the truth of these accounts remains very much open to debate. According to Joseph Matheny, documents exist – which he has seen no less – that record this raid. Even more remarkable, he claims to have spoken to one of the scientists who worked on the project at Ong’s Hat. Needless to say, no one other than Matheny has seen these documents or spoken to the scientist in question, leading many to seriously doubt the version of events put forward.

Some Things To Consider

There are certainly plenty of things to consider here, not least whether we should even consider if the claims are true or not. While such claims are admittedly bordering on outrageous, we might consider that the perfect place to hide such programs would be in plain sight, as a work of fiction where they can be publicly dismissed, with those who claim there is more truth than not to them being just as publicly ridiculed.

It is also perhaps interesting to note – if we accept them to be undoubtedly true for a moment – that many of the alleged top-secret time-travel and interdimensional programs of various discreet government agencies began at the end of the seventies and were rolled out in full during the following decades. As preposterous as it might be to some, could it be possible that some of the technology and know-how was a result of the raid at Ong’s Hat?

We might consider if the CIA, for example, denied the existence of mind control programs such as MK Ultra – followed by an alleged destroying of evidence following the revealing investigation of the New York Times – then what else could have been withheld from the public? As bizarre as it sounds and unimaginable as it might be to some, could some of those programs that have been kept out of the public arena have involved top-secret and experimental journeys to other dimensions?

A Human Colony In Another Dimension?

The conspiracies of Ong’s Hat are undoubtedly some of the most enthralling and fascinating on record. They also remain, at least in some quarters, some of the most debated. And it is easy to see why. On the one hand, the claims border on the absurd, and on the other, such absurdity can easily be used to hide truths that those in positions of power wish to keep out of the public arena.

Indeed, it is this fine line that makes the account – like many similar to it – so compelling that as unlikely as it might be that such claims are true, there is the tiniest chance that they could be. In the age of the Internet, spreading such information as easier than it has ever been. And while this, on the surface, benefits those looking to reveal such truths, it can also be used to sew disinformation to hide those truths. In short, the Internet can sometimes be a double-edged sword that we must all be wary of.

The fact is, the mysteries and conspiracies of Ong’s Hat and the technology to travel to alternative dimensions remain on the collective backburner, and the possibility that information comes to light somewhere down the line that might prove the claims to be more truth than not. Could there be, for example, a human colony somewhere in an alternative dimension, one that has developed for decades? Could this interdimensional colony be in contact with a dark, secret department of the government? For now, all possibilities remain on the table.

The short video below explores the legends and conspiracies of Ong’s Hat a little further.

Expert Opinion

The stories surrounding Ong’s Hat revolve around an offbeat settlement in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, where secretive experiments allegedly bridged our world with parallel realms. Tales of clandestine government raids, eccentric cult-like groups, and esoteric research have fueled debate for decades. Some devotees argue there are interdimensional openings hidden in plain sight, with shadowy sources preserving sensitive data under layers of folklore.

On the other hand, actual documentation for these outlandish contentions is exceedingly thin, compelling critics to label the saga as inventive fiction rather than genuine disclosure. Skeptics point to the uncorroborated nature of the claims and the absence of verifiable files or eyewitness testimony. Nonetheless, with credible examples of real secrets surfacing in the past, Ong’s Hat endures as a mystery that invites debate over its ultimate authenticity.

Verdict: Inconclusive
While no firm evidence supports these multidimensional claims, the possibility they hide kernels of truth remains open to interpretation.

Marcus Lowth is an expert on this topic and has over 20 years experience studying and reporting in these fields. Marcus has written several books and appeared on TV shows as an expert investigator discussing these topics.