Lawrence Brook Carvings

In a wooded bend of Lawrence Brook on the southern edge of New Brunswick, a series of mysterious carvings appear on the rocks above the water — strange symbols, Latin phrases, ciphers, and what look like coded words, all from 1876. They have never been deciphered. The site is on private land bordering Johnson Park; access is via a short walk along the brook from Rutgers Gardens.

Bring sturdy shoes and patience. The carvings are small and weathered, and you will need to look carefully to spot them on the rock faces. There are no signs, no plaques, no official explanation. That is part of the appeal.

things to do sight
A story
The carvings are dated 1876 and include phrases in Latin, English, and what looks like a substitution cipher — but no one has decoded them. Theories range from a homesick farmer's diary to Masonic ritual to early Boy Scout-style codework. Carl Sagan visited the site in the 1970s and pronounced himself baffled.