Over the past few years, people living in Northern New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania areas have reportedly heard mysterious “booms” that have increased in frequency. Lehigh Valley Live has reported on the phenomenon in such places as Bucks and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and, most recently, in Warren County, New Jersey.

Lehigh Valley Live covered the booms in January in an article titled “What was THAT? Residents swear mysterious booms have shaken houses in Warren County” by Steve Novak. The article discusses how the police are investigating the booms, and theories about what the booms may be.

The interesting thing, though, is that not everyone has heard these booms. Some groups have formed on social media platforms like Facebook to discuss these odd occurrences. Washington resident Gregg Wiseburn started one such group for local people to report and discuss their experiences.

“I started the Facebook group ‘The Washington Boom,’” said Wiseburn. “I created it half as a joke, half as me wanting to know what the heck was the cause of the noise.”

Since Wiseburn created the group in December of 2019, it has become popular and is growing steadily.

“I decided to create ‘The Washington Boom’ group so people can post when they hear a boom in town,” he said. “ I get about two to five requests a day now and the group is up to over 500 members.”

With the growing concern about these noises, theories have started popping up left and right. These theories cover issues from sonic booms to bombs.

“I have heard a few [theories], from someone lighting dynamite sticks to earthquakes to even crazier things like aliens,” Wiseburn said.

Washington resident and Warren Hills paraprofessional Jeffrey Holzmann said he has also heard the boom sounds.
“It was probably at eleven thirty, twelve at night,” Holzman said. “It was like a [gun] shot. Other people have heard it, too. I don’t think a sonic boom would sound like that. It was more of an explosion.”

As reports of these booms increase, the community is working together to find out what is behind the mysterious booms.

“I was told if anyone hears a boom or unusual noise to contact the police department,” Wiseburn said. “I really just want to know what these weird noises are that myself and others have heard.”