At first glance, the house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey looks like an ordinary house in an American suburb. However, for some time now it has been attracting fans of scary stories, true crime podcasts and mysterious unsolved cases. Due to the popularity of the series “The Watcher”, which appeared on the platform at the end of September 2022, real crowds began to come to the house. So much so that the current owners had had enough. But why is the house in Westfield called “The Watcher House” so popular? The story told in the series is based on real events, and the house mentioned in it really exists and is located in Westfield.
Netflix’s “The Watcher” is based on true events. What happened in the scary house?
In the record-breaking series “The Watcher”, the main characters who have just bought their dream house in the suburbs of Westfield with all their savings were played by Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts. In the Netflix production, it quickly turns out that the area is not as fairy-tale as it may seem, and the heroes’ dream turns into a nightmare thanks to the neighbors and, above all, the mysterious “Observer”, a stalker sending threats and . This story is based on the fate of Maria and Derek Broaddus.
The mysterious “Observer” sent them terrifying letters. To this day, it is not known who the stalker was
In 2014, they bought a house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey. Shortly after they moved in, they began finding mysterious and disturbing messages in their mailbox. The sender, who signed himself as “Observer”, suggested that he was watching the family’s every step. He also suggested that he was strongly associated with the Broaddus household.
My grandfather watched it in the 1920s, my father in the 1960s, and now it’s my turn. Do you know the history of this house? Do you know what is inside its walls?
– in anonymous letters (however, it is not known what gender the “Observer” was; in English, he did not use any words suggesting whether he was a man or a woman).
Will you fill the house with young blood as I asked?
– . He mentioned the couple’s children, who at the time of sending the message were not yet living with their parents, waiting for the renovation to be completed. The letters, and, above all, the growing fear, caused the Broadduses to finally notify . Derek even contacted FBI agents. The officers examined the letters for fingerprints and DNA traces and questioned neighbors. The Broaddus family also asked its previous owners about the house. They admitted that they also received a letter from the mysterious “Observer”, but it was a one-off situation. However, the stalker’s identity could not be discovered, although the house and neighbors were under close surveillance by the police and a private detective.
What happened to the house in Westfield? The family tried to get rid of him for a long time
When the letters continued to arrive, the Broadduses, mentally exhausted and terrified, packed up and moved out. The family finally decided to put the house up for sale, even though they had just completed an expensive renovation. But they waited several years for a buyer. The house stood empty for a long time, although for two years it was rented by the son of one of the Westfield residents. In the meantime, the Broadduses also decided to sell the rights to tell their story. This is how the Netflix series was created. The house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey ultimately sold for half a million less than the Broaddus family bought it for. The current owners reportedly did not receive any letter.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
