Wheeler Antabanez
Encyclopedia
Wheeler Antabanez is the alter-ego and pen name for Montclair, New Jersey
-based writer Matt Kent (born January 31, 1977). Antabanez is best known as the author of best selling special issue of Weird NJ
, Nightshade on the Passaic and gasstationthoughts and The Daily Journal Of Wheeler Antabanez, published by Barricade Books.
, Kent discovered the abandoned Essex Mountain Sanatorium near his parents’ house at a young age. He became obsessed with the decaying and damaged buildings and created a website in honor of the sanatorium. The site, ‘welcometohell.net’, later became the online home of Kent’s developing alter ego, Wheeler Antabanez.
On April 19, 2000 Kent was arrested in the lead up to the first anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre
for his alter ego’s writings about the school shooting on welcometohell.
The charges were eventually dropped and Kent took welcometohell offline, transforming Antabanez’s daily journal into a book. “gasstationthoughts and the daily journal of wheeler antabanez” was published by Barricade Books
, the controversial publisher of The Anarchist Cookbook
and The Turner Diaries
.
, occasionally with his daughter, Star, as first mate, exploring abandoned buildings on its shores as well as the river itself. The Passaic is one of the most polluted waterways in the US and is home to the world’s largest collection of the deadly chemical, Dioxin.
Seeking out the worst possible places, Antabanez chronicles his exploration of abandoned buildings in Paterson, New Jersey
, such as the old Colt Mill, which made approximately 5,000 firearms between 1836 and 1841. In addition to the river and the decaying structures that surround it, he also researched murders that involved the Passaic River, including the horrific case of Jonathan Zarate who attempted to dump the mutilated body of his 16 year-old neighbor in the river, but was thwarted by a police officer who happened to pass by at the time.
The 78-page magazine also follows Antabanez as he explores homeless haunts along the river’s shore as well as the infamous “Buttonwoods” neighborhood in Lincoln Park, New Jersey
.
Nightshade on the Passaic was released as a special issue of Weird NJ
magazine in July 2008.
The Passaic River continues to be full of unusual stories, including the discovery of a child’s body that had been taken from a grave in Connecticut as part of a suspected Palo Mayombe ritual. With no one more familiar with its macabre history, Wheeler serves as an expert to curious reporters interested in the river.
In September 2010, Wheeler co-hosted a live broadcast from the last working boat yard on the Passaic for Billy Jam's Put the Needle on the Record show on WFMU
. Guests included WMFU's X-Ray Burns and Mark and Mark from Weird NJ
.
Wheeler's adventures on the Passaic River caught the eye of NPR
in late 2010. National Public Radio sent a two-person crew to NJ to travel the Passaic River and its shoreline with Wheeler as their guide. The resulting stories and interviews turned into a feature on All Things Considered
with a radio segment, written article and video.
overran its banks in the spring of 2010 and again in 2011. For both floods, Wheeler was on-site to capture the destruction. In March 2010 Wheeler visited the flood zone near Willowbrook Mall
and talked with those affected. Almost exactly a year later, the neighborhoods surrounding the river flooded again. Wheeler traveled the streets by canoe and followed the flood for seven days to create a short documentary, Following the Flood. Wheeler states in the video that he is currently filming a movie, Wheeler on the Passaic.
In March 2009, Wheeler returned to his roots writing online and began a photo-based novella, Lucky Cigarette. With a new photo and entry each day, the website is a combination of Wheeler’s skills as a photographer/videographer as well as novelist.
Wheeler is currently seeking a publishing deal for Matt & Jess Forever, Lucky Cigarette and a collection of short stories.
In early 2010, Wheeler uncovered writings from his youth and added them to Lucky Cigarette. Even in his childhood writings, it is clear to see the start of Wheeler's style and his flair for storytelling.
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
-based writer Matt Kent (born January 31, 1977). Antabanez is best known as the author of best selling special issue of Weird NJ
Weird NJ
Weird NJ is the title of a semi-annual magazine and two paranormal travel guides that chronicle local legends, hauntings, ghost stories, folklore and anything considered "weird" in the U.S. state of New Jersey....
, Nightshade on the Passaic and gasstationthoughts and The Daily Journal Of Wheeler Antabanez, published by Barricade Books.
gasstationthoughts and Arrest
Growing up in West Caldwell, New JerseyWest Caldwell, New Jersey
West Caldwell is an township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and six miles northwest of Newark...
, Kent discovered the abandoned Essex Mountain Sanatorium near his parents’ house at a young age. He became obsessed with the decaying and damaged buildings and created a website in honor of the sanatorium. The site, ‘welcometohell.net’, later became the online home of Kent’s developing alter ego, Wheeler Antabanez.
On April 19, 2000 Kent was arrested in the lead up to the first anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
for his alter ego’s writings about the school shooting on welcometohell.
The charges were eventually dropped and Kent took welcometohell offline, transforming Antabanez’s daily journal into a book. “gasstationthoughts and the daily journal of wheeler antabanez” was published by Barricade Books
Barricade Books
Barricade Books is a New York, NY publishing house specializing in non-fiction books. Among its most famous publications is The Last Party, the memoir of Adele Morales about her marriage to author-playwright Norman Mailer....
, the controversial publisher of The Anarchist Cookbook
The Anarchist Cookbook
The Anarchist Cookbook, first published in 1971, is a book that contains instructions for the manufacture of explosives, rudimentary telecommunications phreaking devices, and other items...
and The Turner Diaries
The Turner Diaries
The Turner Diaries is a novel written in 1978 by William Luther Pierce under the pseudonym "Andrew Macdonald"...
.
Nightshade on the Passaic
For two years, Antabanez traveled up and down the Passaic RiverPassaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
, occasionally with his daughter, Star, as first mate, exploring abandoned buildings on its shores as well as the river itself. The Passaic is one of the most polluted waterways in the US and is home to the world’s largest collection of the deadly chemical, Dioxin.
Seeking out the worst possible places, Antabanez chronicles his exploration of abandoned buildings in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, such as the old Colt Mill, which made approximately 5,000 firearms between 1836 and 1841. In addition to the river and the decaying structures that surround it, he also researched murders that involved the Passaic River, including the horrific case of Jonathan Zarate who attempted to dump the mutilated body of his 16 year-old neighbor in the river, but was thwarted by a police officer who happened to pass by at the time.
The 78-page magazine also follows Antabanez as he explores homeless haunts along the river’s shore as well as the infamous “Buttonwoods” neighborhood in Lincoln Park, New Jersey
Lincoln Park, New Jersey
Lincoln Park is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 10,930....
.
Nightshade on the Passaic was released as a special issue of Weird NJ
Weird NJ
Weird NJ is the title of a semi-annual magazine and two paranormal travel guides that chronicle local legends, hauntings, ghost stories, folklore and anything considered "weird" in the U.S. state of New Jersey....
magazine in July 2008.
The Passaic River continues to be full of unusual stories, including the discovery of a child’s body that had been taken from a grave in Connecticut as part of a suspected Palo Mayombe ritual. With no one more familiar with its macabre history, Wheeler serves as an expert to curious reporters interested in the river.
In September 2010, Wheeler co-hosted a live broadcast from the last working boat yard on the Passaic for Billy Jam's Put the Needle on the Record show on WFMU
WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
. Guests included WMFU's X-Ray Burns and Mark and Mark from Weird NJ
Weird NJ
Weird NJ is the title of a semi-annual magazine and two paranormal travel guides that chronicle local legends, hauntings, ghost stories, folklore and anything considered "weird" in the U.S. state of New Jersey....
.
Wheeler's adventures on the Passaic River caught the eye of NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
in late 2010. National Public Radio sent a two-person crew to NJ to travel the Passaic River and its shoreline with Wheeler as their guide. The resulting stories and interviews turned into a feature on All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
with a radio segment, written article and video.
Passaic River Floods
The Passaic RiverPassaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
overran its banks in the spring of 2010 and again in 2011. For both floods, Wheeler was on-site to capture the destruction. In March 2010 Wheeler visited the flood zone near Willowbrook Mall
Willowbrook Mall
Willowbrook Mall can refer to three different shopping malls in North America:* Willowbrook Mall * Willowbrook Mall * Willowbrook Shopping Centre in Langley, British Columbia...
and talked with those affected. Almost exactly a year later, the neighborhoods surrounding the river flooded again. Wheeler traveled the streets by canoe and followed the flood for seven days to create a short documentary, Following the Flood. Wheeler states in the video that he is currently filming a movie, Wheeler on the Passaic.
Further Works
In addition to his published works, Wheeler has an unpublished novel, Matt & Jess Forever. The story follows a young couple through drugs, murder and an intense love and is available online in its entirety.In March 2009, Wheeler returned to his roots writing online and began a photo-based novella, Lucky Cigarette. With a new photo and entry each day, the website is a combination of Wheeler’s skills as a photographer/videographer as well as novelist.
Wheeler is currently seeking a publishing deal for Matt & Jess Forever, Lucky Cigarette and a collection of short stories.
In early 2010, Wheeler uncovered writings from his youth and added them to Lucky Cigarette. Even in his childhood writings, it is clear to see the start of Wheeler's style and his flair for storytelling.