Post by Joanna on May 30, 2015 12:56:51 GMT -5
Haunted Bridges of the Eastern US
Have you heard the legend of Crybaby Bridge? A popular urban legend, it is attached to several old bridges throughout the United States. Most of the stories giving rise to the crybaby and other legends are dubious, but some are based on actual, verifiable incidents. Those brave enough to visit these locations may hear a crying child, see a headless ghost, have their cars scratched up by something unseen, or encounter the white apparition of a murdered girl. More than likely, they will see and hear nothing, but there’s always a chance.
Governors Bridge (Bowie, Maryland). This bridge (pictured above) is where, in the 1930s, a woman is said to have killed her newborn baby. Unmarried, she was afraid of what her family would do and didn’t want to ruin her reputation. After giving birth, she carried her infant to the bridge and tossed it over the side into the icy waters of the Patuxent River. In addition to the crying baby, it is said that on occasion, a phantom car can be seen crossing the bridge. Those who have seen this old-fashioned that appears to be from the 1930s or 40s, say it simply vanishes into thin air.
Sachs Bridge (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania). The Confederate army retreated across the bridge in July of 1863 and it is rumored to be haunted by Civil War soldiers. There are reports of full-body apparitions, disembodied voices, cold spots and the touch of unseen hands. According to one unsubstantiated story, three Confederate soldiers deserted their unit and when the men were caught, they were hanged from the bridge. Additionally, people sometimes smell pipe smoke on the bridge when no one is smoking in the area.
Clinton Road Bridge (Hunterdon County, New Jersey). It is said that a young boy drowned near the bridge and if you throw coins into the water, he will sometimes toss them back. Either that, or he places them in the middle of the road where they can be found later. The spirit is also known to become angry at times and visitors to the bridge at night have felt as though they are being pushed by unseen hands.
Airtight Bridge (Coles County, Illinois). On the morning of Sunday, October 19, 1980, two hunters and a farmer found what was left of the body of a young woman – her head, feet and hands were missing – in the Embarras River below the bridge. Twenty-eight years later in 2008, the corpse was identified as that of 26-year-old Diane Small. Through the years, there have been reports of paranormal activity in the area. Often strange noises are heard on the bridge, such as phantom footsteps and a girl’s screams. Thrill-seekers who visit the bridge and sit in their cars waiting for something to happen claim to have heard and felt something banging on the doors of their vehicles and dragging noises overhead. Later, some of them have reported finding scratch marks on the doors and hoods of their cars. There are also reports of a pale apparition in the vicinity. Most paranormal incidents seem to occur between the hours of 12 and 3:30 a.m.
Colville Covered Bridge (Bourbon County, Kentucky). In the 1930s, three people died on the bridge or in the waters of Hinson Creek. According to local lore, a young man driving his date home from the high school prom lost control of his car and went into the water. Also, an elderly woman crossing the bridge collapsed and died before making it to the other side. People driving or walking across the bridge have reported seeing a light shining beneath the structure that looks like the lights of a car in the water below. There are also reports of what sounds like an old lady coughing and crying for help.
Sources: Sam Warrington, MoviePlot, May 15, 2015; Michael Kleen, MysteriousHeartland; Dead Ohio, October 10, 2012; and Mary Ann Greier, The Salem News, September 13, 2011.
