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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.



Egypt Road Bridge (Salem, Ohio). Utility company workers in the area sometimes hear what sounds like a crying child coming from the direction of the old bridge – aka Pine Lake Road Bridge – over the Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek. This is attributed to an incident that allegedly occurred years ago when a child tumbled from the bridge into the creek while the parents were arguing. While this story cannot be verified, there’s no disputing a much more sinister incident: On October 25, 2010, police saw a fire near the bridge and discovered the body of 60-year-old Ardes Ruth Bauman. It was determined the woman had been strangled before being set on fire. Now, in addition to the crying baby, people have reported seeing the spirit of an elderly woman in the area. There are also rumors a Satanic cult holds its meetings near the bridge and that Bauman was a Satanic sacrifice.

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.



Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn, New York). This is one of New York’s most famous landmarks and according to some, one of its most haunted. People have heard splashing and screams for help from beneath the bridge, but when they look, there is no sign of anyone in the water. Even more frightening are reports of the spirit of a headless man who is said to have been decapitated when a cable snapped during construction of the bridge. Approximately 27 workers were killed before the span across the East River was completed. And the carnage continued: The day the bridge finally opened, the crowd panicked, believing the structure was about to collapse and 12 people were trampled to death. If all this wasn’t bad enough, the Brooklyn Bridge is also a suicide hotspot.

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.



Danville Bridge (Danville, Indiana). Several ghost stories are attached to this bridge. According to one, Dad Jones, an unlucky construction worker, fell into wet cement while the bridge was under construction and he remains encased in the structure. People have heard screams for help and what sounds like someone banging on the bridge with a hammer and these are attributed to Dad Jones. Another story is that of a woman who was forced to jump into White Lick Creek to avoid being hit by a train. She had a baby in her arms and now, when a train is approaching, it is said you can sometimes hear the terrified screams of the mother and child. A phantom woman in white has also been reported near the bridge and people say it is the unfortunate woman searching for her child below the bridge.





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.