gillespie dam bridge haunted
Boy that one really scared the dickens out of me!!! It is a creepy place and even though the old bridge is gone, I still think of the ghost story when I cross it. They were []. Most people who have lived in Jefferson County, Alabama for a while have heard the ghost story about the lady of the lake at Bayview bridge. I have lived within 3 miles of here for 42 years and have heard all the stories. The floodplain is a very turbulent one, and the Antelope Hill bridge (the original site for a bridge across the river) sustained severe damage time and again from floods. A common legend trip before 2001 involved people driving across the bridge with their lights off. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. When they came to the newly built bridge, they had to stop halfway. In 1926, ahead of the creation of the U.S. Highway System, the state funded the creation of a steel truss bridge across the Gila River just south of the dam. Also, information on covered bridges.especially history on one in Eureka community whose covered bridge spanned the Choccolocco Creek in Stemley community. It was like leaving my family. On my 13th birthday my friends and brother drove out to see the girl on the bridge when we didnt see her we went to the cemetery after leaving our car went dead on the rail road tracks unfortunately we were hit by a train coming from TCI. Let us know, and check out our previous article for more drone footage:7 Drone Videos From Arizona That Will Take You On An Aerial Tour Of The Grand Canyon State. I think your Mother and Aunt would be able to walk this ramp. Do you have photos and history of this bridge and what happened to it? Another year Richard Pettys brother-in-law was pressurizing a small water tank from a large cylinder of air and he exceeded the pressure limit on the water tank and it blew up, hit him in the chest and slung him higher than the Union 76 ball on pit road. I would like to know more about the bridge that the storys come from is it the bride that is in use now or the very old one that crosses the lake on the back side of bayview also on that old bridge where would the roads come out if they were in use now. The technical aspects of the dam are impressive. The Gila River Flood of 1993 only caused some support piers to settle (because of its design and concrete support piers sunk in bedrock). Typically, those with gephyrophobia clench up, close their eyes, and sweat profusely as they move across one of the worlds many bridges. As with most urban legends, there are multiple stories about why the dilapidated bridge is haunted. I can still hear my friend laughing. [4] Between 1917 and 1923, the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway became part of the Dixie Overland Highway, Bankhead Highway and Old Spanish Trail auto trails. The bridge is on Mulga Loop Road not 269 Hwy. He was an amazing man with many awesome stories of his life in Bayview Camp!!!! My family moved to Bayview in 1944, have been here ever since. Essentially, if one goes through each gate in order at midnight, then upon entering the seventh, the doors to Hell will be thrown open, and the brave individual will be pursued by hellhounds. There are only 3 covered bridges left in Blount County. The bridge was constructed to bypass a concrete apron through the river in front of the Gillespie Dam, which was often closed due to flooding. Lol. It may not look like much from afar but the Gillespie Dam bridge is a survivor in one of the most notorious bridge-problemareas in Arizona. There have been several deaths and murders inside the house. Its always fun to fill up 1000s of water balloons and throw them at lids on the bridge on Halloween. Photo, Print, Drawing Overall view of Gillespie Dam Bridge and Old US 80 Highway, view to west - Gillespie Dam Bridge, Spanning Gila River on Old US 80 Highway, south of Gillespie Dam, Arlington, Maricopa County, AZ Photos from Survey HAER AZ-69 You should check out the ones in Blount County< I think hat there are either five or six. The precise size of the flood was not recorded due to equipment failure, but an estimate based upon a high-water mark recorded on USGS equipment yielded a peak flow of approximately 200,000 cubic feet (5,700m3) per second, corresponding to a predicted 65-year flood, or a flood of a magnitude anticipated only once per 65 years. The little girl was gone when they came out. The girl was supposedly pick up by a person one night and asked to be taken to an address! Hallowed ground. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie. Web. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships, working for The Royal Obsession and Anatomie clothing. The deepest pier would reach 43 feet (13m) below the riverbed. I lived in Gadsden and watched it being built, as they were also putting in a sports car road course and I was racing a sports car at the time. Thanks for reminding me of this, I think I will take my grand daughters one night. The new Gillespie Dam Bridge officially opened to traffic on August 1, 1927. is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia. According to the legend, Friskes body was quickly snapped up by the river below. We are excited here at AP. when you start to go into bayview there is a small road to the right that leads a short ways to it. A bridge roller bearing was on display in the gazebo but there was no interpretative information. Miss the old bridge. NRHP registered place in Maricopa County, Arizona, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places portal, List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Arizona, List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Arizona, National Register of Historic Places listings in Maricopa County, Arizona, "Historic Property Inventory Forms Maricopa Bridges", "U.S. Route 80: The Dixie Overland Highway", "Historic Property Inventory Forms Yuma Bridges", American Association of State Highway Officials, "ADOT Right-of-Way Resolution 1977-11-A-029", "Gillespie Dam: The Public Works Project That's Now Home to Wildlife", "Arizona Centennial 2012: The Centennial Plan", "Historic Bridges in Arizona and Their Engineers", "Historic Arizona U.S. Route 80 Designation", Gila River Bridge Maricopa County, Arizona, Gillespie Dam Highway Bridge Gila Bend AZ U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Gillespie Dam Bridge, Spanning Gila River on Old US 80 Highway, south of Gillespie Dam, Arlington, Maricopa County, AZ, History of the National Register of Historic Places, List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state, List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places, University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gillespie_Dam_Bridge&oldid=1147394741, Historic American Engineering Record in Arizona, Parker truss bridges in the United States, Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Arizona, Tourist attractions in Maricopa County, Arizona, Transportation in Maricopa County, Arizona, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Pages using infobox bridge with extra embedded table, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 17:33. Oh n how my Aunt Barbara would lock him out of the house til there Mom n Dad would get home !!! I remember the radio would stop halfway across the bridge, We used to walk thru the cemetery at night go through the turn style gate it creaked when you would push it, i heard that if you park on the bridge and leave a candy bar in the back seat and walk to the other side and back that when you return the candy will be gone and your seat would be wet. Two recordings even provided namesAbram and Willie.. What a bridge for such a little lake. I was to grown up to go to the little school so I went to the Big School, when we had a community building, TCI let us use one of the old machine shop buildings for a church, Baptist one Sunday, Methodist the next, lots of fun and a good place to live. Will Pope you too have been there fess up now ! Not long after, residents began to see ghostly lights underneath the bridge. Partially hidden by the snow, the woman apparently wore a white cloak with a hood. When I had to move it almost killed me and that place holds on to you. Ive heard many stories as a child and cherish them all!! At one point, Gillespie Bridge was the longest highway bridge in Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Other haunted towns near Arlington, Arizona: Tonopah, Arizona, 12 miles away Buckeye, Arizona, 15 miles away Gila Bend, Arizona, 20 miles away Never saw anything but was told all the stories growing up. Inspired by true events and the Cottingham family that resided in 17th century Somerset, Maryland and Delaware, colonial America comes alive with pirate attacks, religious discord, and governmental disagreements in the pre-Revolutionary War days of America. Thanking you in advance. I sure do miss my Dad and his many stories from Bayview Al. [7] At approximately 10:30 on the morning of January 9, the dam failed when a segment approximately 120 feet (37m) in length collapsed into the river. Additionally, it has been featured in various specials and TV shows for its haunting tale. Also, if you would like to read about more ghost adventures, heres an article about some haunted places in Mississippi where you can actually spend the night.. She had over slept that morning and was on her way to a birthday party. . Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. The way traffic zooms across it these days youd get ran over looking for her!. Ithink the name of the cemetery is Village Falls. The bridge isnt what you wanna pay attention to. My father is buried at Village Falls and it a very peaceful place. We have a Lady of the Lake that even Stanley Marcus gave a ride to. Thank God that Donna forgot to get him or we would have lost him too. Twice we stopped the car in the middle of the bridge and it wouldnt crank until after it was pushed off the bridge completely. $1,169.00. Been there i remember pretty spooky on a foggy night, I remember when I was small my cousins would scare me with this story good old days. I can remember a dirt road on the left right before the bridge that went all the way thru to 269. Construction of the bridge started in 1925 and completed in 1927. The Bayview Bridge is located between the communities of Bayview & Minor, Al. During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date. We had a company store, a bus line to Ensley, skating on the Mulga Road, if you had a car, there was no gasoline. Glenda are you kin to Clyde Dunlap and Nadean McArdle? Scared the pee out of me! That stuff doesnt scare me! If you bring some fishing gear, you might get yourself a free meal. Construction on the timber and concrete girder Antelope Hill Highway Bridge began in 1914. The locals believe that this young lady can be seen in the area in her prom dress. Check out the video by YouTuber Atomic Shooter: Have you ever visited the Gillespie Dam Bridge? However, when river conditions proved temperamental or treacherous, the apron was either shut down or several cars had to be tied together into a long train before crossing. The second bridge is between the first bridge and the MRT track. Located in the unincorporated community of Dunvegan, Alberta, Canada, Dunvegan Bridge is a relatively new structure. [6], The dam was also to have supported a new town of Gillespie that was to be built 12 miles (19km) west of Gila Bend along the Southern Pacific Railroad. And it was a source of fun for many in my generation. Was always a creepy feeling. I also grew up crossing the grated bridge. [6] While the concrete girder design made it stronger against automobiles than a steel bridge, it was weaker against the heavy forces of desert flash flooding. Swann Bridge, the longest, is off Hwy 1 in Cleveland, and Nector Bridge is behind a church on the left side of Hwy 231W. One night I was left on the Mulga side by some crazy friends and had to walk back across to the Minor side. The final bridge is located right after the MRT track. The bridge was . The bridge cost $320,000 to complete. An even more disturbing belief is that anyone who sees the womans ghost will be dead within the year. But its also rich in churches and good ole Southern values. ; were found on the bottom . Photographers probably love this for shots. Although listed on the National Register of Historical Places, the Old Alton Bridge is better known today as the Goatmans Bridge. Another cemetery is located between hiway 269 and Mulga Loop rd along the lake. Today, Gillespie Dam serves as a local attraction for fishing and for the curious traveler to pull over and inspect the unique sight. The story is that it was built on an old Indian burial ground and forever cursed if anything else occupied the site. Blast from the past. The locals believe that this young lady can be seen in the area in her prom dress. Once a man reported a new car suddenly stopped on the bridge and he saw strange misty figures on the bridge. [4][10] From 2011 to 2012, the Gillespie Dam Bridge underwent a $7.3 million restoration by Maricopa County. My grandmother later moved to a little house in Mulga and she told me the story over and I always closed my eyes if we ever had to go over the bridge at night! I was raised in Minor. One house that is considered the most haunted in the state is McRaven House located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Built in the 1920s, the Gillespie Dam Bridge is a through truss bridge in Maricopa County spanning the Gila River. Enjoy the outing! Angered by this, the Klan members returned to Washburns home and killed his entire family. The first driver killed there hit the wall just out of Turn 1 on a glancing blow. According to legend, a successful goat breeder named Oscar Washburn began to call himself the Goatman. Quiet desert ranch perfect for relaxing, hiking, and enjoing sunsets and sunrise, 2 Bdrm home for Outage/ SRP Solar Project Workers. Bayview Bridge ca. Did you seeher? Good times. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. [4], In January 1926, the Highway Department began negotiations with potential contractors. 1919) said that Bayview Lake in the beginning was like having a Resort in Bayview Families would take boats out onto the lake & picnic on the banks of the lakeHe spoke of fond memoriesSadly; by the time I was born (50s) the water was murky & it was a place for teens to party & tell ghost stories. The bridge is located on AL 269 over Bayview Lake. One year most of the cars in the secure garage were vandalized the night before the race. She said that when was a young girl, shortly before she married my father (so sometime shortly before 1955), she was riding with my future father and his parents returning to their house after church one night. The old iron bridge was sunk into the water out of view and replaced with a new concrete bridge in the 1970s/80s. Amber Lynn Mcintire okie dokie. Its the highest. The bridge would also be a Federal Aid Project. These kinds of stoties are as old as story telling itself. Oh yes of course I remember that bridge!! Both drowned. He works as a freelance writer and has been published in The Weekly Standard, The Atlantic, Listverse, and other publications. After capturing Friske, who blamed his actions on demons, the townspeople lynched the old man by hanging him from the bridge itself. If so, what are your thoughts about it? The bridge is listed on both the Arizona State and National . The cemetery overlooking the lake is. The state returned to the original solution of using unpaid prisoners and finished the bridge in 1915. People have said for years they have seen something on the bridge. It was incorporated as part of Arizona State Route 85, and the US-80 designation was removed two decades later. Lots of good memories came to mind as I was reading thru the comments. Additionally, it has been featured in various specials and TV shows for its haunting tale. I dont remember any stories it was just a feeling I had. It is closer to 269 and in recent years has been registered on Alabamas historical places site. She developed the websites www.alabamapioneers and www.daysgoneby.me You'll receive your first newsletter soon! The Arizona Highway Department used Gillespie Dam to its advantage as well. It uses many large arches across the front of the dam for support, and a large, flat slab on the back to hold the water in place. One day, the son of a wealthy merchant ran afoul of the familys donkey (or horse) and began to savagely beat it. A large amount of winter rain meant that Valley rivers were flowing at high capacity. Furthermore, the bridge was built on one of the most turbulent sections of the river. I started Bayview Elementary school in the 2nd grade. The accident happened August 16, 1973 Does anybody remember hearing or seeing things glowing in the lake. WV you do!! Back in 1980, the Coles County Sheriffs Department discovered the dead body of an unidentified young woman floating in the Embarras River underneath the Airtight Bridge. But due to Arlington being on the north side of the Gila River, a new crossing of the Gila would have to be established. My mom grew up literally down the street from that bridge. Get more stories delivered right to your email. The 4th was destroyed by vandals several years ago. Originally the state wanted to use prison labor to construct the bridge, but had instead let Cobb hire out construction work to an individual named Perry Borchers. I think someone must have raised a python to mega size and released it by the bridge. Gillespie Dam Bridge The Gillespie Dam Bridge is a through truss bridge spanning the Gila River in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. The Camelback or Parker truss design was standard on many other steel truss bridges. In August 1938, masked Klansmen abducted Washburn and hung him from the bridge. Stuckey's Bridge. So, have you been to Stuckeys Bridge and witnessed any paranormal happenings? Wikipedia. The metal bridge has been gone for years. This was a major mistake, for Friske, who was driven to madness by the pungent stench of the dead and skinned children whom he had previously murdered, killed the towns remaining children one by one and threw their bodies into the River Rouge. Ive heard all the Bayview Bridge stories and repeated them to my kids every time we crossed the bridge. Yep happened to me. The dam is located on the outskirts of the Valley and at the end of the Robbins Butte/Gillespie Dam Trail. Despite constant modernization, the Gillespie Dam Bridge remained part of mainline US80 until 1956, when a new alignment was built to the east. Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) 1972 me tony butera and my best friend gary mc droped off our girlfriends glenda click and donna mason drove over the foggy bridge saw some errie lights put my alpha romeo in 5th gear got the hell out of there, Bayview lake the largest lake in Jefferson county owned by USSteel, Vicki Gaines Hatcher Larry Gaines May Gaines Peggy Gaines Galloway, Peggy Gaines Galloway she remembered this bridge, it was supposed to be haunted, hey Glenda click terry kizzire remeber all the good times crossing the bridge on the way to the movies luv to here from yall have cancer but beating it so far gary mc cowin died in 2017 hope all is well cool PEACE OUTO, No but Ive seen a lot of other nefarious stuff going down under that bridge. Since that tragic day, the bridge over Elm Creek has become a popular destination for legend trippers. The Gillespie Dam is a concrete gravity dam located on the Gila River between the towns of Buckeye and Gila Bend, Arizona.The dam was constructed during the 1920s for primarily irrigation purposes. They continued on, but they couldnt forget what they had seen. Hand prints on windshields were often reported by people. Though not as scary as the first one, a woman's scream can sometimes be heard in the middle of the night. I personally dont believe in ghost but thats just me.i would have to see one to believe it. N.p., 25 June 2012. It was key to the development of a 72,000-acre (29,000ha) parcel owned by "millionaire" W.S. I thought our town held the franchise on the Mothman here in WV. Would drive over there on Friday night, but never seen her, ha ha, We went there when I was a kid.it was spooky.love it. It used to have many sunken graves and very few markers. Have you ever seen one that big? Grew up in Bayview. The bridge was at the time the longest highway bridge in the state of Arizona. Long long time ago, not many of us old timers are still here, but we keep plugging on. Take the loop via Maricopa and Gila Bend (all back roads). Having a background in History I of course must cover the background of both the bridge and the dam. The community included a commissary for shopping, doctors office, schools, community center/library, churches, and parks. But if you got back and the candy bar was still there you would here a baby crying when you left. The remnants of the dam remain in place and the area is largely accessible to the public. You are correct. Probably a wise idea, since the only way out of town is via the hairpin turns of Oatman Highway. The Gillespie Dam was constructed circa 1920 by a local rancher, Frank Gillespie (Gillespie Land and Irrigation Company),[3] to replace an existing structure. Realizing that their livelihood was at stake, the pioneer family hurled rocks at the wealthy young man. Bubbles, and they werent just from fish. Thank you! [2] A portion of the dam failed unexpectedly in 1993 during unusually heavy rains. Jack & I saw the game warden, today. This tale of the headless prom girl is so creepy that some locals avoid driving down this road at night. Its believe that Athol got its own portal to Hell thanks to an altar that was used to perform human sacrifices. Just let me know. 15 Jan. 2016. I am now 70. Bayview was the last of TCIs town-building ventures. We use to go to the cemetery when I was a teenager . Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Phoenix, Amazing 2-Hour Guided Hiking Adventure in the Sonoran Desert. I worked at Brunos when I was a teenager and I have had to walk from minor to the gates of bayview many a night and Inever encountered anything not saying nothing is out there. Apparently, in order to drum up business, Washburn hung a sign on the bridge reading: This Way to the Goatman. The local KKK was not at all pleased. Do you remember a story of a policeman that stopped and parked by the bridge late one night and was reading his paper, when suddenly he heard a noise on the hood of his car. Them where the days. Thats the only one that I have found to be provable to the point of putting a name to it and finding actual newspaper articles and such as evidence it actually happened. Went across the bridge many times going to family reunions in mulga but have never seen ghost. Most accounts of this ghost depict her as a hideous human-animal hybrid with loose, baggy skin. The first is that the ghost is supposed to be a lady that lived in Edgewater back in the early 1940s that had hired a lady in Bayview to make her wedding dress. I love all you historical prose and photos. Large 12-inch (30cm) and 16-inch (41cm) water excavation pumps had to be used, each pump able to remove between 3,600 US gallons (14,000L) and 4,500 US gallons (17,000L) per minute. In 2010, the badly burned body of 60-year-old Ardes Bauman was found inside of a van parked near the bridge. In the process of building the community, they dammed up Village Creek at a point where there was a steep gorge and made a man-made lake. Some of us either suffer from this anxiety disorder or know someone who does. At night, Stuckey would stand outside with his lantern, guiding travelers directly to his inn. THE bridge isnt located on AL 269 but a county road off 269.This bridge is no longer there has been replaced with concrete.