Investigation Team: Dave Miller, Jim Hall, Matt Miller Investigation Date: January 27 & March 2, 2020
CLAIMS: The bridge has a ghost story that goes back to the 1930’s. The urban legend is that some teenagers returning from a party at the Grange Hall took the curve wrong and crashed inside the covered bridge. One boy from the party was thought to have disappeared when in actuality, had gotten a ride from the doomed teenagers. As a result his body was not looked for in the crash but had gotten thrown out and remained hidden in the underbrush beside Sam’s Run stream. It was years later that his remains were found. Locals have claimed that strange things happen when they drive on the bridge. Your engine will die for no reason. A “shhhh” noise or voices may be heard or a tap on the window have been reported. Some think this is the unfound teenager trying to tell you where he is.
Historical Significance: the bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of only seven remaining Child’s Truss Covered Bridges in the USA. The bridge was built by Everett Sherman in 1877 at the cost of $2,400. The bridge is 85 feet in length.
INVESTIGATION: I visited on a cold winter afternoon. A brisk but very shallow stream, Sam’s Run, ran under the bridge. During my 30 minute investigation there was no other traffic. The bridge was located with sharp curves at each end so openings were cut on each side panel so approaching traffic could be seen before entering the one lane bridge. Standing on the bridge I could faintly hear what sounded like human voices. After walking and listening I moved across to the other side and listened. On this west side of the bridge I could also hear talking. I knew I was alone as farmhouses were a distance away. I walked down the slippery bank and under the bridge. There was no one around but I could hear voices. As I stood under the bridge at the edge of the stream I determined the voices were created by the rush of water over several rocks which sounded just like a human voice. Phantom voices were debunked.
Looking upstream and downstream, Sam’s Run was clear of debris with very little shrubbery and bushes 50 yards in each direction. Although the car wreck was 80 years ago, the banks could have been overgrown then to hide the teenagers body. But if it looked like it did today, it would be hard to believe that a body would fall out of a car and float downstream and not be readily discovered. There was only a ten foot drop from the bottom of the bridge to the water, not far for a car to plunge.
About a month later during the second investigation, Matt, Jim & I saw a slightly deeper stream and faster current. Still not fast or deep enough to carry a body downstream very far. The faster rushing water did not create a human voice sound over the rocks.
