Bridges often seem to possess supernatural qualities in folklore and mythology. But bridges can be troublesome in real life as well. Especially when they’re haunted by spirits.
Below you’ll find the most haunted bridges in North Carolina, as well as who or what is believed to haunt them! Grab yourselves a beverage of your choosing and let’s get right to it, shall we?
Lydia’s Bridge, Greensboro
One very haunted bridge is located in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is said that as cars approach the underpass, they may see a young woman walking along the side of the road, donned in a white dress. This woman’s name is Lydia, and her story is quite sad.
Legend has it that one rainy night, a man was driving along the road when he came upon the underpass. He saw a young lady stranded in the rain, and quickly pulled over beside her. He asked her if she needed a ride home, and she readily agreed.
The young woman climbed into the backseat, her white dress dripping from the downpour. The driver asked her what her name was, and she told him it was Lydia. After a few minutes of silence, the shy young woman told the man that she had just been to a dance and was trying to get back home.
The man got her address and agreed to take her home. Her house was only a few miles down the street. Once the man began the journey, the young lady became very quiet. She looked out the windows and seemed lost in her own thoughts.
After a few minutes, the man arrived at the young lady’s house. He pulled off to the side of the road and got out to open the back door of the car for the woman. But she had vanished.
Utterly perplexed, the man stumbled up to the front door and rang the doorbell. An elderly woman answered the door. The man explained why he was there and asked if the girl had gotten inside okay. She had moved too quickly for him to see once he had pulled over.
The old woman gave him a pained smile. Turning, she produced a small picture frame from a nearby dresser. The portrait was of a young woman–the exact one the man had given the ride to.
She explains that Lydia had been her daughter and that she had died in a horrible car crash near the overpass in 1923. She had been attending a dance and had crashed on her way home.
Every so often her ghostly form would appear near the bridge, silently asking for a ride home. Strangers often appeared at her doorstep, asking about the state of Lydia.
See also: Haunted Hotels in NC
Should you see a young lady in a white dress by this now infamous bridge, take heed that she may not be alive. All the same, she may be looking for a ride.
Take a drive and see if you can spot Lydia the phantom hitchhiker.
Lydia’s Bridge Location
Address: Lydia’s Haunted Bridge, Jamestown, NC 27282, United States
Helen’s Bridge, Asheville
In 1909, a beautiful mansion was built in Asheville, North Carolina. The house, which was called the Zealandia Mansion, crossed a ridge, and a bridge was constructed for the mansion’s inhabitants to get safely home. The beautiful bridge is made of quarried stone and sits near the base of Beaucatcher Mountain.
Legend states that a lady named Helen lived near the bridge, along with her daughter. Helen loved her daughter very much, and it was well known that she doted upon the girl whenever she could.
Related: Haunted Places in Asheville NC
One horrible day, a fire started in their house. The girl died in the flames. Distraught with grief, Helen sobbed as she walked along the road. She came to the bridge and hung herself there.
Today, Helen is known to haunt the bridge where she killed herself. Drivers report they will see her in a dress, along the side of the road. She is known for approaching vehicles, demanding to know where her daughter is.
Others have said they had to call out her name in order for her to appear. She will show up in a person’s periphery, drifting in and out of sight. A few unlucky folks have reported seeing a monster-like creature near the bridge. A couple of people have even claimed they have been violently attacked, and scratched, by an unseen force while visiting the bridge.
What is equally odd is the high number of people who claim they experienced car trouble while at the bridge, or in the days that follow being there. The most frequent problem is that car batteries seem to die at what is now known as Helen’s Bridge.
Helen’s Bridge Location
Address: 201 Beaucatcher Rd, Asheville, NC 28805, United States
Caroleen Broad River Bridge, Ellenboro
Many creepy stories are centered around this haunted bridge in Caroleen, North Carolina. The most famous legend is the story of two elderly women who lived not far from the bridge. One day they had gone into town to purchase some groceries.
They came to the bridge, but lost control of the vehicle, falling off the edge. Both women died in the accident. When it rains, the two ladies are often seen walking alongside the bridge where they perished.
A few brave souls have even offered the two a ride back home. The apparitions agree and can be seen climbing into the backseat of the car. But as soon as the driver turns to look at them, they will have already disappeared.
This particular bridge has also been the site of many suicides, and locals believe these unhappy spirits continue to haunt the bridge to this day. The bridge provides a continuous creepy feeling to anyone who has to cross it.
People have reported seeing phantom shadows, and apparitions. Vehicles have also been known to be seen driving over the bridge, then quickly disappearing once it reaches the other side. When the weather permits and drivers have their windows down, phantom voices and cries can be heard when crossing the bridge.
Nobody seems quite sure when these hauntings at Caroleen bridge began, and how, if any, of them happen to be connected. But locals and random travelers alike all agree that there is something mysterious, and evil that calls the Caroleen bridge home.
Over time the experiences only seem to increase, because the site continues to be a popular suicide location. The negative energy feeds the paranormal entities that reside here.
Coraleen Broad River Bridge Location
The bridge is located on US-221A Hwy in Forest City, North Carolina as it meets Second Broad River.