The Ghosts of Arlington’s RIVER LEGACY PARK

From Civil War casualties to ghostly car accidents and a location that is called “Hell’s Gate”, the park truly has something to offer any who are brave enough to enter its bounds and explore the dark and macabre.

The city of Arlington, Texas is one of the premiere paranormal hotspots in the state, with haunted theatres, apartments and even a major chain theme park that are all alleged to have been touched by the supernatural. With a myriad of haunted locales to pick from within the city, it’s almost surprising that one of the most reputedly haunted places in the city is a sedate public park.

Green and idyllic and full of families taking in picnics or enjoying nature’s glory, it hardly seems possible that any supernatural darkness could find its way into River Legacy Park.

As they say, though, appearances can be deceiving.

As one of the most haunted places in Arlington, River Legacy Park is host to a number of mysterious spirits and specters who haunt the park. From Civil War casualties to ghostly car accidents and a location that is called “Hell’s Gate”, the park truly has something to offer any who are brave enough to enter its bounds and explore the dark and macabre.

Some are frightening, some are sad, some are even heroic, and all of them are truly fascinating. Whether you’re a daytime explorer or the type to take their supernatural explorations at night, River Legacy Park is bound to have an experience for you.

No matter what you do, be careful; some of these spirits are known to be quite restless.

Located along the banks of the Trinity River, River Legacy Park is one of the proudest points of the city for offering a wide variety of nature opportunities for visitors of all ages. At 1031 acres it is a vast and vibrant floodplain park that is home to more than 400 unique wildlife, including 193 species of birds and 28 species of trees.

Planned specifically as a place where animals could live with minimal interference from the park’s hundreds of human visitors, it is truly a sight to behold.

Founded in 1986 to better preserve the local ecosystem and encourage appreciation of the local flora and fauna. A variety of nature-based activities are encouraged, especially bird-watching, bicycling, jogging, picnicking or simply enjoying nature’s splendor on a fine, sedate afternoon.

For kids, there is a playground incomparable to any other in the United States, including a full-size T-Rex skeleton that kids love to climb on, as well as the adjacent River Legacy Living Science Center , a 12,000 square foot facility that offers terrariums and aquariums of local wildlife in an interactive and fun for the whole family display.

Often called the “crown jewel” of Arlington’s parks, River Legacy Park is a must-visit location if you are in Arlington and love the outdoors.

The hauntings that surround River Legacy Park are as varied as they are vivid, offering a number of classical ghostly tales within the park that should whet most any supernatural aficionado’s appetite.

SCREAMING BRIDGE

One of the biggest locations for ghostly sightings is at a bridge crossing the Trinity River that locals refer to as the “Screaming Bridge”. According to local legend, a car full of teenagers was driving rapidly across the bridge at night without looking where they were going, completely unaware of the car coming in the opposite direction.

As the bridge was quite narrow, there was little to prevent the tragic head-on collision. Those who were not killed on impact allegedly died in the ensuing fire, shortly before the cars themselves plummeted into the river below, claiming all the lives aboard.

To this day, there are those who say that the impact of this tragic accident has never truly left the bridge in peace. Though the bridge is now only open to pedestrian traffic, there are those who say you can still hear the occasional sound of oncoming vehicles when you’re standing on the bridge, especially after it gets dark.

Some have stated that if you walk the bridge at night and look into the water, you can see the faint glow of a number of tombstones beneath, one for each of the victims.

Others will tell you that if you stand at the middle of the bridge at a specific hour of the night, many claim midnight to be the hour, that a ghostly fog will roll in and you will see twin pairs of headlights approach from either side as if the accident is being eternally repeated.

THE HOBO

Another of the legendary ghosts of the park would be that of “The Hobo”, a remnant of the era when the park was a popular location for train hoppers to jump off since trains had to slow down when passing through the park.

Legend has it that once, long ago, a vagrant had just jumped off a train and heard a woman screaming in fear and agony. He followed the screams to a parked car, where he saw a woman being brutally beaten by her boyfriend. The hobo tried to intervene and save the woman, but for his trouble was beaten by the man and died on the spot.

Many say that the Hobo still wanders the park to this day. Some say he will often make himself visible to young couples parking at night, sometimes even knocking on the window to check if the young woman is alright!

HELL’S GATE

Perhaps the most notorious supernatural location in the park would have to be the spot locals call ‘Hell’s Gate’. Though difficult to find to some, there is allegedly a location within the park that requires trudging along a path lined with swamps and high trees.

If you make the journey along the correct path, you will find it ends at a couple of wooden fence posts that once belonged to a gate. Legend has it that this location was often the last thing seen by many a Union spy during the Civil War, as the large dirt mound past the posts is where they were executed.

To this day, people report a number of strange phenomena in the vicinity of Hell’s Gate. Most commonly, there are stories of voices on the breeze, some speaking unintelligibly, others quietly praying or sobbing as they’re being led to their deaths.

Often people have reported feeling uneasy and nervous as if they’re being watched, or unusually cold. Less frequent but no less disturbing is the lone figure sometimes seen standing nearby, that of a satisfied red-haired man in a Confederate General’s uniform as if proudly supervising the horrors that once took place there.

As with the Screaming Bridge, most of these effects are said to be amplified considerably if visiting Hell’s Gate at night.

As a supernatural haven in a city full of supernatural locations, River Legacy Park is a must-see if you’re in the vicinity of Arlington. Though we cannot guarantee any spooky encounters with the beyond, there is still plenty to see or do in nature’s splendors.

Take in a hike, view the local wildlife, or just enjoy a casual bike ride and a picnic, River Legacy Park is an ideal stop on any vacation in the region.

Just remember to be careful when crossing the Screaming Bridge, especially if you’re visiting River Legacy Park at night. After all, it never hurts to be safe…