Spotlight: Crybaby Bridge

November 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Click here to download the entire issue!

The “Crybaby Bridge” is a common folklore motif in the Midwest, and although the bridges may be different, their stories are very similar. One concerns a young mother who drowned her unwanted child in the river under the bridge, and the infant’s cries can still be heard. Another common story is that a bus or van full of children drove off the bridge, killing everyone inside. Now, if you put your car in neutral while on the bridge, invisible hands will push you safely to the other side. Both of these legends are associated with a steel, graffiti-covered bridge in rural Warren County. One tale particular to this location involves a speeding car full of impetuous youths who struck and killed a fisherman as he cast a line into the creek. Additionally, several people have claimed to hear a baby crying near this bridge.

For an in-depth look at this location, check out Volume 4 Issue 7 of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, featuring the history & hauntings of Monmouth’s Crybaby Bridge, the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, and much more!

Download entire issue (in .pdf)

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Legends and Lore of Illinois Vol. 4 – on Kindle!

Or, order all 11 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois from 2010 for only $5.00 in a special Kindle edition. Places covered in Vol. 4 include Western Illinois University’s Simpkins Hall, the Seventh Avenue Dead End, Illinois State University, Willow Creek Farm, Vishnu Springs, the Cambridge Death Curve, Crybaby Bridge, Archer Avenue, Rockford College, Starved Rock State Park and more. Plus, read letters from our readers, the latest adventures of The Fallen, skeptic’s corner, and put your knowledge of these locations to the test with challenging trivia questions.

Order it today on Amazon.com.
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Legends and Lore of Illinois: Investigation Reports

Legends_and_Lore_of_Illinois_Investigation_FilesThis collection consists of 47 haunted locations from the archives of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, arranged alphabetically and by category, with over 60 accompanying photos. Many of these photos have never been seen before. Inside, you will find the history, ghost stories, and folklore of popular locations such as Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Resurrection Cemetery and Archer Avenue, Manteno State Hospital, Lakey’s Creek, and the Peoria State Hospital, plus local haunts such as Ashmore Estates, Chanute Air Force Base, Vishnu Springs, and Peck Cemetery. Learn the real stories behind the legends: misconceptions and misinformation about these places and more are tackled head on.

Order it today on Amazon.com!
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Check out all our print-edition books here.

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Flashback: Crybaby Bridge – With Corrected Links

December 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

An earlier version of this article contained broken links – links to the actual .pdf have been included in this version.

Mike started the engine once again and executed a flawless 3-point turnaround a few yards up the road from the bridge, while Emmer and Aurelia leaned against the steel trestles. The dark blue, Toyota Corolla came to a stop and Mike put the gear in neutral. At first it did not move, but then, slowly, it began to coast to the other side of the bridge. “Is the bridge angled both ways?!” Mike yelled out the open window.

“That doesn’t prove anything,” Emmer replied. “It’s a bridge. It could be slightly arched.”

“Does it look arched?” Mike protested. “It’s perfectly flat.”

“It could be so slight you don’t even notice.”

“Whatever.”

At this point, Emmer was smiling widely. He loved to get Mike agitated.

Mike got out of the car and slammed the door. “Did you text Greg?”

“He should be here any minute,” Emmer said. No sooner did those words leave his mouth, the trio heard the steady rumble of motorcycle engines coming down the road.

What happened next? Click here to order the entire issue (.pdf) and find out!

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Legends and Lore of Illinois Vol. 4 – on Kindle!

Or, order all 11 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois from 2010 for only $5.00 in a special Kindle edition. Places covered in Vol. 4 include Western Illinois University’s Simpkins Hall, the Seventh Avenue Dead End, Illinois State University, Willow Creek Farm, Vishnu Springs, the Cambridge Death Curve, Crybaby Bridge, Archer Avenue, Rockford College, Starved Rock State Park and more. Plus, read letters from our readers, the latest adventures of The Fallen, skeptic’s corner, and put your knowledge of these locations to the test with challenging trivia questions.

Order it today on Amazon.com.
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Legends and Lore of Illinois: The Fallen Chronicles

Legends_and_Lore_of_Illinois_The_Fallen_ChroniclesThis special collection consists of the saga of The Fallen, spanning 47 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, arranged in chronological order. For the first time, our readers can follow the epic journey of Mike, Aurelia, Davin, Greg, and Emmer from their first appearance at Bachelor’s Grove to their closing act at the summit of Starved Rock. Will The Fallen escape from a shadowy entity lurking in the tunnels under Manteno State Hospital, or will they be upstaged by their ghost-hunting rivals at Greenwood Cemetery? Follow all their adventures, twists, and turns in one convenient book! You will never look at Illinois the same way -

Order it today on Amazon.com!
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Check out all our print-edition books here.

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Testing the Bridge

July 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Charisma, 27, was a resident of Monmouth for many years and had her own interesting encounter at the area’s “Crybaby Bridge” as she and a friend tested the legend:

“I grew up in Monmouth, living there most of my life, and of course had heard all of the stories about crybaby bridge. A few years ago, I met someone who had just moved to town and we got to talking about the bridge and all of the ‘happenings’ out there. Both being quite skeptical because it sounds a lot like an urban legend, we decided to check it out one day. We got in the car and headed out to the small, hidden road off of US 67-N where the bridge is located. The actual bridge is at the bottom of a relatively steep hill that you would come to after going around a sharp curve to the left. It’s also a very narrow road that only one car will fit down.

At the bottom of the hill, we stopped to investigate a bit. The area of the road where the actual bridge sits over the shallows of cedar creek is completely flat with no slope whatsoever. Putting the car into neutral, it started to slowly inch forward until the end of the bridge, then it just stopped…”

Find out what happened next! Download this entire issue, featuring the history & hauntings of Monmouth’s Crybaby Bridge, the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, and much more! Also, don’t miss our exclusive interview with Angie Johnson, who has photographed over 550 cemeteries in Illinois!

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Monmouth’s Craybaby Bridge is Not Alone

July 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Crybaby Bridge outside of Monmouth, Illinois, while unique in its own ways, shares stories with several other bridges in Illinois. The bridge on Blood’s Point Road comes immediately to mind. But other states have their own “crybaby bridges” as well. Deadohio.com has documented no less than 24 such bridges throughout Ohio, including, “Rogue’s Hollow,” Abbeyville Road, Crystal Springs, Egypt Road, and “Gore Orphanage” Road, just to name a few. They have an excellent Crybaby Bridge tour on their website:

“Crybaby Bridge” is by far the most widespread urban legend in Ohio, easily beating out the “Bloody Marys” and “Witches’ Graves.”  Near as we can tell, there are no less than 24  crybaby bridges in Ohio.   With some variations, most crybaby bridge legends have this in common:  Park your car over (or under) the bridge, and you will soon hear the sounds of a person crying.

For the most part, the person crying is a baby.  Other times, the sobs are said to come from the baby’s mother.  For a few bridges, there is more than one baby crying (as in the case of Gore Orphanage).  For others, the baby doesn’t just cry, but screams.  And if you’re really lucky, you will leave a bridge with a special souvenir–a child’s footprints (Helltown) or handprints on your car.  That is assuming that you can even leave, as several crybaby legends hold that once you park your car, you will not be able to restart it.

Take the tour… if you dare!

Our, download the new issue of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, dedicated to one of our own crybaby bridges!

Many years ago, as lightning flashed and storm clouds swirled overhead, a young unwed mother—driven mad by the pain of abandonment, regret, and the fear of being ostracized—hurled her week old baby boy over the trestles of this rural bridge into the swirling water below. Ever since, passersby have heard the spine-tingling cries of a baby struggling to breathe. Or, so the story goes.

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Uncover the Mystery of Monmouth’s Crybaby Bridge!

July 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Download entire issue (in .pdf)

Many years ago, as lightning flashed and storm clouds swirled overhead, a young unwed mother—driven mad by the pain of abandonment, regret, and the fear of being ostracized—hurled her week old baby boy over the trestles of this rural bridge into the swirling water below. Ever since, passersby have heard the spine-tingling cries of a baby struggling to breathe. Or, so the story goes…

Download this entire issue, featuring the history & hauntings of Monmouth’s Crybaby Bridge, the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, and much more! Also, don’t miss our exclusive interview with Angie Johnson, who has photographed over 550 cemeteries in Illinois!

Click on the cover above to read a section from the new issue, or click here to order the complete issue in .pdf.

From “The Fallen Investigate”:

Mike scowled and climbed back into the driver’s seat, and while Aurelia slammed the hood shut, he shifted the gear into neutral. Aurelia and Emmer stepped to one side of the bridge and folded their arms across their chests. There they awaited the outcome of Mike’s experiment. Much to everyone’s surprise, the car began to move forward. It rolled slowly across the bridge until it came to a stop on the opposite end. Cautiously, Mike turned the key in the ignition. The engine rolled over and sputtered to life. As Aurelia and Emmer rushed to get back inside the car, Mike threw the gear shift into park and turned off the engine.

“What the hell are you doing?” Aurelia demanded.

Emmer Says: “I always take what Mike says with a grain of salt, but honestly, I’m stumped when it comes to this bridge. On one hand, it’s obviously an urban legend, but on the other, we have eyewitnesses who have tested the legend and demonstrated that there is at least some truth to it. Is something paranormal going on here? I’m going to say no, but then again, I am the skeptic of the bunch.”

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