I know you have heard this one. The one about the bridge where you go and hear the baby cry after you call out “Crybaby, crybaby!” Sure. It’s just around the corner. Well, here is the story about the real Crybaby Creek Bridge.
Just a note. Everywhere I look on the net I see this refered to as “Crybaby Bridge”. Maybe it’s just the local southern thing of having to make sure that you know the reason the bridge is there. We call it Crybaby Creek Bridge here. Perhaps it’s one of those things like having to call it “Wal-Marts” or K-Marts”. Of course my favorite is “Let’s go to the Wal-Marts!”
In the early 1940′s a young mother was on her way home on Hwy. 601 in the northern part of South Carolina, just south of Pageland. She was tired and it was late at night, all she wanted was to get her little one home and to get some much needed rest. Her husband had been away fighting the good fight for his country and would be arriving home the next day. It had been a long three years since she had seen him and she was very excited about holding him in her arms again. So excited that she took the bridge over Flat Creek a little to fast. The next thing she knew, she had been thrown from the car and was searching frantically for her baby whom she could hear crying in the dark. Search as she might she could not find him, and as she searched the crying got fainter and fainter until it stopped all together. As did her heart. It broke right there on the spot.
Now on the right night, you can go there and call to that lost little soul. Maybe he will call back to you. Maybe mommy will help you to find him……
I first heard of this place in Jr. High. A very spooky story for someone that is impressionable like we all were at that age. I on the other hand had this as one of my first pieces of the supernatural history of my state. So I started to check stuff like this out. Now I will admit to using this place to scaring a few girls. That’s a given. But I didn’t realize until the advent of the internet just how many of these there were.
The following is a portion of the Wikipedia entry on “Crybaby Bridge.”:
The Crybaby Bridge Phenomenon As Internet Hoax: One Case In Point In Maryland
A clear case can be made for the existence of at least one Crybaby Bridge story as being due to a selective, and almost overnight “seeding” of the Shadowlands Ghost Website in 1999. As Jesse Glass, author of Ghosts and Legends of Carroll County Maryland (Carroll County Public Library, 1982, 1998) and The Witness; Slavery in Nineteenth Century Carroll County, Maryland (Carroll County Historical Society and Meikai University Press) presents it, the “Crybaby Bridge” said to exist near Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland allegedly because of the hanging of runaway slaves, and the infanticide of African American babies there by the Ku Klux Klan, is a hoax because of these points:
1) The almost overnight appearance of “Crybaby Bridges” in Maryland and Ohio, which indicates seeding of selected Internet websites devoted to ghosts and the paranormal. One of the most popular websites in the late 1990′s was the Shadowlands listing of hauntings in each state. Glass recalls noting the sudden appearance of “Crybaby Bridges” on that website and bringing them–particularly the one in Westminster–to the attention of the owner of the site. The story was almost identical in every location, with certain variations indicating a facile knowledge of the history of the area. In the case of Westminster, KKK activity happened in the 1970′s, and received extensive newspaper coverage, so it would not have been difficult for the hoaxer to connect the KKK to the story in Westminster.
2) The lack of any historical documentation of events remotely connected with forced infanticide and deaths of slaves at the bridge. Westminster, Maryland maintained two vital newspapers during the historical period in question,The American Sentinel and The Democratic Advocate. Both papers gave extensive coverage to local events, even the most lurid. This includes hangings, lynchings, and the deaths of African-Americans as well as the activities of the KKK and KKK-like groups during the Reconstruction period. These papers would have reported events like those the Crybaby Bridge story purports to have happened, yet there is not a single mention in any of these papers of those events.
3) The complete lack of any local oral history connected with the bridge in question before 1999. In the 1970′s Glass interviewed elderly residents of Westminster and Carroll County, Maryland to compile the stories in Ghosts and Legends of Carroll County, Maryland, and though he talked to residents who could recall stories of what happened in the area pre-dating the Civil War, not one person mentioned anything remotely connected to the bridge in question. Glass himself spent his formative years in the Westminster area and similarly heard nothing about this story until its abrupt appearance on the Internet.
4) Because of these points Glass, a Maryland folklorist and historian whose work has been recognized by the Maryland Humanities Council and the Library of Congress, concludes that the Westminster Crybaby Bridge story is the result of an Internet hoax, and by extension, suggests that other Crybaby Bridge stories that appeared at the same time as the Westminster story are most probably conscious attempts at creating regional fakelore.
Fakelore? HAH! I like that. Well, I have to go by my little slogan of “True or not! Just looking for a really good story.”
I have been here several times with friends and family. I even place a geocache here. This particular spot is now DNR land and I don’t know if you have permission to go here at night. Which really ruins the story. I mean, you HAVE to go to Crybaby Creek Bridge at night. It’s part of the mystique. I know people that absolutely WILL NOT venture here at night. And with good reason…..
Several years ago when we were first married, the wife and I got into a little bout of “ghost hunting”. We had come down to visit my parents in Kershaw, SC, just a few miles from the site in question, with the intention of going out to Crybaby Creek to do a little filming. I have to say now that I have since lost the tape we made that night. I know that really sucks! I wish I had it to show here and had I known I would be doing this site all this time later I would have guarded that tape with my life.
Anyway, it’s about sundown and we make our way to the site. You have to park at the main road for this one. Years ago you could drive all the way out to the bridge. Now there is a steel gate barring your way. So, a half mile walk on an abandoned highway (this keeps getting better) and you get to the bridge.
By now it’s completely dark. Nothing to light our way but a rechargeable MagLite and the light from the cameras LCD screen. We stayed for about an hour and called out the obligatory “cybaby,crybaby!” All with no results. By this time the full moon had come out from behind the clouds and made the spot all eerie. The surrounding landscape being a piece of swampland really sets the whole thing off. This spot is eerie even in the day time. So we film for a little while longer and head home thinking we have nothing.
We took the ride home to Monroe, NC and set up the camera to watch what we had filmed on the TV. I left the room for a few minutes to get some popcprn and some drinks when I hear this blood curdling scream from the bedroom. I run in and all I hear is a muffled “Turn it off! Turn it off!” from beneath one of the pillows. I, being the loving husband that I am, directly disobeyed and rewound the tape. She left. After a few minutes of VERY amateur film shots there appeared on the screen a perfect image of a babys face in the water of the creek below. I was speechless. She was mad and would not come to bed until I turned off the tape.
I went over and over the tape. Watching the same few seconds over and over again. There it was. A babies face in the water. Power of suggestion? Seeing what I wanted to see? Nope. I took the vid to work and to friends houses to let them watch without telling them what I had seen. Each time the response was “HOLY #$%@! There’s a babies face in the water!”
I can honestly say that this bridge was famous (infamous) for it’s particular peculiarity well before the internet became a popular tool. This story was passed around word of mouth to every kid who would listen. Believe me or not! Better yet, go there yourself and call out to him, if you dare.
So, say what you want about the other Crybaby Bridges, this one is real!
Filed under: Uncategorized
In my area we have a story about a ‘haunted’ cemetery complete with it’s onwn 13 steps to Hell story.
The part I find interesting is that if you talk to locals the area that seems to be the real problem is the highway in front of the cemetery.
So you have to wonder if the cemtery became the focal point because it is a cemtery.
This story has given me a lot to think about…great writing!
And the road?
It’s just a highway where lots of people have died.
Sometimes when you research these things you’ll always find the grain of truth…and that grain can be a ‘strange tale’ in itself.
I THOUGHT I WASNT TRUE BUT NOW IM A LITTLE FREAKED OUT
AND MY HOUSE IS HAUNTED BECAUSE UP STAIRS WE HAVE A CRIB ITS PINK BUT EVERY TIME WE GO UP THE RED STUFF DRIPS OFF OF IT ITS BECAUSE NEXT DOOR NEIBOR TOLD MY MOM THAT A 12 YEAR OLD AND A 18 YEAR OLD OVERDOSED DRUGS AND KILLED THEIR BABY SISTER AND THE ATTIC IS IN MY G MOM BARBRA ROOM BUT ME AND MY SISTER STACEY HAVE AN HOLE THAT LEADS TO THE ATTIC NOW MY WHOLE FAMILY IS IN DANGER…………….. HELP US PLEASE
Brandie,
Contact us regarding your story. Swanseaparanormalinvestigating@mail.com or 803-719-6177.
Thanks,
Shelby
You should be aware that The person calling himself Dr. Jesse Glass inserted that material on the Wikipedia site to promote a personal belief he has and an apparent extreme dislike of the Shadowlands webiste. Wikipedia does not permit people to use its articles to publish origiinal research or to insert material of their own writing. His material and clear conflict of interest was discussed at length on the Talk page and largely removed. A more neutral editor ( not me) redacted his basic hypothesis (and that is ALL it is) and added the summary of it to the article under the subheading ‘Controversy’ Never in all my years as a folklorist or anthropologist have I observed such odd and unacademic behavior. Wikipedia is a public encyclopedia and it plays a valuable role on the net. Your citing his added material is a good argument for it being removed since people look to wikipedia for the first word on a subject. It may be true that the term Crybaby bridge was popularized via the Net and that people who looked upon a given local bridge as haunted adopted the term and maybe even some of the backstory of the bridges listed on Shadowlands. That is not fakelore since no deception is intended. What Dr., Glass has against that website, I don’t quite understand.
As for your own Crybaby bridge – if you can document the stories, you should. Record them as told to you by others and date the recordings. If you can come across any old newspapers stories or even personal correspondence that discusses the events that too is helpful. Keep writing and consider contributing to wikipedia. Folklore topics could use some more input!
I’m Dr. Jesse Glass–not a person calling himself that, and I have nothing against any website. The Carroll County Crybaby Bridge is an clear example of an internet hoax. The anonymous editor of the Wikipedia page redacted my points, true enough, but there was and is no conflict of interest.
Oh–that should be “a clear example”
I don’t like the controversy of this, BUT, I will not remove wither comment. Welcome to the both of you. I actually like the viewpoint of the good Doctor in this particular article and thought it a valuable opinion on the subject. As I said in part of my article, our Crybaby Creek Bridge has existed here, in story and in fact, since before I was born.
Dr. Glass I hope you do not mind me using your viewpoint here on my site. I really enjoyed this part of the Wikipedia article.
Could you tell me if they were your points or not? I will delete them if they are not. I would hate for anyone to be misquoted. However I do find that they are good points.
They’re absolutely my points! In fact, I just went back over my “sent” e-mails and can tell you that I sent my first e-mail (unanswered) to Shadowlands on February 21, 1999, so that’s the time that the Crybaby Bridges first started to appear on the Internet. It was almost an over-night appearance, so I would guess that the information was “seeded” during the week of February 14th, 1999. I have no beef with Shadowlands–it was, along with Obiwan’s UFO-free pages–simply one of the few ghost and paranormal sites back then, and its open “hauntings” board classified according to geographical region, was (if I recall correctly) almost a one-of-a-kind feature. I have yet another e-mail from a woman who complained to me about the flood of Crybaby Bridge reports that year.
The Wikipedia business about “conflict of interest” was a misunderstanding by the anonymous editor with whom I was corresponding. Conflict of interest means that one is somehow trying to benefit from posting about a subject. My book Ghosts and Legends of Carroll County was simply cited because I literally wrote the book on the paranormal events of that area. I was not attempting to sell that book or anything else I’ve written by spoeaking up about this internet hoax.
What I do find rather awful and personally distasteful about the Crybaby Bridge hoax is the made-up, openly racist story regarding deaths of slaves and African-American babies from that bridge when there is not a stick of evidence for any of it. I think that’s simply morally reprehensible to attempt to foist that kind of canard onto a community like Westminster which has had, believe you me, it’s share of racial misunderstandings and tragedies.
I am Dr. Jesse Glass. You can look me up on the Wikipedia, if you like. I don’t hide behind a web moniker. Thanks so much! Jesse
this is a link to the Baltimore Examiner about me and what I know of Westminster, Maryland:
http://www.examiner.com/a-600016~Carroll_County__free_at_last_.html
You may also check the first page of http://www.ahadadabooks.com under Ahadada in Carroll County to see more. I believe that Carroll County, Maryland should apologize for slavery.
One more link: this is to teh apology article:
http://www.examiner.com/a-617826~Historian_says_Carroll_should_apologize.html
Thanks, Jesse
P.S. Also, for those of you who want to check out the Westminster Crybaby Fake-lore itself, please check out my free, down-loadable book The Witness at the Ahadada Books website.
Just wanted to add this link to my literary papers at the University of Maryland, College Park Special collections: http://www.lib.umd.edu/archivesum/actions.DisplayEADAbstract.do?source=/MdU.ead.litms.0063.xml&tyle=abstract&ocname=/MdU.ead.litms.0063.xml
Thanks! Jesse Glass
we need directions. can you e mail them to me so that we can go and visit?
Okay, my brother, three friends, and the youth leader from our church are going to that same crybaby bridge to test the urban legend. What exactly do you have to do? Anybody know? There are tons of stories, like that you have to turn the car off at night and put your keys on top and they’ll dissapear, and of course screaming “Crybaby,crybaby!”, but what EXACTLY is it?
[...] Marie, on May 28th, 2007 at 8:39 pm Said: Edit [...]
I grew up close to an alleged crybaby bridge in Hampton County, off Joe Miley Road (named after my grandfather), close to what the locals call “the bad curve” in a plot of land known as “Hoover’s Corner”. A car went off a small bridge, and the two children drowned in the early 1970′s — my father saw the car before it was pulled out, actually describing the wheels of the upside down car in the water. I was attending college before I heard someone refer to the bridge I knew all my life as Crybaby Bridge, and taking their girlfriends there at night to scare them. Eerie enough, it looks nearly identical to the above picture!
I never really grew up around “Cry Baby Bridge”, but as a little girl I remember going over it and what happened to all of us. I don’t know the real story behind the bridge. All I do know is my account was a little different. I was with 7 people, and we all saw and heard the same thing. We drove across the bridge and came back. Well the person driving the truck (I was on the back with 5 people) “stalled” the truck. Well the passenger rolled down her window and threw pennies into the creek to make the sounds of someone walking. Of course most of us was scared. The thing is she ran out of pennies, and we still heard the sound of someone walking in the water. All of a sudden we saw a man standing were the trees are wearing a cap. Note in the group with us were no men just all women. The man called out to us and said, “What are you doing on my bridge.” By this time we wanted the hell out of there. The driver tried to start the car and could not. Out of nowhere we heard a child start to cry, and when you looked back at the man he was walking toward us. Finally the car started, and we got out of there. On the way out we heard scratching on the side of the truck. Now thing of something that you would never let anything happen to; like a sister, brother, or an item you have. This is how the person was about their truck. Always clean; went to the car was once everyday. When we got home and looked at the truck and believe it or not there were scratches on the side right close to the top where my two friends were sitting.
Now if you do not believe me you can email me and I can give you the place it happened. I will say it was on the boarder of North Carolina and South Carolina. To this day I will not drive over the bridge. I will go out of my way to skip the bridge.
Hi,
This is in regards to “CryBaby Bridge”. I am from Flat Creek, South Carolina. I grew up there. Flat Creek is in Lancaster County, South Carolina. I grew up less than 2 miles from that bridge. This story has been around for as long as I can remember. I have gone there many times, we would walk there from my house. That is an accurate picture above of the bridge. There is something definitely going on down there and you can feel it as you arrive there. That bridge is on the “Old Flat Creek Hill”, the old highway. I haven’t heard the baby cry, because we were always too scared to stay around that long when we were there at night. Even in the daytime, it was a feeling that something would happen to you if you stayed there for too long. Across the street, across the new highway is also “Gregory’s GraveYard” This Graveyard is surrounded by an old rusty gate, and is very scary also. I live in Tampa, Fl now, but cherish my time growing up in Flat Creek. I just wanted to add that this story is very real.
we are from indian land and could use more specific directions please, for example, where is old flat creek hill? We understand that it is on 601 towards lancaster, we need street names
Hi Lisa. Here’s a shortened excerpt from the Crybaby Creek Cache on http://www.geocaching.com. The cache has been disabled but the coordinates and directions are still valid. It’s adjacent to Forty Acre Rock park (worth visiting all by itself) near Pageland, SC. I visited the bridge five years ago and even in daylight it’s pretty spooky.
“Crybaby creek has a little ghostly local history. Aparently, a young mother ran off the bridge with her baby in the car. Both were killed and still haunt the spot. …. The cache is relatively easy to get to. first you can park at the following coordinates:N 34 39.351′W080 30.955′After that it’s just a short hike into the woods on an old disused road.CAUTION!This is a great spot for snakes and we do have rattlesnakes around these parts so be warned.Also this is an old bridge so venture carefully!”
I’m seeing others say the land is now owned by DNR. I have to agree that trespassing is not recommended.
I would like to visit this… is there any way I could get directions? I have googled but it only takes me to Flat Creek… doesn’t have any info on where the bridge is. any info would be great!
I would like to have either GPS coordinates to this or even directions if at all possible… Thanks in advance :~}
I grew up in Pageland, but I’ve never heard of this place. If you could shoot me an e-mail with directions to it, that’d be great.
There is also a scary Graveyard near there. Gregory’s Graveyard. It’s off 601 before you turn to go to Crybaby Bridge its on the left. Graves from the 1600′s-1800′s
Crybaby Bridge. Coming from Pageland, drive towards Lancaster on 601, before you get to Flat Creek, at the bottom of Flat Creek Hill make a right. Crybaby Bridge is on “Old Flat Creek Hill” . Your first left, after you turn. It is not far after you turn at all maybe 100 feet, I am sure it’s grown up with weeds so go slow. Go there between Midnight and 3am and post your story.
Kelly are you with the paranormal group out of Lancaster?
No, I grew up in Flat Creek and have been to CryBaby Bridge many times. I reside in Tampa, Fl now. You can see my earlier post on June 21, 2009. I know a lot about this area.
Hey Scott,.. if you are talking about Purely Paranormal Investigations out of Lancaster, ( that’s my group), We don’t have a Kelly in ours!
I have to say NO do not go out there at night! This land is under DNR regulation and you will be trespassing and may get arrested. Of course I have to say that we here at Stange Carolina Tales (now Searching The South) do not condone trespassing.
Yes I understand this. But I doubt seriously that you will get arrested. It is in a very remote area.
Kelly I have spoken with the officer that is the land manager over that area and I wouldn’t chance it. He is a real horses you know what and I have no doubt that he would try to punish people to the fullest extent of the law. Is this Kelly Thompson?!?!?
hello my nam,e is kristen and i was just wondering if this is where cry baby bridge first started cuz i have been looking for the original crybaby bridge for awhile now and all i keep finding are copycats who cant find there own story. i live in tulsa oklahoma and we have like 3 crybaby bridges over here.
Kristen this bridge has had this story ever since I can remember and I am 43 years old now. This particular story existed long before the internet. I can’t say it’s the original of the story but I know that the internet did not start the story for this particular bridge.
This is an internet hoax.
This is an easy case to solve. One, any accident this horrific would have been in the local papers.
Secondly, if this accident happened, then the names could be verified through the S.C. Death index.
Thirdly, HOW could we know what the woman heard if she died there with no one else but her already dead child?
Lastly, DNR land is patroled by the DNR Law Enforcement, AKA “The Game Warden,” and YES, they specialize in going deep in the woods, especially at night! Stuff like this is the reason why they have to.
It makes for a good campfire story, but there isn’t any crying baby at the bridge.
SCott, this is NOT an internet hoax. I grew up in Lancaster, SC and even visited this bridge. This was Halloween in 1991. I cannot vouch for the validity of an accident. but the story has been around for as long as I can remember, and infact, my father told it to me when I was young.
I am from Lancaster SC and lived here all my life. My friends and I have been going to every creepy place in Lancaster that we’ve heard about since we could drive. We’ve been to Gregory Graveyard, 40 acre rock, Cry Baby Bridge, Greenhand Bridge, and so on. A MILLION TIMES. We’ve spent the night out there, at each one of these places, camping out, drinking, getting stoned and so forth. And I just want to say that the picture that is posted above is not of Cry Baby Bridge. It was taken at Green Hand Bridge. I promise. I spent nights camping out there. I could get there with my eyes closed. It is nowhere near Crybaby Bridge.
Hey Chris I have to say that you need to stop drinking and getting stoned so much. I am the author of this blog and the photographer that took that pic. ABSOLUTELY Crybaby Creek Bridge.
S
Chris, I have many pictures of the bridge myself, and it is, in fact, the bridge that is the topic of this particular discussion,… This is definitely NOT Green Hand Bridge… .
Have fun but BE SAFE.
As for going out at night, I totally agree with Scott Seegars,.. Trespassing is Trespassing, regardless of how you look at it, or how remote the area is.. If you plan on going to the area at night, I would strongly suggest that you first go through the proper channels and get permission to be on the property, and even ask a DNR officer if they would like to accompany you on your adventure… The area is patrolled by DNR officers, and there are signs posted,.. No ATV’s (4 wheelers or 3 Wheelers) are allowed, and you cannot drive out to the bridge,… it is about a 1/2 mile walk down the old, now closed, highway…
Its a nice walk in the fall, the colors are beautiful!! But visit safely,.. go in the daytime, and if you take snacks or drinks or whatever the case may be, take your trash out with you,.. There are so many places that are local lore and legend, like the bridge, and the Gregory Graveyard, that have become targets of vandals and it really is sad that someone could have so little respect for these things, as well as themselves, since they have the audacity to do that,.. Not being judgmental,.. just sayin’,……
If you DO go at night, and I am NOT SAYING TO DO IT, make sure you have a flashlight, proper ID, and a cell phone handy,… and if an officer rolls up on you,.. BE HONEST,…. Give them all of your info, and be cooperative,… don’t be a smarty, be nice,… You may get lucky and get a warning,… But I guess it would depend on what kind of mood the officer is in,…..
Oh, the cell phone,…?? If someone gets hurt, you have to have a way to call for help,… It would be quite a haul to have to lug someone out of there back to the main road, so keep a cell phone handy,… Be safe, and happy trails!
This is a correct and accurate description of the story by LisaToo, as we locals know it. Also, watch out for copperhead snakes if you go. Keep in mind this accident happened years and years ago. It is actually Flat Creek, but is referred to as Crybaby Bridge on old Flat Creek hill.
“Crybaby creek has a little ghostly local history. Aparently, a young mother ran off the bridge with her baby in the car. Both were killed and still haunt the spot. …. The cache is relatively easy to get to. first you can park at the following coordinates:N 34 39.351′W080 30.955′After that it’s just a short hike into the woods on an old disused road.CAUTION!This is a great spot for snakes and we do have rattlesnakes around these parts so be warned.Also this is an old bridge so venture carefully!”
Cry Baby Bridge is totally there – Been there tons of times off U.S. 601 after crossing the bridge over Flat Creek, turn left on to Nature Reserve road – inbetween the highway & the lower parking lot for 40 Acre Rock you can find the grown over old pavement path of old U.S. 601, trees are down over path, vines, briars cover it, rattle snakes are around – it’s about a 1/2 mile walk to the old bridge with a broken right rail.
I for one, have been to this Cry Baby Bridge in South Carolina. It is old 601 South as I am very aware and it is on the way to 40 Acre Rock another creepy and yet hauntingly good place.
My experiences with this bridge is rather bone chilling and as i went with several groups of people they can totally vouch for what happened. We made our way down to the bridge and though we heard no baby crying I was highly aware that it became extremely cold on the bridge area especially over the left side. I will say this I among two others of the 10 people we were with were very nervous and quite acute of the air and fog that descended upon us slowly. on either side of the bridge there were guardrails and the one on the right was broken, crumbled away. Story that I had heard was that she went over the right side of the bridge. Made sense with the broken cement guardrail. However, when I walked to the right, the next thing i knew it was like i was being transported back in time and I saw everything that happened to that lady. The last thing i remember was seeing the taillights of the car below in the water and a wispy face of the woman directly in front of me. I blacked out and would have fallen onto the bridge had my boyfriend at the time not caught me. Him and another man had to carry me back to the truck where it was a good 15 min after that, that i woke up and was freaking out.Keep in mind this was on All Hallow’s Eve. I didn’t go back for 2 years.
The next time I went back which was 2008, I didnt even make it to the bridge before I was knocked out completely with no memory by cold air. I have never returned and to this day if I’m anywhere remotly in the area, i feel as if I’m being followed.
Some of you probably wont believe me. But I know what I saw and I know what happened to me.
Amanda,
That is correct. I remember how COLD it was there. There is a disctinct difference in the air. Thanks for the detailed description of your experience.