Hells Gate Bridge: Oxford's Haunted Relic

Hells Gate Bridge, a weathered sentinel over Choccolocco Creek in Oxford, Alabama, is a relic of a bygone era wrapped in tales of tragedy and the uncanny [8]. Officially nameless but christened “Hell's Gate” by locals, this aging truss bridge on what was once Boiling Springs Road carries more than rust and peeling paint; it bears a reputation as one of Alabama's most haunted spots [8]. Erected around 1930, the bridge is a Pratt through truss design, marked by its sturdy triangular framework, ideal for spanning creeks in rural Alabama [8, 11, 13]. Before modern highways reshaped Oxford's landscape, this one-lane crossing linked communities south of Interstate 20 [8]. By the 1990s, newer routes siphoned off traffic, and the bridge faded into obscurity [8]. Its wooden planks warped, its metal rusted, and by the early 2000s, it was closed to vehicles [8]. Cement barricades seal its fate as a pedestrian-only relic, though they've done little to deter the curious [8]. The bridge acquired its ominous name from local lore, with two primary legends fueling its haunted reputation [8]. The most popular tale recounts a tragic incident in the 1950s, where a young couple's car plunged into Choccolocco Creek [3, 4, 8, 9, 17]. It's said that if you stop on the bridge and turn off your lights, the ghostly couple will enter your vehicle, leaving a wet spot on the seat as evidence of their spectral presence [3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 17, 19]. Another legend claims that if you look behind you while on the bridge, you'll see the fiery gates of Hell instead of the road you just traveled [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 17]. Despite its eerie reputation, Hells Gate Bridge also holds historical value [8]. The bridge stands as a symbol of the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the past [8]. Its weathered iron structure serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by early settlers [8].