Phantoms of Witch's Bridge - Grand Island, Nebraska

On the outskirts of Grand Island, Nebraska there is a bridge that has become legendary over the years.  This bridge is part of the "Nine Bridges Road" and has it's torrid beginnings long ago when a it is said that a woman dwelled in a house at one end of the bridge.  It was suspected that she along with some of her neighbors were involved in witchcraft or devil worship and at the discretion of the townspeople, she was tied to a stake and her house set to go up in flames along with her.  This bridge has since become known as "Witch's Bridge" and it seems that things on and around this bridge have not been right since.  Many believe it is cursed or haunted by the spirits who died there.

"Witch's Bridge" near Grand Island, Nebraska is said to be haunted by many spirits who met their end there

In the days when the railroad maintained a bridge that ran adjacent to the current standing structure, there was a terrible freak accident that occurred there.  One winter, the railroad workers were trying to free an ice jam that had built up against the rail bridge.  Some local residents came out and stood on the adjacent road bridge to watch the explosions when the workers used dynamite to blast the ice away.  In one of the blasts, the bridge that the onlookers were standing on shook violently and a woman holding an infant stumbled and fell.  Her baby toppled over the side of the bridge and into the turbulent, freezing water.  Workers and onlookers searched for days and the infant was never found.  The mother of the infant from that point on, spent long days searching the river banks for her child to no avail.

Piers from the old rail bridge still remain next to "Witch's Bridge" in Grand Island, Nebraska

As the years have passed by, visitors to the area say that on occasion if you stop on the "Witch's Bridge", your car will shut off.  You can then hear the faint sound of a woman sobbing.  Many have claimed to visit the bridge on a whim for a quick scare at night, and their car engines really did shut off. Some believers say that if you leave your car and venture around, the ghost of the witch will try and pull you over the side.  For some reason over the years there have been an unusual number of fatal car accidents on "Witch's Bridge".

Haunted Hills of the Seven Sisters (7 Sisters Road) - Otoe County Nebraska

A few miles south of Nebraska City, Nebraska there lies a group of hills that is subject of one of the most gruesome haunted legends known in the state.  As the story goes, over a century ago man who lived in the area along with his family which consisted of seven sisters.  One day for some unknown reason, whether deranged or there was some sort of family quarrel and the man went berserk, he led each of his sisters in turn to a separate hill near their home and hung each one from a tree until they were dead.

The Seven Sisters Road in Otoe County near Nebraska City, NE - photo by Dan Swanson

This area today has been the focus of many reports of paranormal phenomenon.  Accounts of cars suddenly and inexplicably stalling have been widespread.  Other electrical drain phenomenon have been reported as well.  Mostly, tales of car headlights suddenly going extremely dim when entering the area of hills of the seven sisters.  Then after leaving the area, the car lights would suddenly get bright again.

Perhaps the most chilling tales of all are the numerous accounts over the years of travelers in the area hearing the screams of young women seemingly coming from the nearby hills while traveling on this stretch of road which in modern times is technically named Road L.  This road is now known today as "7 Sisters Road" to the locals.  Perhaps if you are driving in this area, you too may hear the spirits wailing in the haunted hills of the seven sisters.