New Bridge Replaces Crybaby Bridge, OK
Way Of The Ray
2003-02-24
By Mac Bentley
The Oklahoman
SCHULTER -- Oklahoma soon will lose another bridge to its past.
A one-lane, 75-year-old truss bridge spanning Montezuma Creek two miles
west of Schulter is scheduled for demolition this spring. It will be
replaced by a two-lane, modern structure built to federal standards with
mostly federal money.
Neither history nor folklore of the old wooden-deck bridge saved it. The
bridge has to go, no doubt, but efforts were made at state and local
levels to find a buyer who would move it to a more suitable location.
That was six years ago. Six months ago, Okmulgee County Commissioner
James Connors was informed money was available for a new bridge, and he
has been in a use-it-or-lose-it race with an April 1 deadline.
"When money comes down, you've got to take advantage of it," Connors
said.
This bridge that serves a dirt and gravel road running between Schulter
and the community of Wilson is Crybaby Bridge.
Crybaby bridges are the stuff of urban legends. They're found throughout
Oklahoma, with varying stories of tragedy followed by the usual
hauntings. Checotah, Hontubby, Jenks, Kellyville, Moore and Pryor each
have their own versions.
Usually it's told a mother and baby died at a bridge, or a mother killed
her baby at a bridge, and you can still hear the baby crying at night.
The legends may have evolved from fact.
Schulter Mayor David Dykes Sr., who says he is almost as old as the
bridge, has heard all his life of a woman who missed a sharp turn
leading to the west end of Crybaby Bridge and her car plunged into the
creek.
Her body was found, but her baby's body was not. Dykes said it
reportedly happened soon after the bridge was built in 1928.
The stories say you can still hear the baby at night, particularly
around midnight. Or that you can hear the woman looking for her baby.
Dykes has his own theory.
"I've heard people saying, 'Oh yeah, I've been over there and heard that
baby crying,' " he said. "But there's a valley that comes down through
there, with a lot of willow trees, and at times there will be a good
breeze coming off the prairie on the east side. You can hear that wind
going through the willow trees.
"I may be a killjoy, but that's what I feel is happening."
Schulter is on U.S. 75, midway between Okmulgee and Henryetta. The city
limits cover just two or three square miles and embrace a population of
about 600.
It once was a thriving coal- mining and farming town, Dykes said, but
that was back when Crybaby Bridge was a youngster itself.
Just when the sorrowful name was first given to the bridge is not known.
"That's how it's known all over the area," said Ray Terrill, a rural
water district operator who has known the bridge for most of his 61
years.
The new bridge probably will cost about $660,000, Connors said. That
includes taking out the sharp turn on the west side of the bridge.
The bridge, 70 feet long and 161/2 feet wide, was built by J.B. Klein
Iron & Foundry Co. of Oklahoma City. Founded in 1907, the company was
acquired by R.W. Robberson and operated under the Robberson name until
shutting down in 1988.
The bridge is one of the few remaining truss bridges Klein built, said
John Hartley, manager of environmental studies for the Oklahoma
Department of Transportation.
"It's a tangible reminder of technology and a means of transportation
and construction that aren't around anymore," Hartley said.
"It might be there another week, it might be there a month, it might be
there another 10 years," Connors said of the bridge's health. "It has
metal columns poured full of concrete, and they didn't have a lot of
rebar in them."
Connors said about 200 vehicles cross the bridge daily, and that number
would increase significantly if he can get the road hard-surfaced.
Helena Handbasket
--
¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) katie
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
Helena's Sim Estates
http://www.simbella.com/helena/
We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the
night.
"Way Of The Ray" <way...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:3E5D30C3...@ix.netcom.com...
Helena Handbasket
Some good indian mounds are out there.
--
¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) katie
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
Helena's Sim Estates
http://www.simbella.com/helena/
We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the
night.
"Way Of The Ray" <way...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:3E5D30C3...@ix.netcom.com...
jammer
I dont suppose you would know the neighboring towns, so here is a map.
On Wed, 26 Feb 2003 18:20:38 -0500, "Helena Handbasket"
<gingerr...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Can't find this town on any map. Anyone ever heard of it? Where it's close too?
·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
jammer
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸
Helena Handbasket
good at talking to RL people. Can worm details out of anybody! LOL!
--
¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) katie
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
Helena's Sim Estates
http://www.simbella.com/helena/
We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the
night.
> New bridge set to replace site of ghost legend
Susan
>Damn it. Okmulgee County is a couple of hours from me. I'll try to look
>around for it.
>
>Some good indian mounds are out there.
Hey fellow Oklahoman!! May I ask what city you live in? If you don't want to
reply to that, it's ok. I grew up around the Bartlesville area.
Ever been down to Spiro mound area?
Susan
"Hey you! Out of the Gene pool! Now!"
jammer
>>Helena Handbasket" gingerr...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>
>>Damn it. Okmulgee County is a couple of hours from me. I'll try to look
>>around for it.
>>
>>Some good indian mounds are out there.
>
>Hey fellow Oklahoman!! May I ask what city you live in? If you don't want to
>reply to that, it's ok. I grew up around the Bartlesville area.
>Ever been down to Spiro mound area?
I spent 19 yrs. in Tulsa, sand springs, mannford, catoosa, owasso,
...around there.... I live in Texas now but am a major OU fan and do
NOT enjoy Texas!!!
>
>Susan
>
>"Hey you! Out of the Gene pool! Now!"
·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
jammer
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸
vusani
"jammer" <j...@mm.er> wrote in message
news:52rq5vcdpdrhmm7nc...@4ax.com...
> On 27 Feb 2003 01:16:54 GMT, aj...@aol.com (Susan) wrote:
> I spent 19 yrs. in Tulsa, sand springs, mannford, catoosa, owasso,
> ...around there.... I live in Texas now but am a major OU fan and do
> NOT enjoy Texas!!!
TRAITOR!!! HERITIC!!! FOREIGNER!!! ARRRGGHHH!!! Don't blame us for your
weird foreign
customs. I bet you allied yourself to France too.
-Vusani
Susan
>I spent 19 yrs. in Tulsa, sand springs, mannford, catoosa, owasso,
>...around there.... I live in Texas now but am a major OU fan and do
>NOT enjoy Texas!!!
Sorry, I'm an OSU alum. But I try to root some for OU, especially against
Texas!
