Emily's Bridge
Stowe, Vermont

Article By: Daniel Cumerlato

The Gold Brook Bridge was designed and constructed in 1844 by John W. Smith to allow safe passage over the brook when traveling around the three villages of Stowe. They are Center Village, located in the middle of Stowe where all of the roads meet. South of Center is Lower Village, where all trades work (Blacksmiths, Mills) took place. The third Village is Moscow, which was known for being the industrial area of the time. (Sawmill and a door, sash and blind mill)

About 150 years ago, Emily of Stowe hung herself from a beam within the Gold Brook covered bridge. Pain from previous life shattering events had driven her to madness, causing her to end her life to end the pain. You are about to be witness to her story and you will quickly learn that the pain she feels is not gone from the Bridge that still stands perfect to this day.

The most popular story of Emily's death starts with her angry parents forbidding her to marry the man of her dreams. In a fit of rage and sadness, she ran away with her lover with plans to elope. That night they were to meet at the Gold Brook Bridge and begin the first night of their lives together. Emily arrived at the bridge early, but her soul mate would not arrive. As the hour of their meeting came and left, Emily gave up hope and at the peak of her sadness, anger and depression, she took her life. Emily hung herself from a beam within the bridge in the dead of night.

Since this terrible day, the bridge has been haunted with what is rumored to be the anger ghost of Emily. Some events at the bridge that have been connected with her include the scratching of passing horse drawn carriages, and later cars, with invisible claws in day or night. Also, a woman's voice is heard in the bridge, along with ghostly figures and strange lights.

The people around town associate fear with this harmless looking covered bridge. Years of legend and torment have made it almost impossible for anyone familiar with the stories to cross the bridge at night. Although, even with the stories, the residents of Stowe vowed in 1969 to keep the bridge forever beautifully restored.

Article By: Daniel Cumerlato
Founding Partner of Haunted Hamilton

Thanks to the following sites for reference infomation:

Vermont's Covered Bridges
Address: http://www.vermontbridges.com/goldbrk.htm

Vermont Only
Address: http://www.vtonly.com/lorefeb8.htm

X-Project's Paranormal Magazine:
Address: http://www.xproject.net/archives/paranormal/emilysbridge.html