I will admit that I am deathly afraid of heights, so if I get a little vertigo sharing this with you, that's why. It's Missouri's tallest bridge and at its zenith it soars more than 300 feet into the sky. Excuse me, but I need to sit down now.
It sounds like something you'd see at the end of a movie, but it was a real event that happened in Missouri nearly two centuries ago. In 1855, a Missouri bridge collapsed and took a train and many lives down to the river below.
It's one of the most historic structures in Missouri dating back more than 100 years and you shouldn't go there. Yes, it is the longest bridge in Missouri history, but don't even think of trying to drive over it.
It won't be long before a brand new span is drivable in Illinois. It's a mammoth 650-foot arch bridge that is nearing completion and you can see the progress now in multiple ways thanks to the state of Illinois.
When I first saw this, it didn't look right to me. Then I realized that I was measuring (with my eyes) the wrong way. The highest bridge in Missouri does soar more than 300 feet into the sky although it doesn't look like it does at first glance.
If not for the graffiti, it would look like any other bridge you might cross in Illinois. So why is it considered one of the most terrifying expanses anywhere in the Land of Lincoln? The reason is connected to the history of what's taken place in this part of Illinois.
They don't make bridges like this anymore. There's a new video showing one of these historic spans in Illinois that was built years before Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States.
There are some things in life it's just not a good idea to do. Don't spit into the wind. Don't step on Superman's cape. And, don't flash your headlights 3 times if you go to what many believe is a very haunted Missouri bridge.
It was originally built as a span to cross from Missouri into Illinois for vehicles. Those days are long gone, but this mile-long crooked Missouri bridge still hides a terrible almost 32 year old secret.