Cry-Baby Bridges? Bigfoot-related?

By Jim "Biggjimm" Whitehead, MABRC Western Oklahoma State Director

I took the liberty to plot locations of Crybaby bridges in Oklahoma. I thought it would be interesting to demonstrate why I came to the conclusion they are related to the bigfoot phenomenon. If you look at the red dots (crybaby bridges) many of them are very close on the same creek systems. If they were really haunted then you wouldn't expect that pattern. You would have one or two single haunted bridges. Instead you have a lot of them, giving the impression that something is MOVING up and down the waterways. Also ,skeptics will state that the stories are simply urban folklore. However, many of the reports at these bridges predate the internet. Unless the original stories were widely circulated via television, newspapers, and books, you shouldn't expect the people across the country to report the same things being heard. I can't actually find very many cases of the stories being spread prior to the internet, so the idea that it is all copycat folklore isn't really all that strong.

What exactly are they reporting? Well here is a list of common reported experiences: Dark figures moving in the woods along the creeks and crossing the roads, woman-like screams, rocks being thrown, crying baby noises under the bridges, large unseen entities moving about and breaking branches, parked vehicles getting slapped (complete with giant hand prints) and glowing eyes being seen in the woods. This is all in line with bigfoot encounters, not the paranormal. In fact, every Cry Baby Bridge that I have looked into has had bigfoot sightings nearby, usually with in 1/4 of a mile or less. Very often the actual sighting is right at the bridge in question itself. It is also quite often more than one sighting in the area.

So what would bring a bigfoot underneath a bridge? The MABRC has found evidence of them using rock overhangs as shelters in Adair County. Many of the reasons for this also apply to bridges. They are sheltered from the sun, heat, and wind. They also have the added draw of having an available fresh water source nearby. It isn't inconceivable that in case of bad weather, these creatures could also pile some brush up under the area were they are nesting at, creating a wind break.

In our folklore, we have stories about trolls living underneath the bridges. Perhaps there is more truth to that than we would think.