The Crim Dell bridge is a wooden bridge

Bridge

A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...

 on the College of William & Mary’s campus in Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...

, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

, USA and is considered one of the College's most scenic areas. Crim Dell itself is actually the pond

Pond

A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...

 that the bridge crosses over, but the bridge is commonly referred to as Crim Dell.

The bridge made was opened on William & Mary’s first-ever Parents' Day in 1966. Davis Paschall, the College President at the time, had the idea to build a newer, more elaborate bridge than the bare, unpainted one that had previously occupied the spot. For a short time, the spot was considered to be the grounds for a new library

Library

In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...

, but was ultimately decided against. Crim Dell was funded by three primary sources: the 1964 senior class gift, a man by the name of John Baer who was a friend of the College, and the family of John W. H. Crim. John was a distinguished alumnus (Class of 1901) of the College. Before this, the site had in fact been a gully in which passersby threw their garbage; the pond was artificially created by damming College Creek just below the location of the future bridge.

On a mounted plaque

Commemorative plaque

A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...

 near the bridge is a quote by Paschall to commemorate Crim Dell’s dedication on May 7, 1966 (see picture). It reads:

"…that one may walk in beauty, discover the serenity of the quiet moment, and dispel the shadows."

Traditions and urban legends

The Crim Dell bridge and pond, aside from being important facets of the College’s campus, are also the center of several myths and traditions.

Lover's bridge

It is rumored that if two lovers cross the bridge together and kiss at the crest of it, they will be together forever. If that couple separates at any point thereafter, however, the lady must throw her ex-lover off of the bridge and into the water to break the curse of being forever single.

Another similar urban legend is that if someone crosses Crim Dell alone, they will be forever alone.

Playboy Magazine’s rankings

Tour guides at the College often tell prospective students that Playboy Magazine once rated Crim Dell as "the second most romantic spot on a college campus" in America. No one is entirely sure where, or how, this rumor started, but it has been confirmed as false.

Stage 3 of W&M’s "Triathlon"

One tradition includes William & Mary’s own version of a triathlon

Triathlon

A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...

 (aptly called "The Triathlon"). It is a set of three tasks to be completed by each student prior to graduation. These include jumping the wall of the Governor's Palace

Governor's Palace

The Governor's Palace, home of the Colony of Virginia's Royal Governors as well as Virginia's post colonial governors, is located on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, Virginia. It is one of the two largest buildings at Colonial Williamsburg, the other being the Capitol...

 in Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...

 after hours, streaking

Streaking

Streaking is the act of running nude through a public place.-History:On 5 July 1799, a Friday evening at 7 o'clock, a naked man was arrested at the Mansion House, London, and sent to the Poultry Compter...

 through the Sunken Garden

Sunken Garden (Virginia)

The Sunken Garden is the central element of the Old Campus at the College of William and Mary. The garden consists of a long stretch of grass, lower than the surrounding area, that runs west from the rear of the Wren Building to Crim Dell pond. The area is very popular for students wanting to...

, and swimming in Crim Dell. Though the only task to be "officially" streaked for is the Sunken Garden, it is understood that to partake in a true Triathlon, all three parts must be done while undressed.