Stuckey's Bridge
Encyclopedia
Stuckey's Bridge is a bridge spanning the Chunky River
just outside Meridian, Mississippi
. The bridge was listed as a Mississippi Landmark on August 4, 1984, and added to the National Register of Historic Places
on November 16, 1988.
southwest of Meridian. Documents in the Lauderdale County Archives reveal the contract to construct a bridge in this location was written in 1847, and estimates place the bridge's construction date around 1850. A new bridge replaced the old one in 1901, built by the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company.
named "Stuckey" owned a nearby inn where he would rob and murder his guests and bury his victims bodies on the riverbank. The legend says that after murdering twenty people, Stuckey was finally caught and hung from the newly constructed bridge located on the site of his murders. Rumours of Stuckey haunting the bridge arose as well as claimed sightings of an old man carrying a lantern
along the river's edge, loud splashes that supposedly represent Stuckey's body hitting the water after his noose
was cut, and visions of his lifeless corpse hanging from the bridge.
Chunky River
The Chunky River is a short tributary of the Chickasawhay River in east-central Mississippi. Via the Chickasawhay, it is part of the watershed of the Pascagoula River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico.-Course:...
just outside Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. The bridge was listed as a Mississippi Landmark on August 4, 1984, and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on November 16, 1988.
History
The bridge was originally built as the main route across the Chunky RiverChunky River
The Chunky River is a short tributary of the Chickasawhay River in east-central Mississippi. Via the Chickasawhay, it is part of the watershed of the Pascagoula River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico.-Course:...
southwest of Meridian. Documents in the Lauderdale County Archives reveal the contract to construct a bridge in this location was written in 1847, and estimates place the bridge's construction date around 1850. A new bridge replaced the old one in 1901, built by the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company.
Legends
According to legend, a member of the Dalton GangDalton Gang
The Dalton Gang, also known as The Dalton Brothers, was a family of both lawmen and outlaws in the American Old West during 1890-1892. They specialized in bank and train robberies. They were related to the Younger brothers, who rode with Jesse James, though they acted later and independently of...
named "Stuckey" owned a nearby inn where he would rob and murder his guests and bury his victims bodies on the riverbank. The legend says that after murdering twenty people, Stuckey was finally caught and hung from the newly constructed bridge located on the site of his murders. Rumours of Stuckey haunting the bridge arose as well as claimed sightings of an old man carrying a lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
along the river's edge, loud splashes that supposedly represent Stuckey's body hitting the water after his noose
Noose
A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot slides to make the loop collapsible. Knots used for making nooses include the running bowline, the tarbuck knot, and the slip knot.-Use in hanging:...
was cut, and visions of his lifeless corpse hanging from the bridge.