You are at the bus stop where Yorkleigh Lane meets East Main Street. The freezing temperatures outside refuse to let up, as does the rain. At this moment, you want nothing more than to get back into Jamestown, North Carolina, change into some fresh clothes, and get some rest. The bus comes, and you pay the fare as you step inside, but something catches your eye as the bus begins heading into town. You get a glimpse of what looks to be a woman drenched from the heavy downfall, and what appears to be a look of melancholy on her face. You go to yell for the bus driver, but just as you turn back to give a description, she’s gone.
Meet Lydia, and this bridge belongs to her… Unofficially. For the last 70 years, her story has grown as people have shared their encounters with her apparition, some claiming to have let her into their car, only for her to disappear when they arrived at their destination. She’s known as a hitchhiking spirit, attempting to get drivers’ attention as they pass under the bridge.
“Hardison claimed to see a girl dressed in a white gown. She signaled for him to stop and asked him to help her get to High Point. He drove her home, and when he went to get out of the car, she had vanished into thin air. He knocked on the door of the house, asked if the girl was there, only to learn from her mother that she had been killed in a car accident at a nearby overpass the year before.” – An Illustrated Guide to Ghosts & Mysterious Occurrences in the Old North State, 1959
Many artists have passed through, showcasing their portfolios for all to see. Lydia’s bridge has continued to stand the test of time, collecting debris, wear and tear, and occasionally pieces of graffiti.
What’s intriguing is that Burke Hardison reported that Lydia had died in 1923, so counting his story, the legend is over 100 years old! So, if you visit Jamestown and approach the bridge, be aware that bumping into Lydia is within the realm of possibilities.
Written By: Israel Petty
