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The 1955 Cherokee Bridge Collapse

On July 3, 1955, a deadly accident occurred when a 150-foot bridge gave way in Cherokee, North Carolina. The incident happened just before noon when the cables supporting it jerked from the structure, hurling tourists to the rocks and waters below.

It was first thought that overcrowding may have played a role in the bridge collapse. However, Sherman Carmichael states in his Mysterious Tales of Western North Carolina book that the incident was caused by children jumping on the bridge, resulting in two fatalities and almost fifty injuries.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.