Pasadena's Suicide Bridge
Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena, California
91105
When the beautiful bridge along Colorado Street over the Arroyo Seco River bed was built in Pasadena back in 1912, I'm sure the builders never thought it would acquire the nick name, "Suicide Bridge", a name it acquired way back in 1932.
The Colorado Street Bridge curves over the river bed, giving the bridge a rather unique perspective as you drive over it. Along with the lamps located at regular intervals, the bridge has a very romantic and old charm look from a distance. But this unique structure has seen over 100 people commit suicide from it, plummeting the 150 feet to the ground below.
The first suicide was on November 16, 1919, and nearly fifty of the suicides occurred during the Great Depression from 1933 to 1937. Another report predicts that ninety-five people committed suicide from the bridge between the years of 1919 and 1937. The Pasadena Central Library has three thick binders on the bridge filled with all sorts of interesting articles and historical facts on the structure. The bridge underwent a twenty seven million dollar renovation in 1993, during which it received a suicide barrier. This has reduced the number of suicides, although the bridge still retains its nickname.
Along with the suicides, of course, came the ghosts. Several spirits haunt the bridge, including a man with wire rimmed glasses and a vanishing woman in a long flowing robe. She is often seen standing atop one of the parapets, vanishing as she throws herself off. Even below the bridge, ghosts are said to walk the river bed. Strange sounds and cries echo throughout the dark nights. Misty forms have been reported and animals act strange in the area. Homeless camping under the bridge have regularly reported seeing ghostly figures and hearing mysterious noises.
Urban legends of course surround the history of the bridge. During the bridge’s construction, a worker apparently toppled over the side of the bridge and fell into wet concrete below. He was, according to rumor, left to die in the quick drying cement, entombed forever. Of course, he's now a ghost haunting the bridge. Some legends state that he's the reason the bridge has claimed so many lives, that his ghost calls to those in crisis, urging them to come to the bridge and take their own lives.
Another story surrounds a suicide attempt that supposedly happened on May 1, 1937. Supposedly having been left by the father of her child and unable to secure work, a mother threw her baby girl off the bridge and then jumped over herself (apparently so they could be together in the afterlife). In a remarkable twist of fate, somehow, the baby landed in the thick branches of a nearby tree, but the mother plummeted to her death. She now is also rumored to haunt the bridge still searching for her baby.
It appears that both above and below, the spirits of the dead, long ago claimed by the bridge, still linger, doomed to wander the bridge where they took their lives.
Colorado Street is now called Colorado Boulevard. On the west side of the bridge, exit Highway 134 at Orange Grove, go North one block, turn right onto Green, then right on Grand which will immediately end near a grassy park like area. Park, walk to the left to the bridge. Below the bridge is a maze of streets and other bridges. There are also stairs going down from somewhere near the center of the bridge, but there's no where convenient to park underneath. To drive across the bridge, leave Grand, head back towards the 134 onramp and actually take the 134 West onramp, but veer towards the left and onto the bridge instead of right and onto the highway.
Additionally, the bridge was part of historic Route 66 from 1926 through 1940.
Comments:
- kimberly of los angeles, california on 2010-07-06 said:
- i heard too that there use to be a mental clinic but they closed it cause a patience commit suicide i dont know if is truth but i would like to see a ghost..lol..
- alex meraz of eagle rock, cali. on 2010-04-23 said:
- so one night @about 8:30 in the p.m. me and my buddy jason were driving west on old crusty bridge when all of a sudden.. and it happened very quickly i saw what appeared to be two dark shapeless objects very very quickly crawl out from and away a man hole maybe about three lightpoles into the bridge. it wasn't but about eight spooky seconds trying to process what i just saw when ol jason nervousley askes me.. did you see those two guys come out of the man hole and dissapear? I hated him for asking me that question, but i knew he was right and it still freaks us out when we think back on it. another weird thing i later realized was that there are no man holes on suicide bridge, just demonic murderouse souls who haven't yet peacefully rested. I often commute across the bridge in a car or via a bicycle and usually have a pleasant journey, i woulden't worry kiddies.
- kEN of Alta Loma, CA on 2010-02-21 said:
- Nobodys mentioned they've built some ugly, crappy apartments UNDER this great bridge. Who would live under a bridge right next to a freeway??! Trolls???
It really ruins your photos. What city official got paid off to let them do this?
- Britt of Santa Clarita, CA on 2010-02-16 said:
- Me and my three friends went to ghost hunt on the popular bridge.
Turns out that we had gotten several strange EVPs and loads of pictures and film of walking/jumping spirits. We plan to go back and reevaluate. This bridge is definitally haunted by every lost soul that died there.
- kim sweeney of kapaau, Hawaii on 2010-02-08 said:
- I went down that slide standing up a few times, (very similar to skateboarding)and on my butt,too. Very cooling on those hot summer daze. Here is a bit of history of the area from the Slide SOUTH to the Laguna Street Bridge. We climbed down into the Arroyo to get to Camels Hump from under this bridge, there were stone walkways, that went up & down, all over the place, both sides of the Arroyo. This was the Original
Busch Gardens at the turn of the 20th century! a popular film site back then too. Gone With the Wind,
Zorro (1920's) who knew? Aloha...
- Jennifer of Burbank, CA on 2009-12-27 said:
- A man stabbed his ex-wife's mother to death, injured his ex-wife and then killed himself by jumping off a bridge in Pasadena this morning, police said.
Police got a call of a stabbing at 8:43 a.m. in a residential area in the 6800 block of Quinton Lane and Haines Canyon Avenue, police said.
The man, whose identity was not immediately available, was arguing with his ex-wife, and when her mother intervened, she was stabbed to death, said Los Angeles Police Officer April Harding.
The ex-wife was injured in serious condition at a local hospital, Harding said.
After the stabbing, the man drove to a historic bridge on Colorado Boulevard over the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena and jumped to his death, Harding said.
It was the second homicide in as many days in the Northeast San Fernando Valley.
- Matthew, Scott of Pasadena, California on 2009-07-18 said:
- 3:00 am is the time to see the unsceen,infact feeling becomes seeing when walking the sadend depressed last place,thousands remain prisoner till now.Many differnt kinds of lives were
lost here,this by far shows how Weird California is baby!
- "ListoFide" Paranormal Team of Pasadena, California on 2009-07-03 said:
- 3:00AM is the best time from what we hunters call the hour of the "Trinity". On arrivel of the ArroyoSeco bridge,your first impression is WoW it looks very old.As holding much History in itself Suicide Bridge turned out to be very much Haunted by those lost souls stook in the Valley Of Shadows of Death,although I saw nothing with my eyes I did feel the tormented foes whom are bond to the Prison Bridge.Every picture that night taken with different type cameras had evidence of paranormal activity.One of the pictures I had taken seemed to show a small female child 6 or 7 in age clutching in her arm a small doll.She was walking in are location right down the middle of the street.This is one of the hotest spots besides Devils Gate at the top of LAKE AVE in Altadena
To hold Real Ghosts.Which I woudent recommend going alone at 3:00 due to the higher intensity of the encounters and poltergist.
- Daniel Medina of Altadena, California on 2009-06-27 said:
- I went to the bridge with my brother inlaw, at 3:00am to take some pictures and look around.It was very creepy and we got some great images and evps.There is without a doubt, something there.
What? or how many? is more the question.Sad to say but seems like there traped there untill Judgementday.
- Michael Wilson of Pasadena, California on 2009-05-21 said:
- In the 60's quite a few of us used to go to the spillway under suicide bridge which was called by all of "the Slide". The spillway has moss down the concrete were you get on your butt and slide down. After awhile if you dared and many did you could go down on your feet standing up. The city wanted to shut it down so they first put acid to burn off the moss, moss grew back. Then they put rebar down into the slide and someone came at night and sawed them off. Then they put up a chain link fence which we sawed off. It was quite a bit of fun and many kids ditched or when they got out of school they would go there. As a last ditch the city put up iron gates sealing the lower bridge off above the spillway. Mid 60's to 1967.The 'Angel of the Slide' still lives (spraycan art)!
- Jesse of Alhambra, CA on 2009-04-07 said:
- Once, while passing the bridge, I was coming back from work and it was 11pm. Anyways, as i peered out the window I could make out the image of a ghastly red figure speeding away to lord knows what. Following it, quickly, was a round yellow figure. I looked away for a moment and when I looked back, both figures were gone.
- Kathryn Morrison of Pasadena, CA on 2009-03-20 said:
- I would share my recent experience. On Thursday, October 21, 2008 after taking my brother for a doctor's appointment, I was returning home from Glendale going east towards Pasadena. I had to cross the Pasadena Bridge commonly known as Suicide Bridge. It was about 12:30 in the afternoon, and a warm day. The first thing I saw was the 25 miles per hour sign which meant I had to slow down. Then I saw a man, average height, all dressed in black wearing a long flowing overcoat. The man was around 250 lbs. I judged him to be about 65 due to his built, and what I thought was gray hair, and beard. He was way overdressed for it was over 90 degrees outside, and I was wondering why his coat was flowing for there was no wind, not even the slightest breeze. He had a bounce to his step as he was in a hurry and proceeded to skip down the bridge stairs. All the while he was looking for something like change or perhaps a key. I was wondering why he was doing that for there are no parking spaces on the bridge nor below and no near bus stop.I saw his hands first as he manipulated the pile of stuff cupped in his left palm. He was searching with agility. I then happened to look up to see his face, there was none, no eyes, no nose, no mouth, no hair, no beard, just an ashen gray/tan cloudy haze where the head and the features would have been. The cloudy haze was very still and fluffy. His head reminded me of a burning house I once witnessed at a distance, the fire being almost out and the smoke was white, grey, and tan. His whole person was as solid as anything surrounding him. It all happened so quickly and I was wondering if I was suffering from some sort of vision problem, maybe a migraine. But how was it that I could see his hands so clearly and not his face? I wanted to turn back and look again for I couldn't believe my eyes, but once riding on the bridge it is impossible to turn around. It has really bothered me and thought I would share the experience. I do believe this bridge is haunted. I just wish to know if anyone else has seen Ol’ Smokey all dressed in black?
- David G of Pasadena, CA on 2009-03-14 said:
- Me and a couple friends would always go bmx biking around and under the bridge. There was this one time I saw a strange looking man while biking. He looked like an old school painter. He was wearing all black, with one of those paris looking caps, sitting down on a stool, painting onto a canvas. As I glanced over to look at him, he was staring right at me. I continued biking a bit further and when I looked back to see him again, he was gone. At the time I didnt think anything of it but as I began to learn more about the history of the bridge, I started to wonder if what I saw was a ghost.
- Lloren of Los Angeleson 2008-12-30 said:
- I've walked my dog on the trail under this bridge, and the whole time he just kept looking behind and acting strange until we finally left.
- Mike of Brea, CA on 2008-11-29 said:
- My experiences mirror Dana's of Arcadia. I grew up and went to school in the San Pascual Ave. area of the Arroyo. Additional childhood delights included playing in the fly casting pond in Lower Arroyo Park, fishing for catfish in the area behind the big slide under the then Colorado (now 134) freeway bridge and catching crayfish in 'The Swamp'. I am 50 so I imagine Dana and I probably crossed paths 'back in the day'.
- Jonathan Jose Jackson III of Pasadena, CA on 2008-09-27 said:
- I read with great pleasure about sliding down the moss lined cliffs down to the Arroyo Seco, brings back great memories
I also climbed Camel's Hump many times, it was a great ditch place from school when we'd go up there to smoke a bowl and make out with the girls, late 1960s
There is no mental institute or sanatorium by the Colorado Street Bridge-aka Suicide Bridge, there was an armory on the east side of the Arroyo. The sanatorium was on top of Lincoln Ave in Altadena above Loma Alta, it overlooked Devil's Gate Canyon, dam and JPL
Underneath Colorado Street bridge was great, a bridge under a bridge where the last Mission Impossible TV episode was filmed that featured Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, Mission Impossible also filmed several episodes in Pasadena Civic Center, city hall, gas co, library, YMCA etc
- Jacques of South Pasadena, CA on 2008-08-04 said:
- I drive across this bridge frequently, and the view and general surrounding area truly is beautiful. It was my understanding that there were suicides on this bridge, but I wasn't aware there were 100+. That's...creepy. My friend told me there was an abandoned mental house near the area, but I don't know if that's a truth or a fabrication.
- Sarah of Arcadia, California on 2008-08-01 said:
- I think the Golden Gate Bridge should put barriers similar to these barriers!
- Dana of Arcadia, Ca. on 2008-05-14 said:
- I grew up in nearby Highland Park in the Arroyo View Estates(Avenue 66) My friends and I considered the Arroyo our playground. We would frequent such places as "Camels Hump" with the two caves near the top, "Three falls" Where the creek from Johnsons lake spilled into "The Wash". There was also a concrete spillway under "Suicide Bridge" that was covered in slippery green moss that made for a very fun slide. There is also a bridge under the bridge, but it has been gated off for years.I'm 52 now, but spent many fun days in the Arroyo in my youth.
- Dorothy Burns of Pasadena/Altadena, California on 2008-01-11 said:
- I was born and raised in Pasadena and I raised 3 kids here. My father was raised in Pasadena and hiked all around the Aroyo. Until they started doing restoration on the bridge I never realized it was the Colorado Street Bridge, it was always Suicide Bridge as far as I knew. It really is a great hike down below the bridge.
- Kimberly of Pasadena, California on 2007-06-30 said:
- Upon reading your report of "suicide bridge" here in Pasadena, I noticed that you say there is no covenient place to park. The space directly under the bridge is a wildlife park and there is a parking lot down the street. There is space for about 15 cars and there are paths that lead to the space directly below the bridge. I would say it's about a 1/2 mile hike but an even and very pleasant one. I regularly do nature walks here. The park officially closes at dusk but there are several trails that lead below for those who would like to do some ghost hunting and I have personally come back with plenty of interesting pics. I have taken others down there at night and they too have had experiences and gotten some pics of the "ghosts"? There is a Pasadena Paranormal Society that has also gone and gained pics and unexplained experiences.
Namaste,
Kimberly
Outside References:
- Ghost Stalker's Guide To Haunted California (1998) by Senate, Richard, p: 130 - 131
- Haunted Southern California (2009) by Stansfield Jr., Charles A., p: 35-36
- Coastal Ghosts of Southern California (2009) by Yasuda, Anita, p: 116 - 117
Last Edited: 2009-04-08
