If you've been here awhile, you know we've featured abandoned factories, aquariums, observatories, and even funeral homes. Today, we're going to take a look at another site: an abandoned bridge in Cleveland. This one is particularly eerie, because, well... you just don't see massive steel structures left to decay in nature in the city, even in the rustbelt. And yet, the Sidaway Bridge lumbers over Cleveland, casting a shadow over the underbrush and vegetation that is slowly reclaiming it. In addition to reclaiming the bridge, all that thick greenery is also hiding a fascinating history that the city is reluctant to forget.

Unbeknownst to many, there's a ravine connecting Sidaway Avenue and East 65th Street, and it hides a decaying fortress.

Located in the southeast region of the city, this ravine is known as Kingsbury Run. It was named for one of the area's earliest settlers, and it has a colorful past. Kingsbury Run divides Slavic Village and Kinsman Road, and it was once the site of shantytown evictions, murder, and racial tension.

The massive Sidaway Bridge stretches an incredible 680 feet across the ravine, and it's no longer safe to cross. In fact, the city made sure it was inaccessible in the 1960s.

The site was formerly occupied by a wooden trestle bridge known as the Tod-Kinsman Bridge. It was built in 1909, but construction on a replacement bridge (which is pictured throughout this article) began just two decades later. The old trestle bridge was the longest wooden bridge in city history, but it was a hassle for the growing rapid transit system in Cleveland. When the new steel structure was unveiled, it must have wowed locals. It was the city's first and only suspension bridge... but the decisions of the 1960s nearly sent it into obscurity.

As the only suspension bridge in the city, you might assume that this historic monument was seen as a source of pride.

After all, this structure is an architectural marvel. The massive bridge is well-balanced, allowing it to stretch a great distance with very few support towers.

However, it was abandoned for reasons that are almost chillingly dark.

The dark history of this bridge began shortly after it opened. Obviously, the market had crashed in 1929... but the upcoming half decade would shake Clevelanders to the core.

The bridge, which crosses Kingsbury Run, opened in 1930. However, you might recognize the ravine's name because it was the site of Cleveland's grisliest murders.

Around the time of the bridge's opening, the nation was grappling with the Great Depression. Kingsbury Run became a shantytown for displaced Clevelanders, but bodies began showing up nearby. These poor souls were the victims of the Cleveland Torso Killer, a brutal and methodical serial killer that was never captured. He was pursued by Eliot Ness (of Al Capone/Prohibition fame), and locals were hopeful that the Safety Director would see some success. However, the Torso Killer got away with murder and left a lasting legacy that still chills locals today.

The legacy of the Torso Killer and the Kingsbury Run shantytown cast the region around the Sidaway Bridge in a bad light, but the upcoming decades had more in store for the old ravine.

Over the years, Cleveland has had its fair share of shocking moments. If the 1930s weren't shocking enough, the turbulence of the 1960s had more in store for locals. Things were growing tense, especially in the predominantly Black Hough neighborhood. Here, racially-motivated attacks hurt and hospitalized young children, and the police at the time were said to have turned a blind eye to the violence. In addition to this blatant lapse in the promise to protect Clevelanders, the neighborhood fell into disrepair. Garbage piled up on side streets and abandoned buildings became breeding grounds for vermin. The city promised to make improvements in the neighborhood, but their efforts kept hitting roadblocks and stalling. Hough residents were growing frustrated.

On July 18, 1966, Clevelanders were fed up with the segregation and living conditions of the 1960s. Locals began to riot, particularly in the tumultuous Hough neighborhood.

For nearly a whole week, arson, vandalism, and physical violence rocked the city. While Hough was two miles north of the Sidaway Bridge, the structure wasn't spared during the spree of destruction. Someone set the Sidaway Bridge on fire, though nobody was ever charged with the crime. As the rioting eased up, things didn't exactly get better. Nonetheless, Cleveland officials tried their best to cover up the visible damage from the riots.

Ultimately, Sidaway Bridge became a casualty of the tumultuous era. In 1966, the city removed the wooden planking from the bridge and formally closed it.

With that decision, the bridge was essentially condemned. Nature moved in to claim the structure, and it quickly took over. Exposed to the elements and falling into disrepair, the bridge was essentially forgotten.

In the following decades, the 158-foot-tall steel towers of the bridge became rather storied.

Children that grew up in the area may have heard stories of the bridge being haunted. Politicians in the ensuing decades often discussed restoring and reopening the bridge, but the discussions never amounted to anything. Instead, the bridge was essentially left to decay and to become a mere Cleveland legend.

The story should have ended there... but Clevelanders are a dedicated bunch. Around August 2022, locals rallied to preserve the bridge.

Locals from every corner of Cleveland came together to campaign for recognition of the bridge's historical value. Education and discussion centered around its history, and it was finally proposed as a candidate for the National Register of Historic Places.

All that hard work paid off. On October 3, 2022, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The National Park Service states:

[The] National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.

Now protected, the future is brighter for this bridge. It is an integral piece of Cleveland's story, and it deserves preservation. Discussions around its future are still taking place, but locals can rest assured that more news will surely come.

While currently abandoned, the future of Sidaway Bridge, the only suspension bridge in Cleveland, is looking up.

And, as with most good stories, the end of this tale isn't exactly definitive. In fact, the story is still developing. In the coming years, we may see this historic monument preserved and celebrated once and for all.

This abandoned bridge in Cleveland is visually striking, and it has quite a story to tell. What's your favorite abandoned place in Cleveland? Tell us in the comments!

Looking for more eerie fun? Check out the Hillandale Bridge, another spooky abandoned bridge in Greater Cleveland.