Halloween research

Saying I love Halloween is an understatment.  I think it is my favorite.  Not for anything dark and not just for the candy, I mean I love the candy too but I love Halloween because it is mysteriously intriguing. I love the ghost stories, the hauntings,  and all of the folklore that goes along with Halloween.  This week as a fun school research project, I decided to give them a choice of assignments to write about.  The choices were to research a famous haunted place, research why black cats are associated with Halloween, or research why owls or ravens are associated with Halloween.  C14 chose to research a haunted place.  She then had the idea of researching a haunted place here in Georgia so that maybe afterwards, we could go there.  Smart girl, a Halloween field trip.  A12 is, of course, going to research both the owl and the raven.  She loves birds that much she is willing to report on both of them.  And no, we will not be adding an owl or a raven to our family after her research is done.  I had to make that very clear before we got started.

image from Smyrna Historical and Genealogy Society 

As a warm up, we did a little together investigation of a place near where I grew up, the Concord Covered Bridge in Cobb County.  They have both actually been there but it was a long time ago, and they do not remember it.  Anyway, I have been there several times, and I cannot recall all of the details, I do remember everyone I know talking about the "waterhead babies" that lived under the bridge.  I know, it sounds crazy but from what I remember, if a baby was born with a big head (hydrocephalus), the babies were taken there to be drowned.  The story goes from there that if you were on the bridge at night, said babies would come out from under the bridge and get you!  That is seriously funny thinking back on it now, but with that said, I can assure you, you would not be able to find me on that bridge at night.

image from georgia.com

After hearing my recount of the mysterious covered bridge, here is what we turned up from various sources.

The Concord Covered Bridge is a historical marker.

The bridge was originally constructed in 1848 but was reported to have been burned by Sherman's troops during the Civil War.  The bridge was rebuilt in 1872 and is the only covered bridge in Georgia still in use today.

Many believe the bridge to be haunted by the ghost of children who were drowned there or taken there to be drowned.

Allegedly if you pull your car into the bridge at night, place a Snickers or chocolate bar on the top of your car, and turn your headlights off, you will hear the scurrying of these ghostly children on top of your car to get the candy bars.  There have been recounts of people doing this and seeing chocolate hand prints or finger prints left on their cars.  Many others have reported hearing children playing and singing when no children were visible.  They attribute the playing and singing to the little chocolate-loving ghost children.  I am not sure I believe in any of this but it does make for fascinating conversation.      

Links for more information on the Concord Covered Bridge.
Georgia.com
The Urban Baboon 
Smyrna Historical and Genealogy Society