The Bridge at Sleepy Hollow - Sleepy Hollow, NY - Literary Sites on Waymarking.com

In Sleepy Hollow, along Route 9, is a wide bridge with a sign that marks the location of the Sleepy Hollow Bridge.

The bridge is located north of the center of town, where the road meets Gordon Avenue and Pierson Avenue at a traffic light. Further up the road and a hill is an old church that existed around the time that the story was set - some time after the Revolutionary War. The present bridge was not around at that time it was built in 1912 according to a plaque on the southeast side. On the northeast side is another plaque with the following text:

"Sleepy Hollow Bridge
Dedicated to the memory of
Washington Irving
1783-1859"

There is an historical sign by the bridge that has the following text:

"The Headless Horseman Bridge
Described by Irving in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow formerly spanned this stream at this spot"

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a novel by Washington Irving, who once lived in the area and used the scenic terrain of the nearby Hudson River and Catskill Mountains for his stories, usually adding a supernatural element to them. This and "Rip van Winkle" are probably his best known works.

The significance of the bridge is that Ichabod Crane, a schoolmaster that attempted to court Katrina Van Tassel rivaling with Brom Bones, was told of several ghost stories at a party. Riding home, he encounters a form that he realizes is the Headless Horseman, and races on his horse to the bridge, and if crosses it, to safety. Unfortunately, the horseman gets on the bridge and throws his head at Ichabod. The next morning, Ichabod Crane is missing and his rival, Brom Bones, seems to know his fate.

While the legend itself is fabricated or adapted from European Legends, the location was probably at least near here. A discussion of the historical significance of the location is found in the waymark about the New York Historical Sign.

Short Description: This is likely where the bridge was located in the story of Sleepy Hollow where Icabod Crane attempted to ride to safety from the Headless Horseman. Book Title: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow First Year Published: 1/1/1820 Author's Name: Washington Irving Name of Waymarked Item: Sleepy Hollow Bridge Location of Item: US Route 9, at the intersection with Sleepy Hollow Avenue More Information: See above Admission Price?: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Link to more information about the book or waymarked item.: [Web Link]

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