The Spectres of Stillwater

How a small town stays relevant through stories

By: Quinn McClurg

It seems that this time of year, everyone in Stillwater has a ghost story to share. It’s difficult to walk down mainstreet without hearing fragments of Stillwater’s supernatural past: civil war soldiers, ghost children, and haunted hotels, it’s easy to hear it all. But of all these cliche stories, one piqued my interest the most. This is the story of the blue glow of Arcola High Bridge, and of my subsequent investigation.

I started by interviewing one John “Giovanni” Kirschbaum. He’s been an active member of Stillwater’s community for 21 years, and has accumulated plenty of stories. “I guess I do live next to one of the most haunted bridges in Minnesota,” John let slip when pressed. “I don’t know if I’d buy it, but I swear I’ve seen a couple weird things up there.” Legend has it that in 1910, a worker fell to his death during construction of the bridge. Ever since, his soul wanders the bridge at night, blue lantern in hand. 

15 minutes out of Stillwater, the bridge waited, rusted browns and wooden hues stretched into the night. I parked my car, clambered onto the bridge, and sat in silence. Though I didn’t see anything, I couldn’t shake my unease; many have fallen to their deaths here, and I wasn’t content to become another one. I left, shook off the silence, and drove back into town to call my second contact.

Specializing in Stillwater’s history comes with the territory for Dick Zimmerman. He has been a tour guide with Stillwater Trolley for nearly 14 years. During our interview, he made his insight clear on what ghost stories do for a community. “I think they add to the character and ambiance surrounding Stillwater. It’s an old town, and people like being reminded of that.” Zimmerman’s testimony is hard to deny; the countless paranormal tours and investigations can all be seen as a celebration of community and history. They draw people in, making the mundane seem supernatural and the past seem alive. Although we may never find any real ghosts, we can find community and our place in a past long gone; isn’t that just as good?