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Helen's Bridge: Abandoned stagecoach bridge leads to century-old mountaintop castle

Hiding atop a mountain near downtown Asheville are the century-old remnants of an abandoned, overgrown stone bridge. Known today as Helen's Bridge, it was built in 1909 as a stagecoach bridge for the mountaintop castle of Zealandia.

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By
Heather Leah
, WRAL multiplatform producer
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Hiding atop a mountain near downtown Asheville are the century-old remnants of an abandoned, overgrown bridge. Known today as Helen's Bridge, it was built in 1909 as a stagecoach bridge for the mountaintop castle of Zealandia.

If you brave the twists and turns of Beaucatcher Mountain, you can still see Helen's Bridge today – arched high above the roadway, covered with vines and ivy: An uncanny remnant from an era when North Carolina's wealthy families still lived in mountaintop castles.

Zealandia Castle: Built in 1884 atop Beaucatcher Mountain

Though its appearance has changed throughout the century, Zealandia Castle sits atop Beaucatcher Mountain today. It was built in 1884 by John Evans Brown, who had spent 30 years making his fortune in New Zealand before returning to Asheville to build his dream home.

Nearby, two other mountain castles were constructed around the same time period: Biltmore Estate, which was completed by 1895, and Seely Castle, which was finished in 1914. Photos inside Zealandia Castle today show members of the Vanderbilt family dining inside Zealandia.

In 1904, Zealandia "doubled in size," according to a document on the castle's history. It gained a granite addition and "was filled with ancient and sacred relics." Later, the new owner built an "imposing Tudor-style stable for his horses."

At various times throughout the 1900s, Zealandia would open for public events. In the 1930s, a museum was even added to the grounds.

Helen's Bridge: Abandoned, century old stagecoach bridge atop Beaucatcher Mountain near Asheville once connected to Zealandia castle.

The destruction of Zealandia Castle

Sadly, in the 1950s Zealandia would change forever, with parts of the original castle dismantled. Two decades later, the well-traveled I-240 caused part of Beaucatcher Mountain to be lost permanently. The old museum was lost, and the stables burned to the ground.

Today's photos of Zealandia look far different than the historic images; however, much of the history is still intact thanks to the Zealandia Holding Company, who acquired the castle in 2004 and works hard to protect and preserve the structure and grounds.

Photos of the castle show 'ruins' from some of the original structure, including archways and spiral stone staircases. The castle is no longer open for public visitation. However, nearby Helen's Bridge serves as a visible reminder of the days when North Carolinians traveled by stagecoach to visit mountaintop castles.

Helen's Bridge: Abandoned, century old stagecoach bridge atop Beaucatcher Mountain near Asheville once connected to Zealandia castle.

Helen's Bridge: A popular ghostly legend

At some point in the late 1900s, the Zealandia stagecoach bridge became known as Helen's Bridge – a name meant to reference a ghostly legend attached to the overgrown, abandoned bridge.

According to the urban legend, Helen was a young woman who worked at Zealandia. One tragic night, she was working in the kitchen when a fire suddenly sparked up in the large castle. Helen knew her daughter was down the hall reading in the library. She rushed through the castle trying to reach her beloved child – but the fire had already engulfed all those paper books. Struck with grief, Helen rushed to the tall stagecoach bridge and leapt to her death.

Helen's Bridge: Abandoned, century old stagecoach bridge atop Beaucatcher Mountain near Asheville once connected to Zealandia castle.

Today, anyone who drives under Helen's Bridge at night claims to have strange experiences. Some say they can see Helen's spirit hanging from the bridge. Others claim a haunted woman will wave them down and ask if they've seen her daughter. Some claim their car suddenly shuts off under the bridge. The bridge has become a popular spot for locals to visit at night, hoping for a spooky thrill. But be warned: The top of the bridge is off-limits, and the space underneath the bridge is a winding road with oncoming vehicles.

Helen's Bridge: Abandoned, century old stagecoach bridge atop Beaucatcher Mountain near Asheville once connected to Zealandia castle.

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