Nebraska ghost stories range from the ludicrous to the absolutely terrifying. If you’re into the latter, you’re going to love the tale about Heartbeat Bridge in Sarpy County tale, which is definitely on the terrifying side. (Please note that some of the pictures showcased below are representative only and do not depict the interior of the actual school or the infamous Heartbeat Bridge in Nebraska.)

The story of Hatchet Bridge in Nebraska actually centers around a one-room schoolhouse, which was previously located in the town of Portal, one of the lesser-known ghost towns in Nebraska.
Google Maps
On the map above, the yellow dot marks where the school used to be. It has since been relocated to Papillion and today is used as a field trip destination for local students to learn about the history of Nebraska.
Legend says that the teacher here in the early 1900s was by all accounts a kind woman...until one fateful day all that changed.
flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
No one really knows what happened that day to cause the teacher to snap, but she reportedly lost her temper and committed an unthinkable atrocity. She took up a hatchet, blocked the building's exit, then methodically and ruthlessly murdered each and every one of her young, unsuspecting students.

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In some versions of the story, the teacher decapitated her young charges and placed their heads on their desks.
flickr/David Reber
In others, she did not decapitate the students - but all versions of the story agree on what happened next: she cut out their hearts one by one, making for one of the most gruesome of all Nebraska ghost stories.
Overwrought with grief and sudden regret, the teacher then took her students' hearts to the nearby bridge and threw them all into the water in an attempt to hide her devious act.
flickr/Mr. Nixter
Although the school no longer sits in its original location, it is said that if you walk over the bridge (especially at night) you can still hear the thump, thump, thump of the students' hearts. Because of this, the bridge is now called Heartbeat Bridge. On certain nights, you may even see the wandering ghost of the teacher. She forever mourns her students and is unable to pass on due to the overwhelming guilt over her gruesome crime.

There is no historical record of a mass murder taking place at this school, yet believers regularly report hearing, feeling, and seeing bizarre and unexplainable things near Heartbeat Bridge in Nebraska.

So, did you know about the Portal School and the alleged murders that took place there? What about Heartbeat Bridge and its infamous reputation? Have you ever experienced any spooky events at this old one-room schoolhouse? How about when traversing Heartbeat Bridge? Know of any other haunted spots or creepy places in Nebraska? What is your favorite Nebraska ghost story? Whatever you have to say, we want to hear it, so share your thoughts with us.

Heartbeat Bridge is just one of the creepy ghost stories associated with Nebraska. There are quite a few others that are sure to leave your hair standing on end. Not so sure? You will be after checking out these weird, creepy, and scary Nebraska urban legends.

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Heartbeat Bridge

Daniella DiRienzo | January 03, 2023

Are there any other haunted places in Nebraska?

Heartbeat Bridge is just one Nebraska ghost story. There are several other haunted places in Nebraska, including:

 

Are there any ghost towns in Nebraska?

The creepy places in Nebraska don’t end with haunted locales. There are quite a few abandoned places in Nebraska, such as ghost towns, which are just as creepy. Here are some of the eerie ghost towns in Nebraska:

 

What are the oldest places in Nebraska?

With such a long and storied past, it should come as no surprise that there are lots of historic places in Nebraska, including:

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