Comments on: The Quick 10: 10 Deadly Landmarks and Monuments

By: Calli Arcale

Calli Arcale — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Here in the Twin Cities there are a couple of notable suicide places, though none as numerous as the above. Minnehaha Falls isn’t commonly used for suicide (I think more people have died by accident there) but as legend has it, the star-crossed lovers Hiawatha and Minnehaha plunged to their deaths over it. And then there’s the gorgeous High Bridge (aka the Smith Avenue Bridge), spanning the Mississippi at the western end of downtown St Paul. It’s very high, considering, and rather steep as well, running from the top of a high bluff south of downtown to the top of the shorter bluff that downtown sits on. Given its height (160 ft) and accessibility (it’s open to pedestrians and cyclists) and extremely prominent (and scenic) location, it’s probably not surprising that it has attracted suicides. Even the ugly old box-girder bridge that used to stand there had its share of suicides, dating back to 1893. One of the more famous was a teenager upset over the cancellation of Battlestar Galactica back in the 70s.

By: danny

danny — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:35:00 +0000

what about the grand canyon? i’ve always been curious about the suicide rate there.

By: Sara in AL

Sara in AL — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Have a nice trip, Miss Conradt!

By: Jonny

Jonny — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:29:00 +0000

As I recall, Coit Tower in SF was the scene of a number of suicides so they put plexiglass in over the open air windows, allowing the sun to shine in, but no breeze, so it was rather stuffy.

Maybe that’s what sends them all over to the Golden Gate, Coit Tower is a no-fly zone.

By: darwinista

darwinista — Thu, 21 May 2009 03:56:00 +0000

It seems that considering the number of suicides at the aforementioned places that it is only natural and perhaps a function of “new evolution” as human population grows exponentially without control. The fewer guardrails, the better.

By: Lindsey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-American_Bridge

Lindsey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-American_Bridge — Thu, 21 May 2009 03:17:00 +0000

I live outside of Akron, OH and there have been many suicide attempts from the Y bridge (All American Bridge) there. There were at least 2 last year and a lot more before that. Akron is going to put up fencing the try to stop it but there’s a bridge on Route 8 right next to it so I think people will just gravitate there. Click my name for a wiki link.

:o)

By: dangermouse

dangermouse — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:10:00 +0000

I’m fairly certain I discovered this series of articles (click my name to link) via mental_floss so forgive me if I’m repeating something here, but several years ago the San Francisco Chronicle published “Lethal Beauty”, a harrowing documentation of the debate for, and against, a barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a huge story, split into several parts (part 4 is particularly sad and uncomfortable to read) but definitely worth a read.

By: Kikadee

Kikadee — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:34:00 +0000

The Monument, in London, was famous for the number of suicides who leapt from its observation deck in the 1800s. Nearby London Bridge, and Waterloo Bridge (i.e., The Bridge of Sighs) were also renowned for frequent suicide attempts.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:19:00 +0000

You true Flossies probably already know this, but the “HOLLYWOOD” sign, at the time Peg Entwhistle (#2) jumped, actually read “HOLLYWOODLAND.” It was a promotional sign for a land developer. It was a 13-letter word: After a number of suicides, they took down the “LAND,” leaving us with the sign we know today.

By: KL Photography

KL Photography — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:17:00 +0000

There’s a whole documentary on the Golden Gate Bridges suicides…..Over the course of a year, I think, a filmmaker filmed 24-7 across from the Golden Gate Bridge and caught many suicides, including one he witnessed himself and couldn’t stop. It made a lot of people mad but the families of the departed and suicide survivors really appreciated it. Link to video in my name….