The Southside Bridge Hanging Man

Photo by Michelle Krone--Source

It's been a loooong time since I did a Weird West Virginia Wednesday, but thanks to this past Saturday's ghost tour/hunt with the Charleston Ghost Tour Company, I was inspired to bring it back! Way back in 2012, I was introduced to a very strange piece of Charleston's public art. I was taking a Historic Preservation class through WVSU, which met at the haunted Capitol Theater and was taught by Dr. Billy Joe Peyton. One class meeting involved taking a historic walking tour throughout downtown Charleston, and as we were talking about the Southside Bridge, it was pointed out to us that there was a creepy little addition to the building beside the bridge: The Southside Bridge Hanging Man!

The building in question, One Bridge Place, was originally built in the 1890's and served as the warehouse for the Lewis, Hubbard, and Company Wholesale Grocery. Today, the building is home to various offices, but has also become an integral part of Charleston's art community. Back in the early 1980's, the building went through renovations, which involved the painting of a large mural on the south side of the building, facing the bridge.

Can you see him up top?

Known locally as the 'San Francisco Mural,' the side of One Bridge Place resembles a row of colorful Victorian houses. The work is by artist Bart Davies, a graduate of Penn State's Fine Arts program. The project, which employs the use of trompel'oeil (to trick or deceive the eye) was started in 1983 and took about two years to complete.  

You have to look closely, but if you do, you can see that some of the windows are painted on and some are actual, functional windows. And if you look REALLY closely, you'll see that one of the faux windows holds a rather dark and macabre surprise. At the very top left, you can see what appears to be the shadowy figure of a person in the window. Look a little closer, and you'll see that there is a rope or noose coming from this figure's neck. As of this date, no one has publicly come out with a reason as to why such a creepy image was added to this otherwise bright and cheery mural. Of course, plenty of conspiracy theories abound. At the very least, the Southside Bridge Hanging Man is right up there with Mortar Man as a well-loved (albeit strange and kinda dark) piece of hidden public art, which has found a home in West Virginia's capital city! 

Close-up of the Hanging Man