Station Road bridge is the oldest steel bridge remaining in the valley. It was built in 1881 and the road has long since been closed to traffic. Today the bridge is used to to cross the river to get to the towpath trail on the other side.
There was once a small railroad depot by the bridge and that’s how the road got its name.
The hillside on the canal side of the bridge was once used to store ammunition. The locals said that “you would have to be crazy to live there”. This is how it quickly became known as Crazy Man’s Hollow.
Today the National Park Service has built a replica if the station where the old one once stood.
Stan
Hello, Andrew. Your info here for Crazy Man’s Hollow appears to be somehow crossed up with the Station Street station. All your info and photos are of the Station Street area , which is now a Towpath trailhead & picnic area, and a stop on the Cuyahoga Valley Railroad. And yes, the CVNP did build a replica of the original station there.
You are correct that the legend has it the US government did store ammo at a place now called Crazy Man’s Hollow, but that is at another site, which is actually not too far away. The hollow is formed at the base of a waterfall, which is not accessible without a challenging hike up a creek to the falls. The site is high above, up along Ohio route 82. Legend has it that the soldier tasked with manning the ammo store went crazy out of loneliness, and because the place is so secluded and nearly impassible.
One can view it from above, from Route 82, but you can’t see it from the highway, and there’s no place to park. You’d have to walk along the highway (Chippewa Rd.). It’s about mid-way between Riverview & Pine Hill Rd, on the south side of the highway. You can actually reach the spot by parking in the Station Rd. parking lot, then follow the trail across the Station Road bridge. Originally, Station street continued on up the hill on the other side of the canal, and the roadbed still remains. So cross the Towpath and follow the old roadbed all the way up to the top, and you’ll get to Highway 82. Turn left and follow the highway west. Watch the terrain to the south. The waterfall faces west, so it will actually be behind you when you can first see it. Keep an eye out for it, as it’s somewhat secluded by trees.