Lest you think all of my destinations turn out…. Here are two fails.
I drove over an hour out of my way to see Fort Row. I had read about it as the small headquarters of the Union Army's local volunteer mounted militia under the leadership of Capt. John Row in 1861. It turns out that the exact location is unknown but was near the spot where the Big Sandy Creek enters the Verdigris River north of Fredonia and east of Coyville in Wilson County, Kansas. There is simply this strange sign in someone’s yard. In my defense there was an actual address. But the local dogs would not let me even get out of the car. The dogs almost jumped up on the windows. I took my picture and left. Total bust.
But here is the history… Early in 1862, more than 6,000 Indians and black slaves, under the Creek leader Opothleyahola, fled the Confederate forces in Indian Territory. Loyal to the Union, they had been promised safe haven at Fort Row. Despite all efforts by Supt. of Indian Affairs, with aid from army officials at Fort Leavenworth and use of private funds to alleviate their suffering, hundreds of the refugees perished from starvation and exposure during the frigid 1862 winter.
Picture from Google…. This image does not belong to me.
Another fail I that I tried to capture twice was the Rocky Ford Bridge Cottonwood River, River, Emporia, KS. I tried hard because of the story connected with this old bridge. My first attempt was short lived. I found a small residential park with a trail walking to the bridge. So hot and so buggy that I gave up. I was going to just get close enough to put the drone up and fly the rest of the way but the bugs were so bad I really could not even stand there.
The next morning I opted to drive very close to another bridge next to the old one. The road was closed for construction and the workers did not appear to be happy that I wanted to get drone footage. The weather changed and started to rain. Another fail. Double fail.
Here is the history and the story…. This steel truss bridge was built in 1890s by A.M. Blodgett Bridge Company of Kansas City for a cost of $6,000. The bridge originally stood across the Union Pacific railway tracks at the Kansas City Stockyards and was moved its current location in 1907. At the time of its placement over the Cottonwood River in Lyon County, it was the largest single span bridge in the state of Kansas.
In 1987, the bridge was featured in the true crime movie, “Murder Ordained” and today it is part of a popular gravel cycling route. On the morning of Sunday, July 17, hikers found a partially submerged car and a floating body in the Cottonwood River near Rocky Ford Bridge outside of town. Tragically the body belonged to Sandy Bird, wife and mother of three, a mathematics instructor at Emporia State University.
The community rallied around Sandy’s husband, Rev. Tom Bird, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, and their young children. Officials declared that Sandy’s death was an accident, probably the result of coming around a bend in the gravel, tree-lined road too quickly and skidding off the bridge into the river late the night before.
Some people had questions: Why was Sandy driving the family station wagon, alone, late at night in that part of the county? Why weren’t there skid marks on the bridge or the road? But her husband accepted the official assessment and tried to move on in his grief.
Until a second body turned up four months later, this one an undisputed homicide. Marty Anderson was shot and killed by a masked man while on a drive out in the country with his wife, Lorna Anderson. It was a poorly kept secret that Lorna and Marty had a troubled marriage, not made easier by her alleged affairs with several men in town. Including her boss: Tom Bird.
Over the next two years, the community was rocked by a salacious, scandalous story of sex, greed, and murder. The story seemingly ended with the first-degree murder conviction of the Rev. Tom Bird who still maintains his innocence.
