Rocky Ford Bridge

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Rocky Ford Bridge spans the Cottonwood River between Emporia and Neosho Rapids and has been listed on the National Register of Historical Places since 2020. The bridge was constructed in Kansas City and moved to this location by train around the turn of the century. The bridge remains best known for its connection to the 1983 murder of Sandy Bird, the victim whose life is portrayed in a 1987 made-for-television movie Murder Ordained. Sandy Bird’s body was found under the bridge, and her husband who was a minister was convicted of the crime.

Images

This is a photo of Rocky Ford Bridge included in the proposal for the National Register of Historical Sites. Although this is on Black and white, you can not see a significant difference in the appearance of the bridge in the above picture which is more recent and this 44 year old photo.

Here are photos of Lorna Anderson (left), Thomas Bird (center) and Sandy Bird (right). The photo of Lorna comes from an article that is about her release from prison in the early 2000s. Thomas’s photo was taken shortly after the announcement of the movie and is obviously a mug-shot. And finally this photo of Sandy comes from an obituary that was added to an online database of grave sites.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Rocky Ford Bridge is a single-lane iron truss bridge over the Cottonwood River that was built between 1890 and 1907 with iron beams crafted in the stockyards area in Kansas City. The bridge was built in one piece and moved by train. It holds historical significance because of the way it was designed as well as its connection to the 1983 murder of Sandy Bird.

Thomas Bird was a preacher at a local Lutheran church in Emporia. As demonstrated in his trial, Thomas was having an affair with Lorna Anderson and the couple planned to have their spouses killed as a double divorce would scandalize the minister and his future wife. The body of Sandy Bird was found on July 17th, 1983, next to her car under Rocky Ford Bridge. Lorna Anderson’s husband, Marty, was discovered next after he was shot along a highway near Junction City, Kansas.

Bird was named an accessory in the murder of Marty Anderson. During this investigation, Lorna confessed that Thomas paid to have her husband killed. Both were convicted on a variety of charges and Thomas Bird was found guilty of the murder of his wife. A television movie brought famous actors such as John Goodman (Roseanne and The Big Lebowski) and Kathy Bates (The Office and Waterboy) to the small town with many locals lining up for the chance to be extras. The movie was aired in two parts on CBS in 1987.

Sources

Brooks, Ryann. Rocky Ford Bridge to be listed on State Register of Historical Places , Emporia Gazette . October 20th 2020. Accessed November 10th 2021. http://www.emporiagazette.com/free/article_2d9210ec-12fd-11eb-87b0-d38c94952b95.html

Elder, Robert . Rocky Ford Bridge, Bridgehunter.com. February 18th 2008. Accessed November 10th 2021. http://bridgehunter.com/ks/lyon/560951005247/.

Kraft , Scott. Who Killed Sandy Bird?, The Los Angeles Times. May 2nd 2004. Accessed November 10th 2021. https://www.latimes.com/local/la-tm-kansas18may02-story.html.

National and State Registers of Historical Places, Kansas Historical Society . December 22nd 2020. Accessed November 10th 2021. https://www.kshs.org/natreg/natreg_listings/view/1893.

National Register of Historical Places Registration Form, Kansas Historical Society . December 22nd 2020. Accessed November 10th 2021. https://www.kshs.org/resource/national_register/nominationsNRDB/KS_LyonCounty_MetalTrussBridgesofKansasMPDF_RockyFordBridge_Listed12222020_reduced.pdf.

Rocky Ford Bridge, historicalbridges.org. June 4th 2016. Accessed November 10th 2021. https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=kansas/rockyford/.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Curry-Reyes, T. (1970, January 1). Photos of Tom Bird aka reverand thomas bird. Photos of Tom Bird aka Reverand Thomas Bird. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from http://murderordainedmovie.blogspot.com/2011/04/photos-of-tom-bird-aka-reverand-thomas.html ,Mlynar, B. (2014, March 7). Lorna Anderson discharged from parole. Emporia Gazette. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/article_3eb06f94-31f1-5944-ae6f-187b0fbedf76.html ,N/A. (n.d.). Sandra Lea "Sandy" stringer bird (1950-1983) -... Find a Grave. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54322263/sandra-lea-bird