Spooky Legends: Theorosa’s Bridge continues to haunt

By Jared Shuff
Staff Writer

A concrete bridge sits just a few miles outside the small town of Valley Center. If you were to drive past it, you probably would not notice anything out of the ordinary. However, this bridge may be one of the most haunted places in Kansas.

The stories seem to vary, especially as the years go by. Every manifestation of the legend revolves around a mother and her baby. The earliest legend takes place late in the 1800s.

According to the story, Indians attacked a wagon full of settlers and stole a baby named Theorosa. The mourning mother roamed the area, calling out for her lost child until she herself died. It is said that you can still hear her calling out for Theorosa.

In a more modern version, the story is that a farm wife named Theorosa gave birth to an illegitimate child. She threw the baby into the river to drown it, then drowned herself out of guilt.

Rumors are that if you go to the bridge and announce that you have her child, she will attack you and try to throw you into the river as well.

Like most haunted location, the bridge has become somewhat of a local attraction, piquing the interest of believers and skeptics alike.

One visitor, Linda Ritter, recounted her experience on Angels and Ghosts, a paranormal blog.

Ritter and her friends said they experienced an overwhelming sense of sadness as they drove over the bridge.

“I have been to several places and had experiences, but not quite like this,” Ritter said.

After stopping, the group tried to call out for Theorosa. While at first nothing happened, one by one they started to hear the sounds of a baby crying. One girl said she felt something bump against her. They left soon after.

The next morning, the girl who said she had been bumped found a dark bruise on her body, exactly where she had felt it the night before.

Many visitors have reported similar occurrences, such as the appearance of a woman’s ghost, cold winds, unexplained vehicle problems, and the sounds of a baby crying.

The bridge, originally built out of iron and wood, burned down in 1974, only to be rebuilt and burned down again in 1976. After closing for 15 years, the bridge was again rebuilt in 1991, this time in its current concrete state.

For those interested in checking this ghostly bridge out, it is located at 109th street North and Meridian. Over the years, the bridge has been a common spot for vandalism and is now covered in graffiti.

If you decide to taunt the ghost of Theorosa, do it at your own risk, and be prepared for a haunting encounter.

Blog: http://www.angelsghosts.com/theorosas_bridge_ghost_story

Photo taken from: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/kansas/theorosas-bridge-kansas/

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