The Bizarre, Haunting Tale of the Texas Bridge With 3 Names
Originally known as the "Jones County Clear Fork Bridge", the bridge is on County Road 429 in Jones County, Texas, just north of Abilene and south of Anson. As the story goes, the bridge has two other names - one to honor the woman who was killed nearby and another because of the hangings that took place there.
When I first learned this story, I heard that authorities hung a man on the bridge just days after the Sheriff and his deputies discovered the body of Ms. Presley, an affluent Jones County resident. It's believed that her rapist killed and disposed of Ms. Presley's body under the bridge.
Two days after discovering Ms. Presley's body, the Sheriff and his deputies came across a man walking near the bridge. After some intense questioning of the man, the Sheriff came to the conclusion this man was guilty of the crime, and hung him right then and there on the Clear Fork Bridge.
Fast forward to today. When I first learned of this story from local law authorities, I was told by Sheriff Larry Moore that, "the real killer was captured weeks later committing a similar crime in the area and was also hung, but on the other side of the bridge. Maybe that's the reason why the wind can sometimes be blowing on one side of the bridge, but not on the other."
Who would ever think that a bridge out in the middle of nowhere West Texas would make the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up? This story gets even creepier because I felt it for myself. The air that flows beneath the bridge is different from one side to the other, never mind that this crime took place over a hundred years ago.
It's believed that it is the innocent man's spirit that is wandering around "Presley's Bridge" as the locals call it now, looking to exact his revenge on the Sheriff and his deputies for hanging an innocent man.
The really weird and freaky abnormality that I personally experienced was that underneath the bridge, one side was hot, and when I walked to the other side it was noticeably cooler. I would guess by 10 to 20 degrees. I got out from under there as fast as I could.
Jones County Attorney Investigator Mike Middleton told me, "I've heard the stories, but the old all-steel bridge was replaced with a new bridge many years ago. The old bridge remains intact about fifty feet from county road 429."
Google Maps has the location of the "Jones County Clear Fork Bridge" aka "Presley's Bridge" aka "Hangman's Bridge" on CR-429. The bridge is all metal, and made lots of noise with its squeaking and creaking.
Word of warning to anyone wanting to check out the bridge - it's now off-limits to vehicles and I'm not so sure that it's on private property. No word if Investigator Middleton or Jones County Sheriff Moore had ever been on the Presley Bridge in the dead of the night. I was and I won't do it again.
