The towns of Kerman, and Madera, California, have a long history. So long in fact it dates back to the 1800s.
The two towns are a short car ride today, actually about 20 minutes or so.
Back in the mid 1800s the trip was a little longer and far more dangeruse.
If you were to go visit Madera from Keman, You would have to proper for the trip that would either be by horse or wagon.
Along the way you would have crossed creeks and traveled over uneven ground. Then you will have to take a fairy across the San Joaquin river.
Then there are possibility of bandits along the way and wild dangerous animals.
Along with adverse weather conditions. A rain storm that pops up may be an annoyance and inconvenience for us now. Back in the 1800s, a rainstorm can bring your trip to a complete stop, especially if the roads become too muddy to use.
Life was hard in the 19th century and death was a common thing.
Like taking a trip between Kerman, and Madera, cans cost the life of yourself or someone you know.
This is most likely how the legend of Cottonwood Creek came about.
This a local legend of the western fresno county town. Kerman had gone through a recent population boom, but long time residents (and maybe a few of the new ones) know of the legend of Cottonwood Creek.
THE LEGEND
The legend is that a large family was travailing between Kerman and Madera back in the mid to late 1800s.
Kerman, was a significantly smaller town than kerman, so any shopping would have to be done either in Fresno or makers. Which was at that time much bigger towns.
So the risky trip would have to be done from time to time, out of necessity.
There are two versions of this part of the story. One is that the family was traveling to Kerman to settle some land. The other is that the family was traveling to Madera on business.
Regardless of the version of the stories, as the family was travailing over the barren lands between the 2 towns. There daughter unexpectedly dies. No mention is ever given on how she died or how many brothers and sisters she had. But all the stories I heard is that she was berried close to where she passed away. The parents allegedly burred her along the banks of Cotton Wood Creek.
Years later highway 145 was constructed to connect to 2 towns.
As the storie goes, the bridge over cotton wood creek was built over the little girls grave.
THE HAUNTING
Locals tell me to be cautious of that bridge, years ago.
Imagin you are driving your car to Madera down hwy145.
several minutes into your trip you are in the countryside if Fresno county.
no street lights, no business. Just a few House far aff the road.
The only light in the road is from your headlights.
It’s very dark and fog is now rolling in.
Now your coming up to a small bridge that crosses a little creek; Cotton wood creek.
As you approach the bridge, your moving along pretty fast. You look at your dash for just a second. You look back up and now there is a little girl standing in your lane, just feet from your car.
Out of reaction you slam on your breaks and swerved hard to the right.
The car bounces as you leave the road and into the dirt.
You almost hit the cement bridge beriors.
Now you feel the feeling in your stomach when you are on a speeding rollercoaster.
Your now slam to a stop. You are now resting on the banks of Cotton wood creek.
You now remember the little girl on the road.
You run back up to the road using a light.
You get there but there is No one there. You check the road side,under the bridge. Still nothing.
There is no houses around you. Just vast empty fields all around.
Where did she go?
You look back down in to the dry creek and see your car smashed and smoking.
Was there even a little girl in the road? You ask yourself if you imagined the whole thing.
CONCLUSION
This is somthing, according to local legends, that has happened several times.
But is the legends true.
Is there a little girl buried under the bridge?
this is a story that i have herd several times from different people.
This is what makes his so interesting.
along with the very long history of both cities and bad record keeping of the 1800s. this seems like a very plausible back story to this haunting. .
Unfortunately the 19th century did see a high death rate of children.
But I have not found any official record of this death outside of the legends.
Tell us what you think.
Leave a Reply