No explanation was ever found. Its commonly known as Goatmans Bridge. According to local legend, it was the site of the brutal lynching of a man named Oscar Washburn, a Black goat herder, in the early 20th century. Wikimedia CommonsBecause of the alleged goat-demon that haunts it, Goatmans bridge is a popular location for thrill-seekers and photographers. Detail view of highway bridge, showing railroad bridge and lock and dam in background, looking northeast (upstream). theYear=theYear+1900 The first time someone reported something strange on Old Alton Bridge was 1938. Stranger stories even include people having seen a creature that resembles a half-goat, half-man.. The bridge was named similarly to the town and the cemetery, and was named the Old Alton Bridge. The bridge was initially a toll bridge.[3]. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas Photo taken by the Denton County Historical Commission. local news and culture, I want answers. Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . Washburn posted a sign on the bridge which read this way to the Goatmans. This action angered members of the Klan, and on a fateful night in August of 1938, they drove their cars across the bridge with their headlights off, took Washburn from his home and family, and dragged him to the bridge. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The content of this site includes writings on local history, our programs, and events. Jessica Luther Rummel with UNT says there are conflicting reports of who was at the scene, how Mont got to the bridge and how he died. In one instance, a research group filmed an eerily cold, orange mist on a night that was otherwise warm- the mist apparently moved across the bridge against the flow of the wind. The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former . I've heard like back in way, way back in the day, the KKK used to like hang people off of it Boone said. A drone shot from above Old Alton Bridge Goatmans Bridge showing the span over the waterway and a single man laying on the bridge for reference. Denton High School student Lermont Stowers-Jones, 17, was found dead in Hickory Creek on Tuesday. The post office closed forever in 1859. This is the eerie story behind the haunted Goatmans Bridge. 514. The best stories from KERA sent to your inbox. The first tragic legend claims that a successful African American goat farmer named Oscar Washburn was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan on the bridge in the 1930s. Join the Observer community and help support Though it is called the Old Alton Bridge the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. The Denton County Sheriffs Office, Texas Rangers and state game wardens have worked the case, and so far they have not indicated anybody will be criminally charged in connection with Stowers-Jones death. dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt The Hickory Creek Baptist Church was organized in 1855, and by 1856, there were several buildings including a school and a saloon. The Old Alton Bridge, also know as Goatman's Bridge, is one of the most haunted bridges in Texas that will send chills up your spine. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The Story Of 'Vasa,' The Epic 17th-Century Swedish Warship That Sank 20 Minutes After Launch, This French Woman Has Been Fighting A Three-Year Battle To Prove She's Not Dead, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, The Old Alton Bridge is allegedly haunted by a half-goat demon, which has earned it the nickname Goatmans Bridge.. For more information, go to www.nancybilyeau.com. The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. The next day, Jones says he was coming home from his daughters basketball game when he got a call from the Denton Police Department. Since the answer isnt likely to be definitively answered anytime soon, lets settle into the story of Goatman and his favorite bridge. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office was expected . As she walked through the gymnasium to find a seat Tuesday morning, she noticed many of her sons classmates staring at her, as if they all knew something she didnt. Today, the Baptist Church and the Alton cemetery are all that remains of the Alton village. Welcome to my YouTube Channel and this video i'm showing you around the old Alton Bridge also known as Goatman's Bridge. He's no longer here, but he needs justice., Got a tip? Witnesses have reported sightings of a goat-like beast with glowing eyes. Hed barely take out the trash if a spider was in sight, his dad said Saturday. Windy this evening. By Brooke Colombo The Argyle Fire District confirmed Tuesday that the boy, whose name has not been released by. The simple yet sturdy bridge allowed developers to carry horses and automobiles across the river. But this abandoned bridge just 30 minutes north of Fort Worth in the town of Denton is guaranteed to send chills up your spine while also being a beautiful day hike.Old Alton Bridge, often referred to as the "Goatman's Bridge" is said to have been haunted by a man who was gruesomely murdered there in the 1930s. agaudet@dentonrc.com, Anyone can be an artist at this new downtown Denton bar, McCarthy blasts Biden, Democrats over debt limit. Why would a demonic entity haunt a rarely used country bridge in Denton, Texas? Earning his living raising goats, he was soon . This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. Located on Hickory Creek, the community flourished with stores, a hotel, post office, school and other businesses. 12 The Royal Gorge Bridge. Supposedly numerous abandoned cars that have been found near Old Alton Bridge, their owners strangely missing. This legend results in the area around Old Alton Bridge being popular among paranormal investigators,[5] such as the crews from Ghost Adventures and BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural. At night if you shine your headlights, you can see the silhouette of the man hanging from the bridge. And the Goatman. KERA News Weekday Update Newsletter Signup, A Denton Activist's Decades Of Protest Against A Confederate Monument Pay Off, Voters will soon decide whether Denton's future includes decriminalizing marijuana, Dallas was shaped by racism. We cant say for sure if its haunted, but you are welcome to visit and check out this historic landmark for yourself. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Every morning, get a link to our newly redesigned e-Edition and the top Denton headlines you need to start your day. Why are they here? Stowers figures they were asking. Now that youve learned about the scary legend of Goatmans Bridge, go inside the mystery of the Overtoun Bridge, Scotlands dog suicide hotspot. It stands 145 feet long at its original location over the Hickory Creek tributary at Copper Canyon Road, though the roadway was rerouted in 1997. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. The bridge was originally created as a link for travelers making their way from Denton to Dallas, and sat near the small town of Alton. "When can he get justice? The Old Clark Bridge was a bridge that carried U.S. Route 67 across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri and Alton, Illinois. It can be. It was built by the King Bridge Company based in Cleveland, Ohio. The bridges spooky reputation has since attracted amateur sleuths and paranormal investigators alike. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. [3] The belief is based on the legend of a black goat farmer named Oscar Washburn, who was said to have moved his family to a residence just north of the bridge. Halloween is upon Now, the city has a plan to address the sins of the past. bcolombo@dentonrc.com, Woman dead, child in critical condition after wreck on West University, Report: Denton police arrest suspected drug distributor after finding scales, cash, drugs inside his car, Police: Fry Street bar owner arrested after being intoxicated inside his business, Trial date set for Sanger woman accused of murdering her husband, By Amber Gaudet legendary ghost stories. On Wednesday, the family indicated the autopsy report does not provide them with much comfort. The bridge in question connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, and harkens back to 1884. Visitors swear that there is something supernatural about the bridge, and the structure has consequently been featured in a number of paranormal investigation shows including the popular series Ghost Adventures. Local legend says if you knock on the steel bridge three times at midnight, or perhaps- turn off your car lights and honk three times in summons, then you dare a visitation from the vengeful Goatman thats preceded by the stench of decaying flesh. When the popular businessman proudly hung a sign on the Old Alton Bridge directing This way to the Goatman, it infuriated local Ku Klux Klansmen who plotted violence. [3], Media related to Old Alton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons. Death at the Goatman's Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series) By Chris in episode Jun 17, 2022 Death at the Goatman's Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series) A look at one legend behind the Goatman's Bridge, the period of history that inspired it, and a suspicious recent death at the bridge. Locally, the bridge is known as Goatman's Bridge, as it is said to be haunted by a half-man half-goat figure called Goatman. Local researchers have looked into county death records, newspaper accounts, and census records and have found no record of a man named Oscar Washburn, or of a lynching in 1938. While there are no official records of Washburn existing, the bridge has a reputation for having a problematic past that includes racial violence. The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. There have also been reports of inhuman screams coming from the nearby woods, or maniacal laughter sounding. Old Alton Bridge famously known as the Goatman Bridge in Denton, Texas, is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in the US (Wikimedia) NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A ghost hunter has been trending on TikTok after a video emerged of him reportedly spending the night at one of the most . 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