Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per Located less than a mile from present-day Corinth, the new townsite was called Alton on a high ridge between Pecan Creek and Hickory Creek. By 1856, the small town boasted several homes, a blacksmith shop, three stores, a school, a saloon, a hotel, two doctors, and several lawyers. There are even claims of satanic devil worship being performed on the site, raising the specter of the devil himself on the bridge. Treat has written about numerous local places and personalities at his. Several other reports tell of numerous abandoned cars that have been found near the bridge, with their occupants missing. I would laugh and think to myself (Another one bites the dust I guess) Many times however, I would get lucky and not have a single other person come visit the bridge, OR even a car drive by for an entire night. Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. Whether its Washburn or Kendall haunting the bridge, lots of strange things have happened around the Alton Bridge. When approached, the woman is said to vanish. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. Well, thats it. There have been reports of abandoned cars with no sign of their occupants, vehicles breaking down or car doors locking and unlocking of their own accord, and some people have heard hoofbeats around the bridge. Their luck with this second townsite was also short-lived; in 1850 they moved once more, to a location five miles from present-day Corinth. Though the fledgling town had begun to grow, the location of the county seat was still unsatisfactory for the majority of Denton County residents, who soon petitioned for yet, another county seat one that was more centrally located and again, one with better water. The site also tells this story about a possible historical Goat Man: In some research we found that in the late 1800s there was a man that reportedly lived out near the bridge, who owned several goats. Supposedly the video series was going to answer everything, but it never happened, and you cant watch the video this description went with, since it was deleted the day after it was posted, having garnered 39 views when it was archived by the wayback machine. The third county seat location was designated in November 1850, about five miles southwest of present-day Corinth on Hickory Creek. The episode claimed Satanic rituals had been performed under the notoriously-haunted bridge. There are no definitive records of Washburn or Kendall, but as a Denton local said, that doesnt mean its not haunted.The bridge is seven miles south of Denton, if you ever get the urge to visit just keep your headlights on and dont knock on the bridge, unless you want to visit with the Goatman. Supposedly this was near the location of the bridge. And in the trunk of her vehicle was her cold, bloodied, and decomposing body. Details of Disappearance. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy, It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century. These units are usually stressed from tension, compression, or both in order to support heavy loads. According to urban legend, Goatman is a creature resembling a goat-human hybrid often credited with canine deaths and purported to take refuge in the woods of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Show more 0/2000 In a panic, the Klansman returned to the Washburn residence, and killed his family in cold blood. Placentia Police Department According to legend, if you visit on Halloween and honk your car horn twice, visitors can see Goatmans glowing eyes. On Halloween, if you go the bridge and honk your horn twice, you may see the fiery red eyes of the Goatman. An honest businessman, his goat raising business was a success. Visitors hear hooves beating across the bridge, splashing in the creek below, maniacal laughter, and an inhuman growl that emanates from the woods. [5][6], The Goatman lore has isn't as well known but there have been some adaptations such as the slimy alien version in the game, Goatman's revenge. His living was raising and selling goats. Left to right: Jay Wasley, Zak Bagans, Billy Tolley, Aaron Goodwin. 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. Called the Old Alton Bridge, sometimes the Argyle bridge, and is better known amongst the locals as Goatmans Bridge, it was first built to carry horses but would later carry vehicles across the creek. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as "the Goatman's bridge." There use to be a goatmans road in baytown txits now a road that goes by a big golf course and subdivison..my how things have changed over the years Frank Lakeman Member 1 #4 From tragic and riveting tales of murder to the somewhat vague stories of a ghostly goatherder, its sure to give you the chills if you ever visit heading out there after dark probably isnt advisable, in any case! Many who have crossed at night. So, anyway, starting from this initial rumor that was immortalized in the form of a YouTube video, the new version of the legend started to spread widely. us, which seems the perfect opportunity to revisit one of Dentons most The Denton newspaper at the time did an article on a car found abandoned on the bridge." Lermont Stowers-Jones' body was found in a Denton County creek in 2018. It continued to be used until about 2001 when it was replaced with a concrete-and-steel bridge and a new road, which straightened out a sharp curve. According to the most circulated version, an African-American entrepreneur named Oscar Washburn and his family tended a farmstead goat herd near the bridge that was renowned for quality meat, milk, cheeses and hides. Harrod had planned to put Heeter's name on some of his assets, including some of his properties, but he disappeared before he could do that. Last updated June 16, 2017; two pictures added, details of disappearance updated. In August 1938, masked Klansmen abducted Washburn and hung him from the bridge. Heeter contested the conservatorship application, moved into his home and changed the locks. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. For decades, the Goatmans remained as consistently in use as it had in the 1880s. I went there back in highschool with a group of people. There are many Denton ghosts Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas The Old Alton Bridge's nickname, Goatman's Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. [4], According to University of Maryland folklorist Barry Pearson, the Goatman legend began "long, long, long" ago and were further popularized in 1971 when the death of a dog was blamed on Goatman by local residents. Apparently, in 2010, there was a person who commented on a bunch of websites, basically anything that mentioned the bridge that year. His case remains unsolved and is classified as a possible homicide. Shortly afterwards, so the stories go, a family was passing over the bridge at night and encountered the old man, or at least his apparition, standing in front of them, a goats head tucked under each arm. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as the Goatmans bridge., https://web.archive.org/web/20100617152737/http://www.goatmansbridge.com/, Weirdly, November 15th 1967 is exactly 1 month before the Silver Bridge collapsed in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as "the Goatman's bridge." Constructed in 1884, the bridge connected Lewisville to Alton. (, from his website: November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. Passing over any bridge as antiquated and creaky as the Old Alton, its normal to feel a little unsettled. [1][3], As well, Goatman was rumored to reside in a makeshift shelter in the wooded region of northwestern Prince George's County near the vicinity of Bowie. Highlights include: Thoughts about how the internet transforms and changes urban legends A little digital gumshoeing Some Mothman easter eggs. In a panic, they returned to his family home and slaughtered his wife and children.[4]. Now, this person said that he didnt upload the video. "For the last several years I've given ghost tours on the Square, usually on the weekends. It just seems to be the story that captures everyone's imagination.". The panicked Klansmen frantically searched the area unsuccessfully before rushing to Washburns shanty, setting it afire with the Goatmans family shrieking inside, perhaps to bait a desperate rescue attempt by the vanished Oscar. Many of his neighbors bestowed upon him the affectionate nickname the Goatman.. An attempt to trace the current tales of the Goatmans Bridge to their source: a 2008 YouTube video that contained seemingly new information about the urban legend, including some information that linked the story to the Mothman legends. Built in 1884 by the King Iron Bridge Manufacturing Company, it originally carried horses and later automobiles over Hickory Creek at a location that once was a popular ford for crossing cattle. Maybe that spirit is that of La Llorona, who is well known as haunting the rivers of the Southwest. [1] November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. They reconnected by telephone after their spouses died and then met in person, and decided to get married only six days later. Some people have claimed to see the figure of Goatman, with glowing eyes and. The tiktok account just has the two videos, and it has like five followers so you are missing anything there. On a dark night in the late 1930s, a lynch mob of Kluxers stormed Washburn's shack and dragged the screaming Goatman to their noose waiting on the bridge, tightened the rope around the begging Oscar's neck, then mercilessly flung him over the side. In Denton County, Texas near the ghost town that once was Alton a bridge was constructed at the Hickory Creek in 1884. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. Before the new bridge, drivers had to signal with their horns before crossing the single-lane bridge, as there was room for only one vehicle to pass at a time. A few years later, Washburn, having become known as a dependable and honest businessman and dubbed the "Goatman" by locals, displayed a sign on Alton Bridge reading "This way to the Goatman". The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. Visitors crossing the bridge at exactly three a.m. have reported horrific visions of fire and brimstone; those fortunate enough to return, that is. For the Kentucky creature, see, Last edited on 23 February 2023, at 17:27, "Legend of Goatman Survives Despite Lack of Evidence", "Maryland's Goatman Is Half Man, Half Goat, and Out for brains", "Famed Goatman Forever Held In Dusty Room", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Goatman_(urban_legend)&oldid=1141159056, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 17:27. So whether the Old Alton is named after a terrifying demon or a particularly resilient goat farmer, the bridge is certainly worth the trip. theYear=theYear+1900 After securing it around Oscars neck, they tossed him over the side. Kathy Weiser-Alexander/Legends of America, updated June 2021. A week and a half after he went missing, two of his children filed for conservatorship to get control of his assets. However, no goatman. Haunted Texas: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Lone Star State by Alan Brown, published in 2008, has no mention of the Old Alton Bridge, even though it does mention another Denton haunting, the haunting of the University of North Texas Bruce Hall. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room will take viewers out of the actual haunted location and into a casual conversation with the Ghost Adventures crew. Peering over into the water, his murderers saw a rope, but not his body. day! A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as the Goatmans bridge., It sounds like the first comment was on July 2, 2010, on randomconnections.com. Later it accommodated automobiles as well. The ground was damp and hoof prints should have been obvious, but I couldnt find any!. On February 19, following a community-wide search, Cathy's 1990 Toyota Corolla was found abandoned in the Placentia Linda Hospital parking lot. People DID trickle in most nights sporadically, ever few hours or so. It isn't clear whether this woman or the debt had anything to do with his disappearance. Though it is called the Old Alton Bridge the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. Other strange happenings recorded at the bridge include strange lights appearing in the surrounding woods, along with reports of visitors feeling hands grab at them in the dark, o a rain of rocks pelting them as they cross the bridge. The new site retained the name of Alton and submitted an application for a post office. In 2014, after Harrod's family had him declared legally dead and inherited his home, Heeter was evicted. The legend goes that Kendalls body reanimated through the power of voodoo, ripped off the head of a nearby goat, and replaced his head with the goats as the astonished cowboys watched in horror. 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. But, unfortunately, some did not welcome a successful black man within their midst. . We walked down one of the paths, and I swear something started chasing us! North Texans endearingly began to call him the Goatman. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to watch the video that he posted, but I was able to read the video description on the Wayback Machine. Some reports describe the Goatman's fur as a deep, fiery red, while others describe his coloring as black as night, so black you can hardly see him as he moves through the edges of the trees. But for this particular bridge, those feelings may be more grounded than not. 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