Whether its Washburn or Kendall haunting the bridge, lots of strange things have happened around the Alton Bridge. independent local journalism in Dallas. The investigation led to some terrifying moments for the crew. Several other reports tell of numerous abandoned cars that have been found near the bridge, with their occupants missing. However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. Around 2:30 p.m, his son in-law drove off to Home Depot to pick up supplies. Although he lived modestly and drove an older model car, Harrod was worth approximately $5 million. Oh, also, it seemed like he tweeted a lot in early-to-mid June 2022 and hasnt tweeted since, which also matches the pattern. His family doesn't believe he would have left without warning. The heavily traveled Old Alton Bridge remained in constant use until 2001 when vehicle traffic was moved to an adjacent concrete-and-steel bridge. Years later, in 1884, long after Alton had died, an iron through-truss bridge was built over Hickory Creek on Copper Canyon Road, south of the old townsite. 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. Passing over any bridge as antiquated and creaky as the Old Alton, its normal to feel a little unsettled. There are many Denton ghosts Over the years it gained more notoriety as I began to uncover and post more of the mystery, opening thousands of peoples minds in person who came to visit and happened to stop to have a chat with that ghost hunting guy and his beagle always at the bridge. Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch, virtual remembrance and fundraising event. It is under surveillance by the Paranormal Investigators of North Texas and the Denton County Paranormal Investigators.\r\rOscar Washburn was never seen again and has been presumed dead since his attempted murder.\r\rhttp://www.asup-inc.org/oldaltonbridgecase.htm 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. If they did, they always lasted about 5 mins and get spooked, running back to their cars. All my old favorite TV/YouTube Ghost Hunters are falling victim to this energy vortex!!. Ironically, if you search Bobs username on youtube, the cached metadata on Duckduckgo says USERNAME is resurrected from the digital grave. which is really ironic. Dallas' independent source of Ghostly figures and strange lights are said to appear in the surrounding woods, as well as reports of visitors being touched, grabbed, and having rocks thrown at them. Hed had the account since 2018, but the only other visible thing that hed posted was something on a World of Warcraft subreddit. Half a century after the bridge was built, an African-American man named Oscar Washburn settled with his family near the bridge. Visitors sometimes tell of seeing mysterious lights in the area, car doors locking and unlocking of their own accord, and numerous vehicle breakdowns while near the old viaduct. The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. Show more 0/2000 Finally, water shortages forced the county seat to move to a new site in June 1848. Washburn was never seen or heard from again or was he? These tales are obviously old, as the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2001. But the success of a black man was still unwelcome to many, and, in August 1938, Klansmen in the local government crossed the bridge and kidnapped Washburn from his family. But Old Alton Bridge, the Goatman's Bridge, remains still open to foot traffic. Some attribute the work of Satanists who opened a portal for a hellspawn demon, while others say the Goatmans wife is eternally searching for her murdered children. The church is located at 5724 Teasley Lane ( F.M. I cannot fix what was done AGAIN. However, no goatman. Well, thats it. day! Occasionally, it was rumored that Goatman would venture out to kill a dog or rush up abruptly beating cars with an ax. When Washburn posted a sign on the bridge that advertised this way to the Goatman, it angered local Klansman. 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. To me, one of the funniest parts of this story is that the witness went on Mumsnet to share her story. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. The new townsite was located on a high ridge between Pecan Creek and Hickory Creek and was called Alton. In August 1938, masked Klansmen abducted Washburn and hung him from the bridge. No Goatmans Bridge legend ever existed or was ever mentioned in any of your Texas legend/myth or ghost story books (even those published as late as the early 2010s.). Treat has written about numerous local places and personalities at his Denton Haunts blog, and is forever indebted to the great work of the fine folks with the Denton County Historical Commission and local keepers of history like Mike Cochran and Laura Douglas at the Emily Fowler Library for their tireless work in helping preserve Dentons intriguing past. The Ghost Adventures crew first visited Goatman Bridge in a Season 13 episode that aired on January 14, 2017. Earning his living raising goats, he was soon called the Goatman by the locals. Aside from demonic satyrs, a second version of the story seeks to explain the origins of Goatmans Bridge. Last updated June 16, 2017; two pictures added, details of disappearance updated. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. Lermont Stowers-Jones' body was found in a Denton County creek in 2018. . theYear=now.getYear() But for this particular bridge, those feelings may be more grounded than not. From 2008 to mid 2011, when you searched for Goatmans Bridge on here, only 1 result popped up and it was a video by-edit: leland- posted in 2008. this was in 2011 and although Old Alton Bridge has had a reputation for decades locally as an old bridge near some scenic hiking trails that some locals claim to have heard a noise once in the 80s or 90s or saw a weird light in the woods once while fishing, it was just that a place on Old Alton Rd thousands drive by daily that you once actually could drive over. And both are popular urban legends, so if someone in 2010 wanted to make up this story, they probably were the type of person who was familiar with the moth man legend, so this might be a little Easter egg put in there.I was lucky enough to stumble upon a website called factschology.com, which had an article describing the deep dive that the podcast Myths, Mysteries, and Monsters went on to try to confirm this story. Becky Vickers is the author of the book The Secrets of Goatman's Bridge. And, the Goatman is evidently not alone. The turn of the century brought a black goat farmer and his family to a residence just North of the bridge, and a few short years later, Oscar Washburn was known as a dependable, honest businessman. To continue reading from the video description: Back to my video This one here is the first of 2 videos that for several years, if you were to search Goatmans Bridge on Youtube , only 3 results appeared -Leland-s, and the 2 you are about to watch in this series. But heres what I can tell you: I just searched for him again and I have discovered that he made a Tiktok back in July and hes posted two videos, both of which show a shirtless man wearing a cow mask and hanging out in the woods. But, Pinckneyville would hold the title only two years and never develop into a town. However, when they looked over to make sure he was dead, they could see only the rope. By 1856, the small town boasted several homes, a blacksmith shop, three stores, a school, a saloon, a hotel, two doctors, and several lawyers. 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. 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. However, this changed in 2001 when vehicle traffic was redirected to an adjacent, more contemporary concrete-and-steel bridge. . He never answered. havent been able to find mentions of Oscar Washburn prior to 2008. But I did find someone with the same screen name as Lelands youtube channel name posting the story on a forum on March 4, 2008, though without the name Oscar Washburn. Some people have claimed to see the figure of Goatman, with glowing eyes and. Old Alton Bridge, AKA Goatman's Bridge, in the daylight. Many of his neighbors bestowed upon him the affectionate nickname the Goatman.. 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. In addition to Washburn's story, the Ghost Adventures crew investigated reports of demonic activity on and around the bridge. Others were totally unrelated, and just seemed to have a keyword that made it come up in a search. Also, heres a weird synchronicity. Locals warn that if you cross the bridge at night without headlights (as the Klansmen are said to have done), you will be met on the other side by 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. A week and a half after he went missing, two of his children filed for conservatorship to get control of his assets. The original video was called The First Goatmans Bridge Video Ever Uploaded on Youtube 2011 YouTube.. KKK, Illustrated in Harpers Weekly, 1872. For years, there was only 1 video on YouTube that even referenced this location or the local Legend until I started posting videos with my evidence of this mysterious places anomalies starting in 2011. All rights reserved. The Hickory Creek Baptist Church, which continues to stand, was organized in 1855. Both the dog and I heard and saw him, but he disappeared as he made a turn under some bushes and didnt emerge on the other side. The person said: There have been several disappearances on and around Old Alton Bridge. If history is the self-congratulatory narrative of a community written by its victorious elite, then our ghosts will often problematize and haunt such tidy romanticisms of back in the day. On the other hand, the book Haunted Plano, Texas by Mary Jacobs, which was published in 2018, has a whole section about the Old Alton Bridge, even though it isnt in Plano. Investigator Aaron Goodwin was allegedly thrown during filming, and host Zak Bagans claimed he was compelled by a spirit to choke himself. 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.\"\r\rConstructed in 1884, the bridge connected Lewisville to Alton. The bridge is located about seven miles south of Denton. On March 4, 2022, a reddit user who I will call Bob (not his real name) posted 23 links to a video and/or a playlist containing a video that he claims contains the real story behind the Goatmans Bridge. Most notably, one that occurred November 15th 1967. Oh also, when I originally wrote a lot of this, Bob had deleted his YouTube channel, but as of today, August 6, 2022, he seems to have reactivated his YouTube channel. [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. People DID trickle in most nights sporadically, ever few hours or so. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5DDoes a demonic entity . But when the Night Riders stumbled down to the dark rivers edge to confirm their murderous handiwork, they were shocked to find only an inexplicably empty noose dangling over undisturbed waters. In 2014, after Harrod's family had him declared legally dead and inherited his home, Heeter was evicted. I have since been able to independently confirm that the youtube channel belongs to someone who he knew, but that it wasnt him who uploaded the video. \r\rSince the disappearance of the Goatman there have been many strange sightings on and near Old Alton Bridge. Join the discussion on our new social platform Texjas.com! November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. Next to the church is the cemetery. The first reports of supernatural encounters on the bridge were in 1938, and many are recounted in the episode. 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. In a time predating cars, massive cargo carriages drawn by hefty workhorses became the bridges most frequent users. Other legends circulating about the demon focus on his name. Other than that, Bob made a twitter account in June and hes tweeted a lot about an invocation of Zalgo, which I guess is a creepypasta from 2004. And, yeah, I mentioned this in the beginning, but I suspect that theres some mental health stuff surrounding some of Bobs posts and stuff. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! Some folks online have given a name for the person who supposedly uploaded this video. He was successful, and most of the community was supportive and friendly toward Washburn and his family, but unfortunately, the local Ku Klux Klan was not so pleased. According to this story, a black goat farmer by the name of Oscar Washburn and his family moved into a home located just north of the Old Alton Bridge. So its just a strange, unlikely coincidence that theres a connection between the dates of the moth man siding and this supposedly disappearance near the goat mans bridge. This was completely opposite of what the area is like in the daytime. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. If you park outside the bridge at night and honk your horn three times a goatman will appear. Dobie describes Sam Bass as a sort of Texan Robin Hood, an outlaw who was apparently well liked and spent some time in Denton County. Prior to the new bridge, it was necessary for motorists to signal with a car horn before crossing the single-lane span. Goatman stories originated in the early 1970s but some of its legends are set in the 50s, within Prince George's County, following the disappearances and/or deaths of multiple dogs, which were later attributed to the creature. And I am pretty sure that it took place in the 1930s, not 1800s, because the bridge wasnt built until 1884 i think. [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. 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. Although as far back as the 1930s, the bridge has taken on a second, much more sinister nickname: Goatmans Bridge. The couple had met and become engaged in 1950, but they were separated when Harrod joined the military and eventually both of them married other people. Kathy Weiser-Alexander/Legends of America, updated June 2021. I would spend countless hours there and watched all this happen every night from the bridge. Years later, in 1884, long after Alton had died, an iron through-truss bridge was built over Hickory Creek on Copper Canyon Road, south of the old townsite. There are news reports of abandoned cars on the bridge from the 1960s for sure.. An African American, Washburn was said to be the target of Texas' Ku Klux Klan in the 1930s, according to Discover Denton. I really get into it in this one! Next to the church is the cemetery. Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. 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. In a panic, the Klansman returned to the Washburn residence, and killed his family in cold blood. With vehicle traffic removed, the bridge became an important link connecting the Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trails. There is nothing on the channel. 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. Its original purpose was to carry horses and automobiles across the river. Alton, now Cooper City, has long been abandoned. The Old Alton Bridge is a historic iron bridge that spans over the muddy waters of Hickory Creek and connects the city of Denton to the city of Copper Canyon, a little less than an hours drive from Dallas. Built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the 145-foot long . However, not everyone was pleased with Oscars newfound success and acceptance within the North Texas community. Stranger stories even include people having seen a creature that resembles a half-goat, half-man. Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas While the Goatman is said to sleep beneath the Old Alton during the day, he habitually creeps out from under it to hunt for food at night, returning only at the sound of his name. Goatman. [7], This article is about the Maryland creature. Most who were brave enough to even make the 30 second journey to the bridge, would stand on it (and im dead serious) for a minute or two and would immediately leave, not even bothering with the well-traversed-in-the-daytime hiking trail to either side along the river. They would pull into the parking lot, get out, turn on all the flashlights and slowly walk towards this bridge to see what this was all about. Placentia Police Department contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the, historical ghost tour. Halloween is upon But like I said, theres more than one version that attempts an explanation for a century of recurring frights and sights encountered at the bridge. On Halloween, if you go the bridge and honk your horn twice, you may see the fiery red eyes of the Goatman. The bridge was built in 1884, by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company. Most of the time, county business was held at the Baines residence under the shade trees in his yard. I bet youre excited to find out what happened next! And luckily for us, the video description was a wall of text almost 900 words long. [3], Media related to Old Alton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons, Last edited on 22 December 2022, at 05:16, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places portal, National Register of Historic Places listings in Denton County, Texas, Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Denton County, List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas, "National Register Information System(#88000979)", "Denton Urban Legend Put to the Test on Buzzfeed Web Series", "Old Alton Bridge - The Trails of Denton County", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Alton_Bridge&oldid=1128827248, This page was last edited on 22 December 2022, at 05:16. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Texas Hill Country. Details of Disappearance. According to legend, those who dare speak the Goatmans name while crossing his bridge unwittingly summon his spirit. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. "It's like all urban legends because there are actually legends similar to it all over the country," Ghosts of Denton tour guide Shelly Tucker told Discover Denton. Oh, also, when people delete their accounts on Reddit, their comments often still appear on the platform and it just says deleted under their username, but I was able to confirm that at least some of the comments that he had posted under his old username were also deleted. Road 2181), Denton, Texas. There are many spirits calling this place home, but . Some say that the bridge was once the site of an execution, another of a lynching; others say that an old goat herder was murdered on this spot, while still others believe it is the earthbound spirits of those killed in the Sam Bass Texas Rangers shootout nearby. As far as I can tell, it seems like he made a youtube video about the Old Alton Bridge, wanted to drive traffic to it by posting on reddit, but then for some reason decided to delete it. Put to a vote in November 1856; the county seat was moved again to Denton. But for this particular bridge, those feelings may be more grounded than not. The legend goes that they then fitted a noose over his head and threw him over the side of the bridge but when they looked to see whether he was dead, his body had disappeared. Before he got involved with Heeter, he had been seeing a younger woman. On a dark night in August 1938, these hateful men crossed the bridge without their headlights, then burst into Washburns home and drug him from his family to the bridge. The following is a description of the legend in her own words: There's a bridge in Denton, Texas called Goatman's Bridge. Ghost Adventures fans are in for a spooky treat Thursday night. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. Local high schoolers often trek there at night, the. Nothing has been posted, there are no playlists, etc. Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per Goatman's Bridge is the common nickname for what's formally called Old Alton Bridge, an iron-truss span that once connected Denton, Texas, to Copper Canyon. 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. Other reports tell of a womans spirit who wanders the area, allegedly searching for her lost baby. of all manners. His son-in-law went to the store and when he returned at 1:00 p.m., he found the housekeeper locked out and waiting on the porch, and Harrod missing. But just in case you arent up to date with the moth man lore, basically from November 15, 1966 to December 15, 1967, there were a series of incidents that were said to involve the moth man. The story of the Goat Man himself can't be factually confirmed, but there have been several disappearances and tales of abandoned cars found in the area going back to at least the 50's, and documented by the local police departments. His case remains unsolved and is classified as a possible homicide.
goatman's bridge disappearances