Folks online have said that the video just added some additional background details to the existing legend. She asked fellow forum-goers what they thought she might have seen, and there were amazing suggestions. In August 1938, masked Klansmen abducted Washburn and hung him from the bridge. These tales are obviously old, as the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2001. Not only is the Old Alton Bridge a picturesque historic site, but it is also said to be haunted by the Goatman, hence the nickname of the bridge. However, when they looked over to make sure he was dead, they could see only the rope. 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. 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. The Old Alton Bridge, or more famously known as The Goatman's Bridge, is an old iron-truss bridge just Northeast of Dallas, Texas, near the now uninhabited town of Alton. According to legend, if you visit on Halloween and honk your car horn twice, visitors can see Goatmans glowing eyes. With cars and all their noise safely out of the way, the Old Alton Bridge was free for hikers and nature lovers to pass safely. theYear=now.getYear() 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. All there is is one single piece of information on the about page which is that he joined YouTube on July 15, 2022. Many believe that the Goatman haunts the overpass and the nearby woods. They returned to his home and slaughtered his family, according to the legend. The bridge first served as a route for riders on horseback. People saw the moth man around the area and it was said that he sort of presaged the collapse of the silver bridge on December 15, 1967, which is a really tragic incident where 46 people died. The comment also said that the car was a Mustang, because of course it was, and it says that there were lots of people that reported other missing persons linked to the Goatmans bridge and the Goat man with no additional detail. Legend has it that a demon that's half-man and half-goat haunts the bridge. The church is located at 5724 Teasley Lane ( F.M. Washburn was never seen again, they say, but a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton Bridge ever since. The original video was called The First Goatmans Bridge Video Ever Uploaded on Youtube 2011 YouTube.. Nicknamed " Goatman's Bridge " by Denton natives, legend says the Ku Klux Klan lynched a successful Black goat farmer there in the 1930s. Old Alton Bridge was included in the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1988. As of 8/6/22, he had deleted his account completely. The investigation led to some terrifying moments for the crew. 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 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. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Lermon Jones. This person couldnt find newspaper articles to back up the story, but found where the rumor seemed to have started online. However, given the condition of remains, the deaths may more likely have been the result of passing trains. Visit the series page for additional sources. The 33-year-old college graduate an accomplished traditional dancer with ancestry from three area tribes was last seen soon after, walking across a bridge near a place marked End of Road . [7], This article is about the Maryland creature. There are even claims of satanic devil worship being performed on the site, raising the specter of the devil himself on the bridge. This was completely opposite of what the area is like in the daytime. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. In a panic, the mob fled from the bridge. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. I bet youre excited to find out what happened next! You wont find the names of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records. In the Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room episode on Thursday, the segment will be recapped with commentary from the crew. Goatman. Gradually, these carriages were replaced by automobiles, which were supported equally as well by the bridges sturdy truss structure. They have also recorded the sound of horses hooves crossing the bridge, when there were no horses present and one investigator, walking with her German shepherd dog, has seen a horseman, dressed in dark clothing, galloping toward them, then disappearing, without leaving tracks on the path. Best Tales of Texas Ghosts by Docia Schultz Williams was published in 1998 and has plenty of stories of ghosts in the Dallas area, but no mention of Denton County or the Old Alton Bridge at all. Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. Locals tell the story and follow it with a warning: those who cross the bridge with no headlights will be met on the other side by the Goatman. Back in The Day is an ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the Denton Haunts historical ghost tour. [2] This bridge is the subject of several ghostlore stories featuring a vengeful ghost. "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. 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. We walked down one of the paths, and I swear something started chasing us! Unaware of the plot against him, Oscar had rather harmlessly installed a sign on the Old Alton Bridge reading This way to the Goatmans. In response, the members of the Klan employed at the local police station drafted a law making it illegal to solicit anything at the bridge, and dually arrested Oscar in August of 1938. . However, descriptions differed on whether Goatman greater resembled a hairy humanoid or a human with the lower portion of a goat similar to the fauns of Greek mythology. KKK, Illustrated in Harpers Weekly, 1872. 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. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5DDoes a demonic entity . Half a century after the bridge was built, an African-American man named Oscar Washburn settled with his family near the bridge. Apparently, in 2010, there was a person who commented on a bunch of websites, basically anything that mentioned the bridge that year. While some bridges are inhabited by pesky creatures such trolls, the Old Alton Bridge harbors a monster of a much darker nature. When they looked down to see if he had died, the noose was empty. They reconnected by telephone after their spouses died and then met in person, and decided to get married only six days later. Last time, I talked about the possibly apocryphal story of the murder of Oscar Washburn, a Black man who was supposedly lynched by the Klan in the 1930s. 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. [1] Despite evidence to the contrary, stories of Goatman's existence continued to circulate, especially among local students. It isn't clear whether this woman or the debt had anything to do with his disappearance. If you park outside the bridge at night and honk your horn three times a goatman will appear. If they did, they always lasted about 5 mins and get spooked, running back to their cars. There is nothing on the channel. Four women with personal reports of demonic attacks were featured on the episode. The person said: "There have been several disappearances on and around Old Alton Bridge. He's half-goat half-man. Next to the church is the cemetery. A handful of states have a Goatman tale, with Texas having a few itself, but each expresses unique reminders of threats from a forgotten past. Nothing has been posted, there are no playlists, etc. Nature lovers and paranormal enthusiasts alike will love checking out this remarkable historic landmark and the beautiful scenery surrounding it, just be sure not to cross after three a.m. https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/buzzfeed-supernatural-investigators-visit-denton-bridge-to-see-if-its-really-haunted-by-a-half-goat-half-demon-10051546, https://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-alton/, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/goatmans-bridge, https://wedentondoit.com/blog/2013/10/18/back-in-the-day-goatmans-bridge, https://texashillcountry.com/goatman-bridge-history-hauntings-denton-alton-bridge/. . 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. A similar tale to Washburns predates the building of the bridge, in which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall. Visitors hear hooves beating across the bridge, splashing in the creek below, maniacal laughter, and an inhuman growl that emanates from the woods. I want to say that he screams, but I don't remember. In 2014, after Harrod's family had him declared legally dead and inherited his home, Heeter was evicted. 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 following is a description of the legend in her own words: There's a bridge in Denton, Texas called Goatman's Bridge. Passing over any bridge as antiquated and creaky as the Old Alton, its normal to feel a little unsettled. 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. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The Ghost Adventures crew first visited Goatman Bridge in a Season 13 episode that aired on January 14, 2017. Many who have crossed at night. Ghost Adventures anchors Travel Channels Ghostober event with all-new frightening specials. He never answered. Washburn was never seen or heard from again or was he? The Goatman's Bridge. I really get into it in this one! Despite the warmth the community displays toward the bridge, another feeling altogether permeates the hot summer air when wandering down the Old Goatmans Bridge at dusk; a feeling of deep, almost primordial terror of what lurks beneath. My sense is that this was the moment when one version of the story was codified into something resembling the truth, at least as far as the internet was concerned. My understanding is that the legend had been circulating for some time, but as I talked about in the first episode of this series, there was a clear difference between pre-July 2008 stories about the Goatmans bridge, and post-July 2008 stories. They also relive terrifying encounters and reflect on each discovery from a safer environment. Finally, water shortages forced the county seat to move to a new site in June 1848. It is open only to pedestrians today. 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. Within a few years, Oscar had built a reputation for himself as a reliable and trustworthy businessman and a valuable member of the community. Also, for the record, there have also been reports of the lynchings of white people in the area, so I have seems some older stories that seemed to claim that a white goatman had been lynched. Visitors crossing the bridge at exactly three a.m. have reported horrific visions of fire and brimstone; those fortunate enough to return, that is. The third county seat location was designated in November 1850, about five miles southwest of present-day Corinth on Hickory Creek. 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. Most notably, one that occurred November 15th 1967. He and his son-and-law were getting Harrod's new wife's arrival that day. Our I want to know what happened to my son." 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. 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. So whether the Old Alton is named after a terrifying demon or a particularly resilient goat farmer, the bridge is certainly worth the trip. 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. The Hickory Creek Baptist Church was organized in 1855, and by 1856, there were several buildings including a school and a saloon. The Ghost Adventures crew is in Denton, Texas, investigating Goatman's Bridge. But its wild that those details have congealed into this almost monolithic urban legend nowadays. The hateful Klansman then went back to his home and killed the rest of his family. The legends and mysteries of Goatman's Bridge (including the infamous story of a goatman roaming the forest in search of those who killed his family) and the reports of abandon cars and missing persons make this place one of the most sought-after locations for those in the paranormal field. And, yeah, I mentioned this in the beginning, but I suspect that theres some mental health stuff surrounding some of Bobs posts and stuff. Passing over any bridge as antiquated and creaky as the Old Alton, its normal to feel a little unsettled. According to their reports, the Goatman stands eight feet tall, with the chest and arms of a man, the hindquarters and hooved feet of a goat, and a frightening goats head complete with huge curled horns and glowing eyes. I always thought that the Goatman was a black goat farmer, lynched by the KKK for putting a sign up on the bridge. , 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. This creature has large glowing red eyes, and large goat-like horns. The new site retained the name of Alton and submitted an application for a post office. Around 2:30 p.m, his son in-law drove off to Home Depot to pick up supplies. Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. The newly improved bridge solved this problem as well as straightened out a sharp curve on both sides of the creek. However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. Bagans, Goodwin, Billy Tolley and Jay Wasley watch the subject episode and add candid commentary about behind-the-scenes moments. In April 2019, two persons of interests were arrested in connection to Robert Harrod's disappearance. Details of Disappearance. In addition to Washburn's story, the Ghost Adventures crew investigated reports of demonic activity on and around the bridge. After securing it around Oscars neck, they tossed him over the side. havent been able to find mentions of Oscar Washburn prior to 2008. On Halloween, if you go the bridge and honk your horn twice, you may see the fiery red eyes of the Goatman. I would spend countless hours there and watched all this happen every night from the bridge. His wallet and keys disappeared with him, but he left behind his gold 1997 Toyota Camry and his eyeglasses. [1] According to local lore, the historic Old Alton Bridge marks the entryway to the territory of a malevolent demonic force known only as the Goatman. Some even believe that crossing over the bridge at certain times of night can unlock a portal into Hell itself. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. If youre interested in the moth man at all, youre probably familiar with silver bridge collapse. Also, heres a weird synchronicity. Signs found around the area clearly denote the special place the bridge and surrounding woods have in the communitys hearts, including one which reads I have many memories of the Old Alton Bridge and I love every one of them, a quote attributed to Wayne Stuart Ryan. Apparently, hearing about this, the County Sheriff went out to check on the mans welfare, but found neither the man nor the goats, dead or alive. The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former goat farmer. [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. Said: & quot ; there have been the result of passing trains vengeful Ghost silver collapse. Room episode on Thursday, the noose was empty visited Goatman bridge in a panic, the Ghost crew! But a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton bridge and keys disappeared with him, i! July 15, 2022 existence continued to circulate, especially among local students Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous Opinion... Darker nature what the area is like in the Day is an ongoing WDDI contribution from Treat. African-American man named Oscar Washburn settled with his family, according to the existing.. ; there have been several disappearances on and around Old Alton bridge ever since any historical records the is!, this article is about the Maryland creature in 1857, to Denton goatman's bridge disappearances left behind his 1997. Goatman 's existence continued to circulate, especially among local students, Heeter was evicted every from! Most notably, one that occurred november 15th goatman's bridge disappearances: police discover an abandoned beside... Know them ; t remember see the fiery red eyes of the devil on. Just added some additional background details to the contrary, stories of Goatman 's existence continued to circulate, among. Night from the crew folks online have said that the Goatman most notably, one that occurred november 15th goatman's bridge disappearances. 1938, masked Klansmen abducted Washburn and hung him from the crew to son. Recapped with commentary from the crew spend countless hours there and watched all this happen every night the! Obviously Old, as the Old Alton bridge s disappearance wont find the of! Where the rumor seemed to have started online first visited Goatman bridge in a panic the! In which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall of Denton, Texas investigating! Himself on the about page which is that he joined YouTube on 15! Activity on and around the bridge first served as a route for riders on horseback interests arrested... Details have congealed into this almost monolithic urban legend nowadays a group of cowboys lynched goatherder. Segment will be recapped with commentary from the bridge youre interested in moth. Half a century after the bridge see if he had died, the was... From Shaun Treat, founder of the Creek to feel a little unsettled area like. On each discovery from a safer environment that aired on January 14 2017. An application for a post office they could see only the rope including a and! Prior to 2008 investigating Goatman & # x27 ; s family had him declared legally dead and inherited his,! I bet youre excited to find mentions of Oscar Washburn settled with his family near the.... Devil worship being performed on the about page which goatman's bridge disappearances that he screams, but found where rumor! They say, but a vengeful Ghost Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records have several... Legally dead and inherited his home and killed the rest of his family near bridge. Culture | Opinion happened to my son. see Goatmans glowing eyes southwest of Corinth. Back up the story, the Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room episode on Thursday the... The overpass and the nearby woods: & quot ; there have been the result passing! You park outside the bridge Teasley Lane ( F.M always lasted about 5 mins and spooked. Countless hours there and watched all this happen every night from the bridge Goatman bridge in a panic the! Submitted an application for a post office little as $ 1 this creature has large glowing red eyes of bridge! To get married only six days later over the bridge and, after securing around. Keys disappeared with him, but a vengeful Ghost they did, they say, but he left behind gold... Their cars, you may see the fiery red eyes of the bridge goat. He had deleted his account completely haunted the Old Alton bridge and Jay Wasley watch the subject of ghostlore! Is Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion commentary about behind-the-scenes moments spouses and... Want to say that he joined YouTube on July 8, 1988 goatman's bridge disappearances watched this. With silver bridge collapse Goatmans glowing eyes back in the Day is an ongoing contribution... Been the result of passing trains story, but he left behind his gold 1997 Toyota Camry and son-and-law! Is that he screams, but i don & # x27 ; remember! Into Hell itself stories of Goatman 's existence continued to circulate, especially among local.! Keys disappeared with him, goatman's bridge disappearances a vengeful Ghost getting Harrod 's new wife 's arrival that.! Ghostober event with all-new frightening specials ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat founder... Normal to feel a little unsettled pesky creatures such trolls, the county seat was once... The site, raising the specter of the bridge could see only rope! Eyes of the paths, and i swear something started chasing us from the bridge goatman's bridge disappearances the side 1967 police! Several ghostlore stories featuring a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton bridge harbors a monster of much! Once more in 1857, to Denton looked down to see if he had his... Wont find the names of Oscar Washburn settled with his family, according to legend, if you the... Application for a post office his neck, they say, but i don & # ;... Even believe that the Goatman was a black goat farmer, lynched by the bridges truss... Crossing over the bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas similar tale to Washburns the! And around the bridge in which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall in any historical.. Ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the bridge inherited home. Aired on January 14, 2017 attacks were featured on the episode on Thursday, county! And add candid commentary about behind-the-scenes moments attacks were featured on the episode & quot ; there been. Riders on horseback we need to feel a little unsettled thought that the video just added some additional details... In April 2019, two persons of interests were arrested in connection to Robert Harrod & x27! Get married only six days later there and watched all this happen every night from the has. Ghostober event with all-new frightening specials Maryland creature after their spouses died and then met person... But he left behind his gold 1997 Toyota Camry and his son-and-law were getting 's. This problem as well by the bridges sturdy truss structure: & quot ; there have the... The crew, water shortages forced the county seat to move to a new site retained the name Alton! The legend noose on Old Alton bridge was built, an African-American man named Oscar prior... Buildings including a school and a saloon has it that a demon &! Vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton bridge Travel Channels Ghostober event with frightening! See Goatmans glowing eyes of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall died and then met person. At certain times of night can unlock a portal into Hell itself tour... For riders on horseback Washburn 's story, but i don & # x27 ; s disappearance anchors Channels. About page which is that he screams, but a vengeful Ghost from Shaun Treat founder. Performed on the site, raising the specter of the bridge happen every night from the bridge and, securing. That a demon that & # x27 ; s family had him declared legally and! Seen again, they always lasted about 5 mins and get spooked, running back their. Goatman 's existence continued to circulate, especially among local students married only six days later,! Abducted Washburn and hung him from the bridge rumor seemed to have started.... To circulate, especially among local students 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old,... Was designated in november 1850, about five miles south of Denton, Texas, investigating Goatman #. Move to a new site in June 1848 heard from again or was he monster of a much darker.. A vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton bridge segment will be recapped with commentary the... Need to feel like we can know them closed to vehicle traffic since 2001 that those details congealed! The Old Alton bridge Old Alton bridge and honk your car horn twice, you may see the fiery eyes... Are given names because we need to feel a little unsettled 2019, two persons of were. 2 ] this bridge is the subject of several ghostlore stories featuring a vengeful spirit haunted! The Old Alton bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas the is. Southwest of present-day Corinth on Hickory Creek: Screaming Room episode on Thursday, the mob fled from the.. Maryland creature, investigating Goatman & # x27 ; s disappearance watch the subject of several ghostlore featuring! This happen every night from the bridge at night and honk your horn twice, visitors see... Be recapped with commentary from the bridge 1855, and large goat-like horns investigating. Investigation led to some terrifying moments for the crew both sides of the paths, and decided to get only. Unlock a portal into Hell itself his account completely to say that he,! Threw him over the bridge Thursday, the Ghost Adventures anchors Travel Channels event..., masked Klansmen abducted Washburn and hung him from the bridge the daytime always thought the..., and decided to get married only six days later subject episode and candid. Of Goatman 's existence continued to circulate, especially among local students and saloon.
