Other legends circulating about the demon focus on his name. And also, as far as Ive been able to tell, thats when the Goatman was given the name Oscar Washburn. Though it is called the "Old Alton Bridge" the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. Several other reports tell of numerous abandoned cars that have been found near the bridge, with their occupants missing. 714-993-8164. The bridge is located about seven miles south of Denton. 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. 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. Though Commissioners were appointed and directed to lay out a town and sell lots, no records were ever done, and no public buildings were ever erected. When they looked down to see if he had died, the noose was empty. 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. This attempt was more successful. While some bridges are inhabited by pesky creatures such trolls, the Old Alton Bridge harbors a monster of a much darker nature. Peering over into the water, his murderers saw a rope, but not his body. 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. His channel has also been deleted, and he hasnt posted on reddit under that account since March 4. Details of Disappearance. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. Put to a vote in November 1856; the county seat was moved again to Denton. us, which seems the perfect opportunity to revisit one of Dentons most They also relive terrifying encounters and reflect on each discovery from a safer environment. 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. Many of his neighbors bestowed upon him the affectionate nickname the Goatman.. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. theYear=now.getYear() Travelers say that if you cross the bridge without your headlights, the Goatman will meet you on the other side. The tiktok account just has the two videos, and it has like five followers so you are missing anything there. The Hickory Creek Baptist Church, which continues to stand, was organized in 1855. Townsite lots began to be auctioned in January 1857. 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. 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. 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. However, not everyone was pleased with Oscars newfound success and acceptance within the North Texas community. The Klansman then fitted a noose over his head and pushed him over the side of the bridge. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Road 2181), Denton, Texas. Although as far back as the 1930s, the bridge has taken on a second, much more sinister nickname: Goatmans Bridge. Photo from ReneLibrary. Local high schoolers often trek there at night, the. On Halloween, if you go the bridge and honk your horn twice, you may see the fiery red eyes of the Goatman. The first few years I spent out there it was mostly barren at night, void of all life or cars driving by or people coming to visit. 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. 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. According to legend, those who dare speak the Goatmans name while crossing his bridge unwittingly summon his spirit. The Sheriffs archives made no mention of the event. And luckily for us, the video description was a wall of text almost 900 words long. My paranormal experiences became a local sensation in Denton, TX and remained the most viewed videos for awhile , even after others began to upload their own experiences. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. In July of 1988 at just over 100, the Old Alton Bridge landed a coveted spot on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as recognition as a Texas Historic Landmark. places to stay, tourism, events, lodging, and we feature Texas Hill Country info The post office closed forever in 1859. Harrod got married on June 29, a month before his disappearance, and his new wife, Fontelle Heeter, was about to move in with him, but he vanished before she arrived. He and his son-and-law were getting Harrod's new wife's arrival that day. The person said: There have been several disappearances on and around Old Alton Bridge. The Old Alton derives its name from the now-abandoned town of Alton, which from 1850 to 1856 served as the seat of Denton County. According to locals, Washburn's story is likely an urban legend. There are also some other mentions of the bridge hauntings, which arent part of the popular legends now: Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, the secondary visits have raised more questions than they might otherwise have answered, including additional photographic anomalies and cold spots on bright, sunny days where the physical environmental data would suggest it impossible. \r\rSince the disappearance of the Goatman there have been many strange sightings on and near Old Alton Bridge. His family doesn't believe he would have left without warning. The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. 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. 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. Washburn was gone and was never seen again. There have been some idiots who go out there and dabble in what they think is satanism and try to summon things . 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. Washburn was never seen again, they say, but a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton Bridge ever since. A half a century later a legend of a monstrous half-goat, half-man demon was born. The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. [1], The creature was commonly claimed to have a human face but with a body covered in hair. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. They wanted to put up a reward for his safe return, maintain his home and pay his bills. Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room will take viewers out of the actual haunted location and into a casual conversation with the Ghost Adventures crew. These tales are obviously old, as the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2001. This change was enacted to correct a glaring problem that had arisen when the bridge transitioned from carrying horses to carrying cars. 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. Also, heres a weird synchronicity. 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 Legend has it that a demon that's half-man and half-goat haunts the bridge. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to watch the video that he posted, but I was able to read the video description on the Wayback Machine. 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. When Washburn posted a sign on the bridge that advertised this way to the Goatman, it angered local Klansman. Also, I wanted to read this excerpt from the site: As most folk tales often do, the bridge takes on newer and more fanciful claims with every passing year. Most of the film was shot at the Pope Lick Trestle, but scenes showing the characters up on the trestle were shot at another, safer . North Texans endearingly began to call him the Goatman. Kathy Weiser-Alexander/Legends of America, updated June 2021. You wont find the names of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records. of all manners. I really get into it in this one! And what you guess it, both videos were posted on July 17 and there have been no new videos since then, which seems to be a pattern for Bob. Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. The stated goal of, Do you ever read a book so interesting that you gotta tell. 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. 2023 Copyright Dallas Terrors. 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. Whenever a sighting of this ghastly figure occurs, a string of mysterious disappearances is sure to follow. He's half-goat half-man. But for this particular bridge, those feelings may be more grounded than not. On February 19, following a community-wide search, Cathy's 1990 Toyota Corolla was found abandoned in the Placentia Linda Hospital parking lot. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a. That road is known by locals as "The Goatman's Bridge." 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. But all of this is Internet talk, without corroboration, Blair explains. It hasnt been proofread, so please excuse typos. The Denton newspaper at the time did an article on a car found abandoned on the bridge.. To me, one of the funniest parts of this story is that the witness went on Mumsnet to share her story. In April 2019, two persons of interests were arrested in connection to Robert Harrod's disappearance. This location did grow, and before long, it boasted a hotel and two stores. [1] In addition to Washburn's story, the Ghost Adventures crew investigated reports of demonic activity on and around the bridge. The legend goes that he had a wife, who died mysteriously and that one night a group of drunken cowboys found the old man out crossing the bridge, herding his goats and drove the animals off the bridge, killing them in the fall. 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. 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.). 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. [6] The 16-minute, $6,000 film premiered on December 29, 1988 at the Uptown Theater. The bridge and surrounding woods is said to be haunted by a demonic creature with the head of a goat and the body of a man as well as other reported . 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. Four women with personal reports of demonic attacks were featured on the episode. So who knows maybe this series will appear on his channel, Ill try to keep an eye on it and I will update you if there is any movement there. 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. More articles and blogs were being published online about the legendary Goatmans Bridge and they all said the same copy/pasted Legend along with some other ones mentioning of it being currently under surveillance by DAPS aka Denton Area Paranormal Society (never heard of or saw them the 1000s of days and nights I would spend obsessing over this place, but ok DAPS). So, just to be clear: If you google this and find people mention the person who supposedly uploaded the video, that information is incorrect. 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. And pushed him over the side of the Goatman: there have been many strange sightings on and around Alton... Were getting Harrod 's new wife 's arrival that day so please excuse typos long! 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