The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. In-between the failed settlement and Denton County is an old iron bridge called "Old Alton Bridge" a bridge that would earn a twisted nickname more than a half a century later. He says he told Mont to call him once he got done, but Jones never got that call. It was closed to car traffic and is open only to pedestrians today. DO THE DENTON HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE A PRO, THE MANY FACES OF DENTON'S FINE ARTS THEATER. 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.. The Old Clark Bridge was a bridge that carried U.S. Route 67 across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri and Alton, Illinois. Haunted or not, the century-old bridge remains a popular site, even for those who are looking to take some peaceful photographs. It was built by the King Bridge Company based in Cleveland, Ohio. Let it be said that when the cameras were rolling for the TV crews, the Goatman decided not to growl, glow, stomp, or appear near Old Alton Bridge carrying a head. Old Alton Bridge, AKA Goatman's Bridge, in the daylight. Hill Country, and we welcome you to our family. The 17-year-old Denton High School senior was found dead in the waters of Hickory Creek on Nov. 20. juan.betancourt@dentonrc.com. Having raised their children in Denton ISD since they moved here from Illinois more than a decade ago, Stowers said people at Denton High recognize her as Monts mother. Demolished via explosives on August 21 and, This page was last edited on 9 May 2021, at 17:04. Get exclusive, in-depth coverage of the University of North Texas athletics teams in this weekly newsletter. His living was raising and selling goats. However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Get the latest, most up-to-date breaking news in your inbox. The Old Alton Bridge, where Monts body was found, has a divisive past. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. We just thought it was one of those days, she said. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Wikimedia CommonsThe Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. 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. All information in this blog was found in the Office of History and Cultures records and Shelly Tuckers book Ghosts of Denton. It was constructed beginning in 1927, was replaced by the Clark Bridge and was demolished in 1994. DALTON LAFERNEY can be reached at 940-566-6882 and via Twitter at @dalton laferney. This is a death of the author type situation, where if the Old Alton Bridge legends were embellished by one or more people online and then spread . The legend says that if you go to the bridge and honk your car horn twice at midnight, the ghosts fiery red eyes will appear on the bridge., Old Alton Bridge. The Goatman isnt just a haunting campfire tale, its also a reminder that an ignorance of our history is no protection from its everlasting consequences. The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former . A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road. Error! That road is known by locals as "The Goatman's Bridge." What's interesting is the back story of Goatman's bridge. Washburn was never seen again, they say, but a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton Bridge ever since. The simple yet sturdy bridge allowed developers to carry horses and automobiles across the river. Success! 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. Denton High School student Lermont Stowers-Jones, 17, was found dead in Hickory Creek on Tuesday. Dont forget him. Most Denton County residents have heard the spooky tales of the Old Alton Bridge, otherwise known as Goat Mans Bridge. Legends of hauntings have swirled around the historic structure for years, and many people from both near and far have visited for themselves to see if the stories are true and to maybe catch a glimpse of the Goat Man himself. Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . While we cant confirm theurban legend of theGoat Man, there is no doubt that tales of the hauntings have spread across Texas. Supposedly numerous abandoned cars that have been found near Old Alton Bridge, their owners strangely missing. (LogOut/ The terrifying legend of Goatmans Bridge may excite the imagination of out-of-town visitors, but for most locals, the old bridge is just part of the scenery. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. Create a password that only you will remember. Invalid password or account does not exist. At least one person who visited the bridge with a friend claimed they heard the growling voice. Its said that the so-called Goatman can be summoned by knocking on the bridge three times. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0 And the Goatman. A public viewing is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. that have haunted our fair city over the years, but a few stand out as truly haunting. The woods around the bridge are also supposedly haunted. Goatmans Bridge has been the subject of investigations on popular supernatural shows like Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural and Ghost Adventures. from. According to DPS records, the official cause of Monts death was accidental drowning, but Jones suspects foul play, and some details of the investigation dont sit right with him. Witnesses have reported sightings of a goat-like beast with glowing eyes. Authorities say 17-year-old Lermont Stowers-Jones is the boy who was found dead in Hickory Creek near the Old Alton Bridge on Tuesday. The bridges spooky reputation has since attracted amateur sleuths and paranormal investigators alike. The bridge was built in 1884, by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company. It was Mont, but his parents were confounded as to how he got there. Internet Sleuths Accused Him of Stealing a Dog. The Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. He became the target of the Ku Klux Klan and was killed by being thrown from the bridge. Records show that the Old Alton Bridge was constructed with a kit fromthe King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing Company in Ohio, a major supplier of bridges throughout Texas and North America. His parents said he knew how to swim, and the toxicology report showed there was an unspecified amount of tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, in Stowers-Jones system, leaving unexplained to them how exactly he drowned. I've heard like back in way, way back in the day, the KKK used to like hang people off of it Boone said. Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884, and is Denton County's oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge. places to stay, tourism, events, lodging, and we feature Texas Hill Country info The bridge takes its name from the abandoned community of Alton, which between 1850 and 1856 was the seat of Denton County. Liminal areas of crossing can be full of possibility and danger, present injustices are informed by past prejudices, and there are critters like snakes or gators down in the creek that younguns might outta be leery of. Wait a minute, y'all just say yall been searching for 16 hours with drones and divers and you said His body was not in there. Don't forget him. Numerous reports tell of unholy glowing eyes that burn red from the darkness, eerie glimpses of a large snarling Goat-headed man-beast stomping in the wooded shadows, or a frightening apparition of a maniacal Satyr carrying the heads of goats or humans in his hands. And the Goatman. This page is not available in other languages. Located between the Texas towns of Denton and Copper Canyon lies an unassuming old bridge thats said to be haunted by a demonic legend. Denton County itself was formed in 1846, and the first attempt at settling the county seat was Pinckneyville (named for the Texas governor). Published on : 02:32 PST, Oct 29, 2022. [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. Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per Built by Alton-St. Louis Bridge Company, with construction starting in 1927. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Thank you. 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. These tales are obviously old, as the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2001., Alton Bridge. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 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. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Staff Writer _benhurlburt_/InstagramThe Old Alton Bridge is allegedly haunted by a half-goat demon, which has earned it the nickname Goatmans Bridge.. We have this family whose child is dead, and they still years later do not have full transparency and answers as to why, Luther Rummel said. On Wednesday, the family indicated the autopsy report does not provide them with much comfort. If you would like to learn more about the story of Goat Mans Bridge and other Denton hauntings, check out local Dentonite Shelly Tuckers book Ghosts of Denton: The History of the Mysteries in a Small Texas Town, or go on one of her haunted tours of downtown Denton! The last time his family saw Mont was around the same time the authorities said they received the initial 911 call Monday. Halloween is upon A tragic turn of events led to Monts death in 2018. Back in The Day is an ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the Denton Haunts historical ghost tour. 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. (LogOut/ There is also another variation that predates the bridge itself. Fort Worth is home to many supposedly haunted spots. The name referred to the nearby town of Alton, which once occupied the area near the Goatmans Bridge and was supposedly populated by one resident for a time. I want to know what happened to my son." A search party including authorities from the Argyle Fire District, Denton and Lewisville fire departments, Flower Mound Emergency Management, the Denton County Sheriffs Office and state game wardens looked for him in the water Monday while the sun was up and on Tuesday until about 12:15 p.m., when an underwater drone located Stowers-Jones body. The trouble with these sources is that there is no historical record of such a lynching. 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. 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. dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt The bridge has become an unconventional tourist attraction due to its haunted reputation. It was constructed beginning in 1927, was replaced by the Clark Bridge and was demolished in 1994. Hes frustrated with the response of law enforcement agencies. day! Staff Writer Our The bridge, officially named the Old Alton Bridge, is locally referred to as Goatman's Bridge because of who was killed there. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Old Alton Bridge was included in the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1988. Charlton K. Merchant, 30, of Alton is set to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. April 14 by Circuit Judge Kyle Napp. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office was expected . us, which seems the perfect opportunity to revisit one of Dentons most We are born and bred in The Made from 1,257 wood planks and 4,100 steel cables, America's highest suspension bridge sits 956 feet over the Arkansas River. School was out for Thanksgiving, and Jones said he dropped off his son at the Denton County Courts Building on East McKinney Street between 10:45 and 11 a.m. so he could take care of some things associated with two nonviolent charges he received earlier this year. This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties, 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", United States National Register of Historic Places listings, History of the National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Alton_Bridge&oldid=1128827248, Buildings and structures in Denton County, Texas, Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas, National Register of Historic Places in Denton County, Texas, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 December 2022, at 05:16. [3], Media related to Old Alton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons. Theres no way he would have been in that area, Jones said. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Today, the bridge is no longer fit for vehicle crossings. The Goatmans Bridge is my least favorite story, said Shelly Tucker, who wrote the book Ghosts of Denton and leads local tours around Denton. The heavily traveled Old Alton Bridge remained in constant use until 2001 when vehicle traffic was moved to an adjacent concrete-and-steel bridge. 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. Make sure you're prepared with the Denton Record-Chronicle's coverage of Denton County's key races, and the candidates in the running for them. . Make sure you're prepared with the Denton Record-Chronicle's coverage of Denton County's key races, and the candidates in the running for them. Eventually, they found Monts body near the bridge, and Jones couldnt believe it. At least one person left the scene after Lermont Stowers-Jones sank below the surface of Hickory Creek near Old Alton Bridge on Nov. 19, an official said Tuesday . This is the eerie story behind the haunted Goatmans Bridge. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Join the Observer community and help support Then, check out these famously haunted castles. Before the bridge became a magnet for ghost hunters, it was simply known as Old Alton Bridge. crafty.girls.life/InstagramAt least one witness claims that their friend was pulled off the bridge by an unknown entity. Travelers also claim spooky happenings of car doors locking and unlocking, mysterious laughter, growls, and hoof beats, and even a horrible, unexplained smell. The Denton HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE a PRO, the Bridge by an unknown entity most. 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