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. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy, It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century. The content of this site includes writings on local history, our programs, and events. The funeral is at the church the next day at 11 a.m. By Jenny Anna Mathew. Change). There have also been reports of visitors seeing the Goat Mans shadow holding two goat heads in his arms, sightings of his ghost herding phantom goats across the bridge, and appearances of a half-goat half-man. The heavily traveled Old Alton Bridge remained in constant use until 2001 when vehicle traffic was moved to an adjacent concrete-and-steel bridge. Their research suggests the possibility of entities haunting the bridge, though they believe the spirits belong to Denton pioneer families buried in Old Alton Cemetery- a piece of the community that once was. The Old Alton Bridge, where Monts body was found, has a divisive past. Lermon Jones remembers his 17-year-old son Lermont Stowers-Jones, who also went by Mont, as a great kid. The bridge, officially named the Old Alton Bridge, is locally referred to as Goatman's Bridge because of who was killed there. Travelers say that if you cross the bridge without your headlights, the Goatman will meet you on the other side. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. Photo by Renegomezphotography.com CC BY-SA 3.0. By the light of their torches the Klansman mobbed to Oscar Washburn's home and dragged him to his death. Haunted or not, the century-old bridge remains a popular site, even for those who are looking to take some peaceful photographs. Published on : 02:32 PST, Oct 29, 2022. Wikimedia CommonsThe Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. Create a password that only you will remember. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Location: Colorado. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 2 min to complete. A tragic turn of events led to Monts death in 2018. Wikimedia CommonsBecause of the alleged goat-demon that haunts it, Goatmans bridge is a popular location for thrill-seekers and photographers. . Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. Family members started a fundraiser toward funeral expenses at www.gofundme.com/6g1ka20. The Old Alton Bridge south of Denton looks peaceful enough in the daylight, but after sunset the spirits come out to claim their lost ground. Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. Located on Hickory Creek, the community flourished with stores, a hotel, post office, school and other businesses. 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. 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. Years after the decline of Alton, an iron through-truss bridge was built in 1884 just south of the town site. Today, the bridge is no longer fit for vehicle crossings. It was closed to car traffic and is open only to pedestrians today. It now serves as part of a horse and hiking trail enjoyed by many as well as a popular siteresidents flock to around Halloween. Thank you. 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. Invalid password or account does not exist. 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. 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. However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. Hi there. Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. Location: Texas, United States. Authorities there wrote in the report that Stowers-Jones died from drowning and marked his case an accidental death. Higher wind gusts possible.. Cloudy skies. Lermont Stowers-Jones' body was found in a Denton County creek in 2018. At least one witness claims that their friend was pulled off the bridge by an unknown entity. Now that youve learned about the scary legend of Goatmans Bridge, go inside the mystery of the Overtoun Bridge, Scotlands dog suicide hotspot. 776. 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. Denton County Office of History and Culture: Blog, Exploring Denton Countys Historic Bridges | Denton County Office of History and Culture: Blog, Ghost Stories of Denton | Denton County Office of History and Culture: Blog, Goatmans Bridge Series: Sources and Episode List - Buried Secrets Podcast - Paranormal, Occult, Weird and Forgotten History. 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. Email Pablo Arauz Pea atparauzpena@kera.org. It was not exactly a metropolis. All information in this blog was found in the Office of History and Cultures records and Shelly Tuckers book Ghosts of Denton. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. 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! We are your resource for Hill Country travel, things to do, places to eat, Old Alton Bridge, AKA Goatman's Bridge, in the daylight. Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884, and is Denton Countys oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge. Treat has written about numerous local places and personalities at his. 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. 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. The trouble with these sources is that there is no historical record of such a lynching. 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. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. His cause of death is still pending. In an account that may go back as far as the 1860s Texas Troubles, some Copper Canyon cowboys lynched a Creole slave goat-herder named Jack Kendall from a tall creekside tree near where the bridge now stands, but ineptitude separated the runaway slaves head from his body. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. Success! They just gotta know.. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 1988 and closed to vehicle traffic in 2001. Why would a demonic entity haunt a rarely used country bridge in Denton, Texas? . No one has been charged in connection with Monts death. Since the answer isnt likely to be definitively answered anytime soon, lets settle into the story of Goatman and his favorite bridge. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Dallas' independent source of After they found the teen in Hickory Creek just after noon Tuesday, a team of emergency workers convened his parents, mother Amy Stowers and father Lermon Jones, in the 3800 block of Old Alton Road on Tuesday to identify a body. [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. His living was raising and selling goats. The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. On a dark night in the late 1930s, a lynch mob of Kluxers stormed Washburns shack and dragged the screaming Goatman to their noose waiting on the bridge, tightened the rope around the begging Oscars neck, then mercilessly flung him over the side. Washburns body ended up on the ground below the bridge after he was either thrown off by the Klansmen or his body slipped from the noose. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Another person stayed behind and tried to help Stowers-Jones. Receive information from our advertisers or special DR-C offers. The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former . Theres no way his body is in there, and 16 hours later you say his body's here," Jones said. The bridge was named similarly to the town and the cemetery, and was named the Old Alton Bridge. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road. At least one person who visited the bridge with a friend claimed they heard the growling voice. 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. Today, the Baptist Church and the Alton cemetery are all that remains of the Alton village. It was Mont, but his parents were confounded as to how he got there. It was closed to car traffic and is open only to pedestrians today. Windy and becoming cloudy during the afternoon. Though the story has not been proven, it is an awful tale rooted in a terrible time in our history. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0 And the Goatman. The teens family buried him in late November with questions unanswered and rumors swirling. Stay up to date with all of the sports news coming out of Denton-area high schools. 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