A public viewing is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. legendary ghost stories. Overnight, Stowers and Jones said, rumors about what happened to their son were flying around the school through social media. The teens family buried him in late November with questions unanswered and rumors swirling. 514. 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. 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. They next day, during her daughters basketball game at Denton High, Stowers sensed something was up. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Goatmans Bridge has been the subject of investigations on popular supernatural shows like Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural and Ghost Adventures. 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. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. Don't forget him. Alton was later abandoned after its county seat was moved to the neighboring town of Denton at the end of the 1850s. Email Pablo Arauz Pea atparauzpena@kera.org. document.write(theYear) Years after the decline of Alton, an iron through-truss bridge was built in 1884 just south of the town site. 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This is a very popular area for hiking, horseback riding, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. (LogOut/ [3], Media related to Old Alton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons. of all manners. Another person stayed behind and tried to help Stowers-Jones. Built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the 145-foot-long bridge would serve until 2001, when it was replaced by a modern, shiny concrete-and-steel bridge and a new road. . 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. 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. Rumor has it that the Old Alton Bridge is haunted by a half-goat demon with glowing red eyes and a loud snarl. Jones says for several hours, his family scrambled to find Mont while police continued to search for his body. For more information, go to www.nancybilyeau.com. Photo taken by the Denton County Historical Commission. The new townsite was located on a high ridge between Pecan Creek and Hickory Creek and was called Alton. On Wednesday, the family indicated the autopsy report does not provide them with much comfort. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. Hed barely take out the trash if a spider was in sight, his dad said Saturday. They just gotta know.. The woods around the bridge are also supposedly haunted. There was an error processing your request. PublishedSeptember 26, 2022 at 3:51 PM CDT. Date Posted: 9/10/2012 5:46:00 PM. The Old Alton Bridge made the Dallas Observers 2015 list of 10 Stops to Make on a Creepy Tour of Dallas., The Dallas Observer reports, One theory is that Goatman is the spirit of a goat farmer who was lynched by the KKK near the Old Alton Bridge. Signage for Old Alton bridge. 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. . An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Haunted or not, the century-old bridge remains a popular site, even for those who are looking to take some peaceful photographs. One of the most famous local ghost stories though, and one of the more terrifying, is the legend of Goatman's Bridge. The funeral is at the church the next day at 11 a.m. The bridge has become an unconventional tourist attraction due to its haunted reputation. So, how did our historic bridge get the nickname Goat Mans Bridge? There are quite a few local legends, but the most well-known is a sad story about a man named Oscar Washburn, an African-American goat farmer that was hung on Old Alton Bridge by the Ku Klux Klan in 1938. The curious come to hear the noises. Photo by Pixelsyndicate CC BY-SA 4.0. The county's oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge, Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884 over Hickory Creek at Copper Canyon Road and that's where it remains today. On the line was news that his sons body had been found. Staff Writer By the light of their torches the Klansman mobbed to Oscar Washburn's home and dragged him to his death. Thank you. Travelers to the Old Alton Bridge, built in 1884 as a busy thoroughfare, have long reported frightening encounters and ghostly experiences with supernatural creatures that have made it a legendary spot for Texas ghost hunters and a topic for numerous books. Thats just not him.. You wont find the names of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records. The terrifying encounters and reported vanishings have been so frequent as to warrant numerous investigations by paranormal groups. Theres no way his body is in there, and 16 hours later you say his body's here," Jones said. Now, the city has a plan to address the sins of the past. He says he told Mont to call him once he got done, but Jones never got that call. The main span of the two-lane bridge is a 100-foot-long Pratt through-truss. The slavers then watched in horror as the headless body raised itself from the creekbed mud, animated by voodoo, and ripped off the head of a nearby goat to replace his own, still dangling in the noose! Family waiting for answers in teen's death near Old Alton Bridge, By Dalton LaFerney [3] Notes [ edit] 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. "And I said, Yes. And they said, Well, you need to come identify his body at the Old Alton Bridge.. Staff Writer We wont likely ever know what happened to Lermont, said Angela James, a relative of Stowers-Jones serving as the familys spokeswoman. 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. Lermon Jones says the location wasnt the only strange thing about Monts death. Built in 1884, the single-lane bridge saw service . At least one person who visited the bridge with a friend claimed they heard the growling voice. Supposedly this was near the location of the bridge. Get exclusive coverage about business in Denton County in your inbox twice a month, with a focus on the housing market. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. There have also been reports of sacrificial rituals performed in the woods nearby, which believers of the supernatural argue is the true cause of the Goatmans appearance. We won't share it with anyone else. [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. After the witness ran away, their friend who had remained on Goatmans Bridge appeared to be dragged to the edge and thrown into the river by an unknown entity. There have even been accounts of people being attacked by the alleged half-goat demon. High 74F. Jones received a call Tuesday a little after noon, not long after the game was over. Enjoy this 3.4-mile out-and-back trail near Corinth, Texas. ghosthunter_girls/InstagramThe woods around the bridge are also supposedly haunted. Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. The bridge was initially a toll bridge.[3]. Get exclusive, in-depth coverage of the University of North Texas athletics teams in this weekly newsletter. bcolombo@dentonrc.com, Woman dead, child in critical condition after wreck on West University, Report: Denton police arrest suspected drug distributor after finding scales, cash, drugs inside his car, Police: Fry Street bar owner arrested after being intoxicated inside his business, Trial date set for Sanger woman accused of murdering her husband, By Amber Gaudet 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. It was constructed beginning in 1927, was replaced by the Clark Bridge and was demolished in 1994. they drove their cars across the bridge with their headlights off, A similar tale to Washburns predates the building of the bridge, in which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall, There are no definitive records of Washburn or Kendall, but as a Denton local said, that doesnt mean its not haunted.. Our Signage for Old Alton bridge. If you find this reporting valuable, considermaking a tax-deductible gift today. He's no longer here, but he needs justice., Got a tip? The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. It was built by the King Bridge Company based in Cleveland, Ohio. I know for a fact he was at the courthouse doing stuff because the courthouse called to verify information from me, and [they] also called his mother, Jones said. 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. Death at the Goatman's Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series) By Chris in episode Jun 17, 2022 Death at the Goatman's Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series) A look at one legend behind the Goatman's Bridge, the period of history that inspired it, and a suspicious recent death at the bridge. Photo from ReneLibrary. But the legend shows no evidence of fading away. A 2015 photo of Old Alton Bridge. A few years later, Washburn, having become known as a dependable and honest businessman and dubbed the "Goatman" by locals, displayed a sign on Alton Bridge reading "This way to the Goatman". 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. if (theYear < 1900) Why are they here? Stowers figures they were asking. The bridge is supposedly home to Goatman, a vengeful incarnation of an African-American man who was allegedly lynched by the Ku Klux Klan for owning a successful business. After Washburns body disappeared, the Klansmen are alleged to have returned to his home and murdered the rest of his family. Staff Writer Its said that the so-called Goatman can be summoned by knocking on the bridge three times. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy, It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0 And the Goatman. 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. When the popular businessman proudly hung a sign on the Old Alton Bridge directing This way to the Goatman, it infuriated local Ku Klux Klansmen who plotted violence. Today, the Baptist Church and the Alton cemetery are all that remains of the Alton village. The content of this site includes writings on local history, our programs, and events. Choose wisely! that have haunted our fair city over the years, but a few stand out as truly haunting. The legend goes that Kendalls body reanimated through the power of voodoo, ripped off the head of a nearby goat, and replaced his head with the goats as the astonished cowboys watched in horror. One of the more disturbing variations of bridge experiences tells of a man waiting on the other side of the bridge with a goat head under each arm. High 74F. Everything was shuttered, leaving only the church and cemetery in place. The bridges spooky reputation has since attracted amateur sleuths and paranormal investigators alike. He didnt come home that night for his normal curfew, around 8:30 p.m. Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at *Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone*, and *InStyle*, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. The simple yet sturdy bridge allowed developers to carry horses and automobiles across the river. Higher wind gusts possible.. Cloudy skies. Another version of the famous Goatmans Bridge legend involves a half-goat, half-man entity that guards the bridge and the forest around it. 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. ghosthunter_girls/InstagramThe bridge was originally named after the old Texas village of Alton which shuttered in the 1850s. juan.betancourt@dentonrc.com. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The only residence that existed was that of a man named W.C. Baines, who established a farmstead long before the designation of the new county seat, according to the site legendsofamerica. 14S E 676870 N 3667226. 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! Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. But the Hickory Creek that cuts through the land made transportation difficult, which led to the construction of a bridge by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company in 1884. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Today, the bridge is no longer fit for vehicle crossings. The next day, Jones says he was coming home from his daughters basketball game when he got a call from the Denton Police Department. Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. from. Old Alton Bridge can be found in Denton off of Old Alton Road, near Teasley Lane. Jones and Stowers are scheduled to meet with Denton County NAACP officials this Tuesday about the death and any follow-up local authorities are taking. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. 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. 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. The new bridge straightened out a sharp curve on both sides of the creek and provided additional travel lanes. The trouble with these sources is that there is no historical record of such a lynching. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Though it is called the Old Alton Bridge the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. Then, check out these famously haunted castles. Low around 65F. Get the latest, most up-to-date breaking news in your inbox. 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. His parents said they were rattled not only by his passing but also the setting of his death, because they said it was uncharacteristic of him to be adventurous enough to jump from an old country bridge into a creek. Photo by Renegomezphotography.com CC BY-SA 3.0. The Art of Death With Tessa Fontaine. But when his killers went down to the water to fetch his body, it had disappeared. Low around 65F. Some even believe that the bridge is haunted by evil spirits spawned by local occultists who have reportedly performed sacrificial rituals in the woods nearby. The story goes that Washburn was lynched by white supremacists then hanged from the edge of Old Alton Bridge. From tragic and riveting tales of murder to the somewhat vague stories of a ghostly goatherder, it's sure to give you the chills if you ever visit - heading out there after dark probably isn't advisable, in any case! Welcome to my YouTube Channel and this video i'm showing you around the old Alton Bridge also known as Goatman's Bridge. Others report seeing a ghostly man herding goats over the bridge, while others say they have seen an apparition staring at them, holding a goat head under each arm. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. It was closed to car traffic and is open only to pedestrians today. Lermon Jones remembers his 17-year-old son Lermont Stowers-Jones, who also went by Mont, as a great kid. Higher wind gusts possible.. 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