The residents of what are now the cities of Argyle and Denton thought the man to be a bit of a loner and rather odd, but no one really knew all that much about him. Washburn was never seen again, they say, but a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton Bridge ever since. Ever since that fateful day, several strange things have reportedly occurred on and around the bridge. But, unfortunately, some did not welcome a successful black man within their midst. The Ghost Adventures crew first visited Goatman Bridge in a Season 13 episode that aired on January 14, 2017. While some bridges are inhabited by pesky creatures such trolls, the Old Alton Bridge harbors a monster of a much darker nature. 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. Some reports describe the Goatmans 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. Authorities don't believe Harrod was harmed by a stranger. On February 19, following a community-wide search, Cathy's 1990 Toyota Corolla was found abandoned in the Placentia Linda Hospital parking lot. . Put to a vote in November 1856; the county seat was moved again to Denton. 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. Gradually, these carriages were replaced by automobiles, which were supported equally as well by the bridges sturdy truss structure. 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. In the meantime, Alton began to die as many of its businesses moved to the new county seat. On July 25, 2008, someone who Im going to call Leland (not his real name) posted a 2-minute youtube video telling the story of the Old Alton Bridge. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5DDoes a demonic entity . However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. For all I know, since they knew each other, they could have worked on the video together, but I dont really have evidence of that so cant and wont speculate. In April 2019, two persons of interests were arrested in connection to Robert Harrod's disappearance. He had lent this woman $86,000 over about nine months. Washburn was never seen or heard from again or was he? Today, it is a popular location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to watch the video that he posted, but I was able to read the video description on the Wayback Machine. Travelers say that if you cross the bridge without your headlights, the Goatman will meet you on the other side. The video also links to the Association for the Study of Unexplained Phenomenon (ASUP) website (http://www.asup-inc.org/oldaltonbridgecase.htm); the original website is down, but you can still read it on the wayback machine. The ground was damp and hoof prints should have been obvious, but I couldnt find any!. Aside from demonic satyrs, a second version of the story seeks to explain the origins of Goatmans Bridge. Later it accommodated automobiles as well. I bet youre excited to find out what happened next! The hateful Klansman then went back to his home and killed the rest of his family. The Ghost Adventures crew is in Denton, Texas, investigating Goatman's Bridge. Id like to go through a timeline of the Goatmans Bridge legend as its now known. 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. Though the fledgling town had begun to grow, the location of the county seat was still unsatisfactory for the majority of Denton County residents, who soon petitioned for yet, another county seat one that was more centrally located and again, one with better water. 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. I would spend countless hours there and watched all this happen every night from the bridge. Placentia Police Department The bridge takes its name from the abandoned community of Alton, which between 1850 and 1856 was the seat of Denton County. Before the new bridge was built, motorists were required to honk their horns on the one-lane bridge to let other travelers know they were coming. According to legend, a successful goat breeder named Oscar Washburn began to call himself the Goatman. What we started 12 years ago has gotten out of control. According to urban legend, Goatman is a creature resembling a goat-human hybrid often credited with canine deaths and purported to take refuge in the woods of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. 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. Wow, what a cliffhanger! An African American, Washburn was said to be the target of Texas' Ku Klux Klan in the 1930s, according to Discover Denton. 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. Oh also, when I originally wrote a lot of this, Bob had deleted his YouTube channel, but as of today, August 6, 2022, he seems to have reactivated his YouTube channel. Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. According to legend, if you visit on Halloween and honk your car horn twice, visitors can see Goatmans glowing eyes. The first reports of supernatural encounters on the bridge were in 1938, and many are recounted in the episode. But, Pinckneyville would hold the title only two years and never develop into a town. Back in The Day is an ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the Denton Haunts historical ghost tour. DISCLAIMER: Im providing this version of the script for accessibility purposes. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. There are many spirits calling this place home, but . Then he talks about his videos that he posted in 2009: I take issue with his claim that no legend at all existed, but I have been able to confirm that it seemed to be a much lesser known urban legend (for example, I lived there for years and had never heard of it), and the stories of hauntings seemed more scattershot. If you park outside the bridge at night and honk your horn three times a goatman will appear. 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. Washburn posted a sign on the bridge which read this way to the Goatmans. This action angered members of the Klan, and on a fateful night in August of 1938, they drove their cars across the bridge with their headlights off, took Washburn from his home and family, and dragged him to the bridge. 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. Related: Goatmans Bridge is a reminder of the cowardly Klansmens dastardly deed. contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the, historical ghost tour. His hobbies include fishing and playing slot machines, and he left behind three daughters, a grandson and three great-grandchildren. Passing over any bridge as antiquated and creaky as the Old Alton, its normal to feel a little unsettled. day! The KKK apparently kidnapped and killed Washburn by throwing him over the bridge. His wallet and keys disappeared with him, but he left behind his gold 1997 Toyota Camry and his eyeglasses. There is nothing on the channel. Passing over any bridge as antiquated and creaky as the Old Alton, its normal to feel a little unsettled. People DID trickle in most nights sporadically, ever few hours or so. Although as far back as the 1930s, the bridge has taken on a second, much more sinister nickname: Goatmans Bridge. 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 . 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. 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. I really get into it in this one! The bridges architectural composition is known as a truss, a visually distinct structure of connected elements forming triangular units. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. . Folks online have said that the video just added some additional background details to the existing legend. Highlights include: Thoughts about how the internet transforms and changes urban legends A little digital gumshoeing Some Mothman easter eggs. Copyright 2008 - The heavily traveled Old Alton Bridge remained in constant use until 2001 when vehicle traffic was moved to an adjacent concrete-and-steel bridge. The bridge was built in 1884, by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company. The newly improved bridge solved this problem as well as straightened out a sharp curve on both sides of the creek. And sure enough, my friend was like, oh yeah, that person was my next-door neighbor when we were growing up, and were friends. 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