[2] This bridge is the subject of several ghostlore stories featuring a vengeful ghost. 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. The key findings of the report show his lungs were overcome by fluid, presumably water. You wont find the names of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records. Known as Old Alton Bridge or Goatmans Bridge, the humble wooden pass has earned its creepy moniker due to its unsavory past, which includes black magic and murder. It is open only to pedestrians today. per adult (price varies by group size) Half-Day Best of Fort Worth Historical Tour with Transportation from Dallas. 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. Visitors swear that there is something supernatural about the bridge, and the structure has consequently been featured in a number of paranormal investigation shows including the popular series Ghost Adventures. Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884, and is Denton Countys oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is the official blog of the Denton County Office of History and Culture. The Argyle Fire District confirmed Tuesday that the boy, whose name has not been released by. But when his killers went down to the water to fetch his body, it had disappeared. 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. The last time Mont's family saw him. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 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. The bridge was originally named after the old Texas village of Alton which shuttered in the 1850s. Every Wednesday morning, get the week's top crime stories in Denton from the Blotter in your inbox. Theres no way he would have been in that area, Jones said. Get exclusive, in-depth coverage of the University of North Texas athletics teams in this weekly newsletter. People say theyve heard horses hoof beats on the bridge, splashing in the creek below, maniacal laughter, and inhuman like growling coming from the surrounding woods., The legend keeps growing, Texas sources say. 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. 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. Higher wind gusts possible.. Cloudy skies. Date Posted: 9/10/2012 5:46:00 PM. Authorities release autopsy of teen found near Old Alton Bridge, By Dalton LaFerney According to Tuckers research into Dentons local lore, there was no person named Oscar Washburn living in the area around the time of his alleged murder, nor were there any reports of lynching. Supposedly this was near the location of the bridge. As a mentor once wisely advised, never let the facts of a story obscure the truths in the tale. Enjoy this 3.4-mile out-and-back trail near Corinth, Texas. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Jones had dropped off his son at the Denton County Courts Building. The Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman's Bridge, is a famously haunted site in north Texas. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 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. The Old Alton Bridge made our 2015 list of "10 Stops to Make on a Creepy Tour of Dallas." According to Buzzfeed's video, it was built in 1884 to connect Denton to the town of Alton, which at that . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Jones said. Why It's Scary: Extremely tall height. Invalid password or account does not exist. 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. A keyboard player in a local church choir, the one in the family who liked to get everybody up and dancing, a teenager looking forward to college, Stowers-Jones wasnt the type to enjoy the outdoors or venture around a creek or old bridge. List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River, Map of Missouri Showing State Road System, Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Channel Project, Lock & Dam 26, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Clark_Bridge&oldid=1022287330. [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. The first tragic legend claims that a successful African American goat farmer named Oscar Washburn was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan on the bridge in the 1930s. Alton was the county seat of Denton County from 1851 until 1856. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road. Every morning, get a link to our newly redesigned e-Edition and the top Denton headlines you need to start your day. The next day, Jones says he was coming home from his daughters basketball game when he got a call from the Denton Police Department. Choose wisely! A tragic turn of events led to Monts death in 2018. Windy this evening. 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. According to one local police officer, nearby pet stores have stopped selling cats because there were so many cats found slaughtered in a ritualistic manner around the area. Supposedly numerous abandoned cars that have been found near Old Alton Bridge, their owners strangely missing. We wont likely ever know what happened to Lermont, said Angela James, a relative of Stowers-Jones serving as the familys spokeswoman. Goatmans Bridge has been the subject of investigations on popular supernatural shows like Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural and Ghost Adventures. The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. But in my research, I've discovered that everything may not be as it seems at the Old Alton Bridge . of all manners. Create a password that only you will remember. The trouble with these sources is that there is no historical record of such a lynching. 514. 40. Family members started a fundraiser toward funeral expenses at www.gofundme.com/6g1ka20. The bridge was built twenty-five years later and dubbed the Old Alton Bridge.. Prior to the new bridge, it was necessary for motorists to signal with a car horn before crossing the single-lane span. 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. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy, It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century. Denton County itself was formed in 1846, and the first attempt at settling the county seat was Pinckneyville (named for the Texas governor). On Wednesday, the family indicated the autopsy report does not provide them with much comfort. juan.betancourt@dentonrc.com. Whether its Washburn or Kendall haunting the bridge, lots of strange things have happened around the Alton Bridge. Another person stayed behind and tried to help Stowers-Jones. 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. Get exclusive, in-depth coverage of the University of North Texas athletics teams in this weekly newsletter. His living was raising and selling goats. Goatman's Bridge. Photo from ReneLibrary. 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. PublishedSeptember 26, 2022 at 3:51 PM CDT. But when the county seat moved farther away, Alton petered out again. Receive information from our advertisers or special DR-C offers. But the legend shows no evidence of fading away. 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. High 74F. Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884, and is Denton County's oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge. dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office released its autopsy report and toxicology results Wednesday afternoon, revealing for the first time an official account of what caused the teenager's. However, water shortages forced politicians to move two years later, in 1848. There is also another variation that predates the bridge itself. We are your resource for Hill Country travel, things to do, places to eat, 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. Photo by Renegomezphotography.com CC BY-SA 3.0, Another Texas blog elaborates on the possible terrors to be experienced: 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. DO THE DENTON HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE A PRO, THE MANY FACES OF DENTON'S FINE ARTS THEATER. Closed for major repairs in 1959 and 1975. There have also been reports of inhuman screams coming from the nearby woods, or maniacal laughter sounding. "Something's not right with that picture.. Authorities have said they received a call Monday just after 11 a.m. saying a teenager jumped in the water from Old Alton Bridge. Dentons most famous spectre is a story handed down for generations with a few variations, and thats the haunted Goatmans Bridge. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Invalid password or account does not exist. The panicked Klansmen frantically searched the area unsuccessfully before rushing to Washburns shanty, setting it afire with the Goatmans family shrieking inside, perhaps to bait a desperate rescue attempt by the vanished Oscar. Internet Sleuths Accused Him of Stealing a Dog. ALTON Towers amputee Leah Washington remembers every moment of the horrific rollercoaster crash that caused her to lose her leg. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. Jones went on to work. He didnt come home that night for his normal curfew, around 8:30 p.m. Error! You have permission to edit this article. . Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per 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. theYear=theYear+1900 Built by Alton-St. Louis Bridge Company, with construction starting in 1927. 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. Since the answer isnt likely to be definitively answered anytime soon, lets settle into the story of Goatman and his favorite bridge. 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. Wikimedia CommonsBecause of the alleged goat-demon that haunts it, Goatmans bridge is a popular location for thrill-seekers and photographers. dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt if (theYear < 1900) Windy this evening. No one has been charged in connection with Monts death. 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. From tragic and riveting tales of murder to the somewhat vague stories of a ghostly goatherder, its sure to give you the chills if you ever visit heading out there after dark probably isnt advisable, in any case! You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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