. A similar tale to Washburns predates the building of the bridge, in which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall. The quaint area also included the Hickory Creek Baptist Church, the Alton cemetery, a saloon, and a school. With vehicle traffic removed, the bridge became an important link connecting the Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trails. Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . The content of this site includes writings on local history, our programs, and events. Staff Writer Nicknamed " Goatman's Bridge " by Denton natives, legend says the Ku Klux Klan lynched a successful Black goat. The Old Alton Bridges nickname, Goatmans Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. 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. dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt 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. Dont forget him. 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 simple yet sturdy bridge allowed developers to carry horses and automobiles across the river. The legend behind Old Alton Bridge has only amplified familial fears that Lermont's death might have been racially motivated. When they looked down to see if he had died, the noose was empty. Error! Hes frustrated with the response of law enforcement agencies. There was an error processing your request. She says the bridge is rumored to be the site of racist murders and Satanic rituals. agaudet@dentonrc.com, Anyone can be an artist at this new downtown Denton bar, McCarthy blasts Biden, Democrats over debt limit. Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch, virtual remembrance and fundraising event. Its east and west spans are Warren pony trusses of 70 feet each. 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. crafty.girls.life/InstagramAt least one witness claims that their friend was pulled off the bridge by an unknown entity. The black goat farmer was endearingly called Goatman by residents of Denton. 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. Lermon Jones remembers his 17-year-old son Lermont Stowers-Jones, who also went by Mont, as a great kid. 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. Jones said. It was not exactly a metropolis. Welcome to my YouTube Channel and this video i'm showing you around the old Alton Bridge also known as Goatman's Bridge. Waymark Code: WMF8M2. Every Wednesday morning, get the week's top crime stories in Denton from the Blotter in your inbox. A reminder of Denton Countys transportation history, Old Alton Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and became a Texas Historic Landmark in 2010. The best stories from KERA sent to your inbox. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. The bridge has become an unconventional tourist attraction due to its haunted reputation. His living was raising and selling goats. Old Alton Bridge can be found in Denton off of Old Alton Road, near Teasley Lane. 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. Hill Country, and we welcome you to our family. 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. 12 The Royal Gorge Bridge. They asked me, Do you have a son named Lermont?" Jones said. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Old Alton Bridge was included in the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1988. Invalid password or account does not exist. The historic Old Alton Bridge,which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. 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. Lermont Stowers-Jones did not come home last Monday night, his family left with questions on the week of Thanksgiving. A tragic turn of events led to Mont's death in 2018. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Windy this evening. The crazed murderers thought they had hung him from . Fort Worth is home to many supposedly haunted spots. It is open only to pedestrians today. 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. Road trippers weary of tall heights may not enjoy crossing this bridge; Despite its nerve-wracking nature, this incredible bridge . KERA reached out to the Denton County Sheriff's Office, who said the case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. We are born and bred in The He Actually Saved Her. document.write(theYear) Lermont Stowers-Jones' body was found in a Denton County creek in 2018. If you don't know the sto. Many believe that the Goatman haunts the overpass and the nearby woods. The story goes that Washburn was lynched by white supremacists then hanged from the edge of Old Alton Bridge. Natasha Ishak is a staff writer at All That's Interesting. It was Mont, but his parents were confounded as to how he got there. 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. 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. 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. . 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 Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Staff Writer High 74F. They just gotta know.. [3], Media related to Old Alton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons. According to the most circulated version, an African-American entrepreneur named Oscar Washburn and his family tended a farmstead goat herd near the bridge that was renowned for quality meat, milk, cheeses and hides. PublishedSeptember 26, 2022 at 3:51 PM CDT. "Something's not right with that picture.. 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. The bridge was initially a toll bridge.[3]. [3] Notes [ edit] Some attribute the work of Satanists who opened a portal for a hellspawn demon, while others say the Goatmans wife is eternally searching for her murdered children. 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. When the county seat was moved to Denton in 1856, Alton began to decline, but . contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the, historical ghost tour. 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. The Goatmans Bridge is my least favorite story, said Shelly Tucker, who wrote the book Ghosts of Denton and leads local tours around Denton. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. At least one witness claims that their friend was pulled off the bridge by an unknown entity. 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. The Terrifying Legend Behind Goatmans Bridge And The Half-Goat Demon Said To Haunt It. Staff Writer However, the county seat was moved once more in 1857, to Denton. The funeral is at the church the next day at 11 a.m. [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. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. The bridge, officially named the Old Alton Bridge, is locally referred to as Goatman's Bridge because of who was killed there. Medical authorities have determined Lermont Stowers-Jones death was an accident, documents show. if (theYear < 1900) 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. Today, it is a popular location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. 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.. 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. Create a password that only you will remember. Goatman's Bridge. Today, the bridge is no longer fit for vehicle crossings. Also haunted, Goatman's Bridge in Denton. We also run the premiere real-estate site in the hill country at HillCountryRealestate.com. The bridge was originally created as a link for travelers making their way from Denton to Dallas, and sat near the small town of Alton. KERA News Weekday Update Newsletter Signup, A Denton Activist's Decades Of Protest Against A Confederate Monument Pay Off, Voters will soon decide whether Denton's future includes decriminalizing marijuana, Dallas was shaped by racism. The Old Alton Bridge's nickname, Goatman's Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. Texas Hill Country. 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. Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at *Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone*, and *InStyle*, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. In one instance, a research group filmed an eerily cold, orange mist on a night that was otherwise warm- the mist apparently moved across the bridge against the flow of the wind. The bridge in question connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, and harkens back to 1884. Not only is the Old Alton Bridge a picturesque historic site, but it is also said to be haunted by the "Goatman," hence the nickname of the bridge. legendary ghost stories. The most well-known ghost story surrounding Old Alton Bridge says that if you visit the historic bridge at night, stop your car, and honk twice, the Goat Mans glowing red eyes will appear in the darkness next to the bridge. 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. Hi there. Get exclusive coverage about business in Denton County in your inbox twice a month, with a focus on the housing market. 776. . 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. 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. Bridge Construction Some believe that Washburns spirit returned to the scene of his murder to seek revenge on his killers and has been haunting the bridge ever since. ghosthunter_girls/InstagramThe woods around the bridge are also supposedly haunted. Dallas' independent source of Choose wisely! Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. 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. No one has been charged in connection with Monts death. 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. But when the county seat moved farther away, Alton petered out again. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. Though it is called the Old Alton Bridge the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. Why It's Scary: Extremely tall height. Windy and becoming cloudy during the afternoon. You wont find the names of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records. DO THE DENTON HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE A PRO, THE MANY FACES OF DENTON'S FINE ARTS THEATER. 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. 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. Closed for major repairs in 1959 and 1975. Some folks believe that Satanists have performed dark rituals on the bridge and opened a portal to another dimension. 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. Now, the city has a plan to address the sins of the past. juan.betancourt@dentonrc.com. The Old Clark Bridge was a bridge that carried U.S. Route 67 across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri and Alton, Illinois. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Whether its Washburn or Kendall haunting the bridge, lots of strange things have happened around the Alton Bridge. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. 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. Built in 1884, the single-lane bridge saw service . However, water shortages forced politicians to move two years later, in 1848. 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. 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