His case remains unsolved and is classified as a possible homicide. But heres what I can tell you: I just searched for him again and I have discovered that he made a Tiktok back in July and hes posted two videos, both of which show a shirtless man wearing a cow mask and hanging out in the woods. Turn right at Lillian Miller Pkwy and go 0.8 miles, where the road becomes Farm to Market Rd 2181/Teasley Ln, continue 3.2 miles, and turn right at Old Alton Rd. 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". To continue reading from the video description: Back to my video This one here is the first of 2 videos that for several years, if you were to search Goatmans Bridge on Youtube , only 3 results appeared -Leland-s, and the 2 you are about to watch in this series. However, the goatmans bridge is haunted. Townsite lots began to be auctioned in January 1857. The Hickory Creek Baptist Church, which continues to stand, was organized in 1855. The newly improved bridge solved this problem as well as straightened out a sharp curve on both sides of the creek. Dentons most famous spectre is a story handed down for generations with a few variations, and thats the haunted Goatmans Bridge. When Washburn posted a sign on the bridge that advertised this way to the Goatman, it angered local Klansman. Also, for the record, there have also been reports of the lynchings of white people in the area, so I have seems some older stories that seemed to claim that a white goatman had been lynched. According to her autopsy report, she was stabbed dozens of times, with puncture wounds all over her head, face, and upper . 2023 Copyright Dallas Terrors. And both are popular urban legends, so if someone in 2010 wanted to make up this story, they probably were the type of person who was familiar with the moth man legend, so this might be a little Easter egg put in there.I was lucky enough to stumble upon a website called factschology.com, which had an article describing the deep dive that the podcast Myths, Mysteries, and Monsters went on to try to confirm this story. [2] This bridge is the subject of several ghostlore stories featuring a vengeful ghost. In Denton County, Texas near the ghost town that once was Alton a bridge was constructed at the Hickory Creek in 1884. Its original purpose was to carry horses and automobiles across the river. In 2014, after Harrod's family had him declared legally dead and inherited his home, Heeter was evicted. And its not lost on me that theres a connection between the two legends: both involve a animal man hybrid as well as a bridge. 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. There has been no activity on Harrod's bank accounts or credit cards since he went missing. DO THE DENTON HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE A PRO, THE MANY FACES OF DENTON'S FINE ARTS THEATER. In February 2022, a "six-foot goat man" was supposedly seen near a village called Staverton, in Northamptonshire. Join the Observer community and help support Earning his living raising goats, he was soon called the Goatman by the locals. So, just to be clear: If you google this and find people mention the person who supposedly uploaded the video, that information is incorrect. Most notably, one that occurred November 15th 1967. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. And luckily for us, the video description was a wall of text almost 900 words long. Goatman stories originated in the early 1970s but some of its legends are set in the 50s, within Prince George's County, following the disappearances and/or deaths of multiple dogs, which were later attributed to the creature. Although he lived modestly and drove an older model car, Harrod was worth approximately $5 million. local news and culture, I want answers. However, it wasnt so well-known for a long time. But I did find someone with the same screen name as Lelands youtube channel name posting the story on a forum on March 4, 2008, though without the name Oscar Washburn. Next to the church is the cemetery. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. His hobbies include fishing and playing slot machines, and he left behind three daughters, a grandson and three great-grandchildren. DISCLAIMER: Im providing this version of the script for accessibility purposes. of all manners. And, the Goatman is evidently not alone. According to Micah Carlson Crittendens University of North Texas masters thesis published in May 2020, The Tall Grass West Of Town: Racial Violence In Denton County During The Rise Of The Second Ku Klux Klan: Due to shifts in the public perception of white criminality and lynching as a violation of due process, white lynchings in Denton County stopped in 1880 and never resumed.This meshes with some other older reports I found on the bridge, in which the goatman seems to be white (or at least his race isnt mentioned). Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. And also, as far as Ive been able to tell, thats when the Goatman was given the name Oscar Washburn. Best Tales of Texas Ghosts by Docia Schultz Williams was published in 1998 and has plenty of stories of ghosts in the Dallas area, but no mention of Denton County or the Old Alton Bridge at all. Years later, in 1884, long after Alton had died, an iron through-truss bridge was built over Hickory Creek on Copper Canyon Road, south of the old townsite. Old Alton Bridge, AKA Goatman's Bridge, in the daylight. Harrod had planned to put Heeter's name on some of his assets, including some of his properties, but he disappeared before he could do that. The Goatman's Bridge. [1][3], As well, Goatman was rumored to reside in a makeshift shelter in the wooded region of northwestern Prince George's County near the vicinity of Bowie. The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former goat farmer. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. The hateful Klansman then went back to his home and killed the rest of his family. Though Commissioners were appointed and directed to lay out a town and sell lots, no records were ever done, and no public buildings were ever erected. The Klansmen, however, did not exactly follow the due process of the law. However, when they looked over to make sure he was dead, they could see only the rope. Oh, also, it seemed like he tweeted a lot in early-to-mid June 2022 and hasnt tweeted since, which also matches the pattern. Join the discussion on our new social platform Texjas.com! 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. Though it is called the "Old Alton Bridge" the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. But just in case you arent up to date with the moth man lore, basically from November 15, 1966 to December 15, 1967, there were a series of incidents that were said to involve the moth man. Legend further holds that the Goatmans Bridge provides a gateway into Hell. The Old Alton derives its name from the now-abandoned town of Alton, which from 1850 to 1856 served as the seat of Denton County. Whenever a sighting of this ghastly figure occurs, a string of mysterious disappearances is sure to follow. I used to be inspired by GAC and big fans of Sam and Colby among many others who are now just making this situation worse for those of us personally involved trying to fix it.This place was relatively unknown before I uploaded the first video about it 12 years ago on Youtube. Please, for the love of all things under the Sun. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. A week and a half after he went missing, two of his children filed for conservatorship to get control of his assets. 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. But, Pinckneyville would hold the title only two years and never develop into a town. The Big Book of Texas Ghost Stories by Alan Brown, published in 2012, doesnt mention the Old Alton Bridge. Ghost Adventures anchors Travel Channels Ghostober event with all-new frightening specials. This attempt was more successful. I bet youre excited to find out what happened next! I had saved direct links as well as screen grabs of his comments, so I was able to test that and it said that the comments were deleted and then when I searched his user name, it said that his account had been deleted as well. The bridge was built in 1884, by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company. Whenever a sighting of this ghastly figure occurs, a string of mysterious disappearances is sure to follow. 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. He also mentioned the bridge in a handful of his tweets, but the tweets werent coherent enough for me to glean anything from or for them to be worth reading from here. If you park outside the bridge at night and honk your horn three times a goatman will appear. We also run the premiere real-estate site in the hill country at HillCountryRealestate.com. Well, thats it. However, this changed in 2001 when vehicle traffic was redirected to an adjacent, more contemporary concrete-and-steel bridge. The Klansman then fitted a noose over his head and pushed him over the side of the bridge. Other strange happenings recorded at the bridge include strange lights appearing in the surrounding woods, along with reports of visitors feeling hands grab at them in the dark, o a rain of rocks pelting them as they cross the bridge. 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. There are also some other mentions of the bridge hauntings, which arent part of the popular legends now: Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, the secondary visits have raised more questions than they might otherwise have answered, including additional photographic anomalies and cold spots on bright, sunny days where the physical environmental data would suggest it impossible. So who knows maybe this series will appear on his channel, Ill try to keep an eye on it and I will update you if there is any movement there. havent been able to find mentions of Oscar Washburn prior to 2008. They returned to his home and slaughtered his family, according to the legend. They would pull into the parking lot, get out, turn on all the flashlights and slowly walk towards this bridge to see what this was all about. So its just a strange, unlikely coincidence that theres a connection between the dates of the moth man siding and this supposedly disappearance near the goat mans bridge. Some reports describe the Goatman's 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. The Ghost Adventures crew is in Denton, Texas, investigating Goatman's Bridge. Prior to the new bridge, it was necessary for motorists to signal with a car horn before crossing the single-lane span. I don't bring people out to Goatman's Bridge very often but people always ask me about it. 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. Called the Old Alton Bridge, sometimes the Argyle bridge, and is better known amongst the locals as Goatmans Bridge, it was first built to carry horses but would later carry vehicles across the creek. Years later, in 1884, long after Alton had died, an iron through-truss bridge was built over Hickory Creek on Copper Canyon Road, south of the old townsite. As far as I can tell, it seems like he made a youtube video about the Old Alton Bridge, wanted to drive traffic to it by posting on reddit, but then for some reason decided to delete it. 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. One of the most famous local ghost stories though, and one of the more terrifying, is the legend of Goatman's Bridge. Dallas is a city known for its expensive taste; expensive cars, fancy food, and luxurious hotels are in no short supply here. 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! The KKK apparently kidnapped and killed Washburn by throwing him over the bridge. According to local lore, the historic Old Alton Bridge marks the entryway to the territory of a malevolent demonic force known only as the Goatman. Some even believe that crossing over the bridge at certain times of night can unlock a portal into Hell itself. [3], Media related to Old Alton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons, Last edited on 22 December 2022, at 05:16, 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", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Alton_Bridge&oldid=1128827248, This page was last edited on 22 December 2022, at 05:16. An honest businessman, his goat raising business was a success. I want to know what happened to my son." 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 . [1][2], Goatman stories originated in the early 1970s but some of its legends are set in the 50s, within Prince George's County, following the disappearances and/or deaths of multiple dogs, which were later attributed to the creature. Later it accommodated automobiles as well. There are news reports of abandoned cars on the bridge from the 1960s for sure.. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as the Goatmans bridge., https://web.archive.org/web/20100617152737/http://www.goatmansbridge.com/, Weirdly, November 15th 1967 is exactly 1 month before the Silver Bridge collapsed in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. For years, there was only 1 video on YouTube that even referenced this location or the local Legend until I started posting videos with my evidence of this mysterious places anomalies starting in 2011. independent local journalism in Dallas. Signs found around the area clearly denote the special place the bridge and surrounding woods have in the communitys hearts, including one which reads I have many memories of the Old Alton Bridge and I love every one of them, a quote attributed to Wayne Stuart Ryan. Both the dog and I heard and saw him, but he disappeared as he made a turn under some bushes and didnt emerge on the other side. However, based on a reply that someone posted the next day, the video was deleted within 24 hours. However, given the condition of remains, the deaths may more likely have been the result of passing trains. Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. Wow, what a cliffhanger! To this day no one knows exactly how Oscar was able to evade the mobs wrath, but legend holds that the name Goatmans Bridge came about to honor him. The Old Alton Bridge is a historic iron bridge that spans over the muddy waters of Hickory Creek and connects the city of Denton to the city of Copper Canyon, a little less than an hours drive from Dallas. Washburn was never seen or heard from again or was he? The church is located at 5724 Teasley Lane ( F.M. In April 2019, two persons of interests were arrested in connection to Robert Harrod's disappearance. The person said: "There have been several disappearances on and around Old Alton Bridge. The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. The original video was called The First Goatmans Bridge Video Ever Uploaded on Youtube 2011 YouTube.. 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. Nicknamed " Goatman's Bridge " by Denton natives, legend says the Ku Klux Klan lynched a successful Black goat farmer there in the 1930s. . Graffiti reading, "Goatman was here," was not uncommon,[3] and law enforcement would habitually receive calls of reported sightings, albeit with a number being pranks. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as \"the Goatman's bridge.\"\r\rConstructed in 1884, the bridge connected Lewisville to Alton. Please treat the episode audio as the final product. When Denton County was formed in 1846, the first pioneers chose a place along Pecan Creek for the first county seat and named it Pinckneyville in honor of Texas first governor, James Pinckney Henderson. 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. Halloween is upon Before he got involved with Heeter, he had been seeing a younger woman. 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. \r\rAfter numerous abandoned automobiles and missing persons, a new bridge was constructed directly downstream. With cars and all their noise safely out of the way, the Old Alton Bridge was free for hikers and nature lovers to pass safely. You wont find the names of Oscar Washburn or Jack Kendall in any historical records. [7], This article is about the Maryland creature. From 2008 to mid 2011, when you searched for Goatmans Bridge on here, only 1 result popped up and it was a video by-edit: leland- posted in 2008. this was in 2011 and although Old Alton Bridge has had a reputation for decades locally as an old bridge near some scenic hiking trails that some locals claim to have heard a noise once in the 80s or 90s or saw a weird light in the woods once while fishing, it was just that a place on Old Alton Rd thousands drive by daily that you once actually could drive over. Lermont Stowers-Jones' body was found in a Denton County creek in 2018. Many of his neighbors bestowed upon him the affectionate nickname the Goatman.. There's the bridge, and then there's . 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. Road 2181), Denton, Texas. Next to the church is the cemetery. Maybe that spirit is that of La Llorona, who is well known as haunting the rivers of the Southwest. On a dark night in the late 1930s, a lynch mob of Kluxers stormed Washburn's shack and dragged the screaming Goatman to their noose waiting on the bridge, tightened the rope around the begging Oscar's neck, then mercilessly flung him over the side. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! Aside from demonic satyrs, a second version of the story seeks to explain the origins of Goatmans Bridge. 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. Left to right: Jay Wasley, Zak Bagans, Billy Tolley, Aaron Goodwin. [1] 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 first few years I spent out there it was mostly barren at night, void of all life or cars driving by or people coming to visit. The Denton newspaper at the time did an article on a car found abandoned on the bridge." [6] The 16-minute, $6,000 film premiered on December 29, 1988 at the Uptown Theater. 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. 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. The investigation led to some terrifying moments for the crew. 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. To me, one of the funniest parts of this story is that the witness went on Mumsnet to share her story. In addition to Washburn's story, the Ghost Adventures crew investigated reports of demonic activity on and around the bridge. Becky Vickers is the author of the book The Secrets of Goatman's Bridge. These tales are obviously old, as the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2001. Photo from ReneLibrary. People DID trickle in most nights sporadically, ever few hours or so. Rewriting Urban Legends: An attempt to trace the current tales of the Goatmans Bridge to their source: a 2008 YouTube video that contained seemingly new information about the urban legend, including some information that linked the story to the Mothman legends.