goatman's bridge disappearances

And sure enough, my friend was like, oh yeah, that person was my next-door neighbor when we were growing up, and were friends. The bridge was built in 1884, by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company. My understanding is that the legend had been circulating for some time, but as I talked about in the first episode of this series, there was a clear difference between pre-July 2008 stories about the Goatmans bridge, and post-July 2008 stories. The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former goat farmer. 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. [4], According to University of Maryland folklorist Barry Pearson, the Goatman legend began "long, long, long" ago and were further popularized in 1971 when the death of a dog was blamed on Goatman by local residents. He did reply to a paranormal investigation show with: Anyway, thats what Ive got for this timethe way that Ive traced this story back as close to its source as I can, and the weird twists and turns the story has taken. [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. Townsite lots began to be auctioned in January 1857. 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. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Id like to loop back to some of the trickster stories I mentioned in the first episode of this series. However, given the condition of remains, the deaths may more likely have been the result of passing trains. of all manners. [5][6], The Goatman lore has isn't as well known but there have been some adaptations such as the slimy alien version in the game, Goatman's revenge. Due to the great number of unexplained happenings at the Old Alton, the bridge has been the subject of a number of investigative paranormal shows, Ghost Adventures, and Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural among them. Authorities don't believe Harrod was harmed by a . Four women with personal reports of demonic attacks were featured on the episode. According to legend, a successful goat breeder named Oscar Washburn began to call himself the Goatman. 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. There are many Denton ghosts His hobbies include fishing and playing slot machines, and he left behind three daughters, a grandson and three great-grandchildren. His case remains unsolved and is classified as a possible homicide. Washburn was never seen again, they say, but a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton Bridge ever since. Visitors crossing the bridge at exactly three a.m. have reported horrific visions of fire and brimstone; those fortunate enough to return, that is. Goatman's Bridge: A Suicide Hotspot - with Author Becky Vickers | Clips Embed 2 *Taken from episode 20. The name sounded familiar to me, so I texted one of two people who I went to high school with who Im still in touch with. You all asked for it so we did it. In 2014, after Harrod's family had him declared legally dead and inherited his home, Heeter was evicted. 2023 Copyright Dallas Terrors. He had lent this woman $86,000 over about nine months. 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. However, based on a reply that someone posted the next day, the video was deleted within 24 hours. According to this story, a black goat farmer by the name of Oscar Washburn and his family moved into a home located just north of the Old Alton Bridge. 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. 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. Later it accommodated automobiles as well. theYear=now.getYear() Occasionally, it was rumored that Goatman would venture out to kill a dog or rush up abruptly beating cars with an ax. . 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. The bridge was built twenty-five years later and dubbed the Old Alton Bridge.. Next to the church is the cemetery. A fan-favorite episode in which the crew took on Goatman Bridge will be featured on Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room. Dallas is a city known for its expensive taste; expensive cars, fancy food, and luxurious hotels are in no short supply here. The Old Alton Bridge, or more famously known as The Goatman's Bridge, is an old iron-truss bridge just Northeast of Dallas, Texas, near the now uninhabited town of Alton. I cannot fix what was done AGAIN. Ghost Adventures first premiered in 2008 and has aired over 250 episodes, including specials. [1] Despite evidence to the contrary, stories of Goatman's existence continued to circulate, especially among local students. Gradually, these carriages were replaced by automobiles, which were supported equally as well by the bridges sturdy truss structure. Importantly, he has a tattoo on his belly button that looks a lot like the tattoo that Sully Erna, the lead singer of the nu metal band Godsmack has. 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. Also, heres a weird synchronicity. \r\rSince the disappearance of the Goatman there have been many strange sightings on and near Old Alton Bridge. People saw the moth man around the area and it was said that he sort of presaged the collapse of the silver bridge on December 15, 1967, which is a really tragic incident where 46 people died. Built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the 145-foot long bridge would serve area travelers for more than a century. Also on March 4, 2022, he got into a few arguments with people about metaphysical topics. There has been no activity on Harrod's bank accounts or credit cards since he went missing. 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. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road that is known by locals as the Goatmans bridge., It sounds like the first comment was on July 2, 2010, on randomconnections.com. 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. There are even claims of satanic devil worship being performed on the site, raising the specter of the devil himself on the bridge. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. DISCLAIMER: Im providing this version of the script for accessibility purposes. While some bridges are inhabited by pesky creatures such trolls, the Old Alton Bridge harbors a monster of a much darker nature. A rash of mysterious disappearances are becoming alarmingly routine on a chilling stretch of road. The tale continues that when travelers crossed the bridge at night with their headlights off, they would meet the Goatman on the other side. It continued to be used until about 2001 when it was replaced with a concrete-and-steel bridge and a new road, which straightened out a sharp curve. No Goatmans Bridge legend ever existed or was ever mentioned in any of your Texas legend/myth or ghost story books (even those published as late as the early 2010s.). But all of this is Internet talk, without corroboration, Blair explains. Several other reports tell of numerous abandoned cars that have been found near the bridge, with their occupants missing. 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. We walked down one of the paths, and I swear something started chasing us! I have since been able to independently confirm that the youtube channel belongs to someone who he knew, but that it wasnt him who uploaded the video. Apparently, in 2010, there was a person who commented on a bunch of websites, basically anything that mentioned the bridge that year. 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. A handful of states have a Goatman tale, with Texas having a few itself, but each expresses unique reminders of threats from a forgotten past. There is a Plano Goat Man legend dating to at least the 70s or 80s which she mentions in the book, but in the subsection about the Old Alton Bridge Goatman, theres no date given for when that legend began. In the Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room episode on Thursday, the segment will be recapped with commentary from the crew. So, just to be clear: If you google this and find people mention the person who supposedly uploaded the video, that information is incorrect. Hill Country, and we welcome you to our family. Denton County itself was formed in 1846, and the first attempt at settling the county seat was Pinckneyville (named for the Texas governor). Placentia Police Department legendary ghost stories. Many of his neighbors bestowed upon him the affectionate nickname the Goatman.. 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. 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. The Klansmen, however, did not exactly follow the due process of the law. Some people have seen a half-man, half-goat figure, similar to a satyr; this odd account of after-death transformation (if this is indeed the Goatman) bears some semblance to the tale of the Donkey Lady Bridge or La Llorona. (, from his website: November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. 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 Klansman then fitted a noose over his head and pushed him over the side of the bridge. Apparently, hearing about this, the County Sheriff went out to check on the mans welfare, but found neither the man nor the goats, dead or alive. 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. With vehicle traffic removed, the bridge became an important link connecting the Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trails. The bridge was built in 1884, by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company. Travelers say that if you cross the bridge without your headlights, the Goatman will meet you on the other side. It is under surveillance by the Paranormal Investigators of North Texas and the Denton County Paranormal Investigators.\r\rOscar Washburn was never seen again and has been presumed dead since his attempted murder.\r\rhttp://www.asup-inc.org/oldaltonbridgecase.htm We are your resource for Hill Country travel, things to do, places to eat, Residents making their way over the bridge late at night have reportedly heard her ghostly wails, and others have spotted her crying at the bridges center. Built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the 145-foot long . https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5DDoes a demonic entity . The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 1988 and closed to vehicle traffic in 2001. The person said: "There have been several disappearances on and around Old Alton Bridge. Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per The third county seat location was designated in November 1850, about five miles southwest of present-day Corinth on Hickory Creek. Some say his spirit still haunts these woods. local news and culture, I want answers. But Old Alton Bridge, the Goatman's Bridge, remains still open to foot traffic. The turn of the century brought a black goat farmer and his family to a residence just North of the bridge, and a few short years later, Oscar Washburn was known as a dependable, honest businessman. Some say that the bridge was once the site of an execution, another of a lynching; others say that an old goat herder was murdered on this spot, while still others believe it is the earthbound spirits of those killed in the Sam Bass Texas Rangers shootout nearby. It might have just been a racoon or somethingbut it was moving in our direction, and we all bolted out of there! I really get into it in this one! 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. Texas Hill Country. Finally, water shortages forced the county seat to move to a new site in June 1848. 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. Other reports tell of a womans spirit who wanders the area, allegedly searching for her lost baby. If I can just summarize the research I did, which I talked about in ep 1 of this series: the Old Alton Bridge and the Goatman werent mentioned in the older books that I have access to about the paranormal or urban legends in Texas: I have two books by folklorist J. Frank Dobie, Legends of Texas Volume II: Pirates Gold and Other Tales, and Tales of Old-Time Texas, and the only stories they have about the area are about Sam Bass. 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. [1], According to some variations of the legend, Goatman is said to have once been a scientist who worked in the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. However, when they looked over to make sure he was dead, they could see only the rope. While the Goatman is said to sleep beneath the Old Alton during the day, he habitually creeps out from under it to hunt for food at night, returning only at the sound of his name. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. Though it is called the "Old Alton Bridge" the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. 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. Its original purpose was to carry horses and automobiles across the river. The bridges architectural composition is known as a truss, a visually distinct structure of connected elements forming triangular units. KKK, Illustrated in Harpers Weekly, 1872. His channel has also been deleted, and he hasnt posted on reddit under that account since March 4. Most of the time, county business was held at the Baines residence under the shade trees in his yard. The ground was damp and hoof prints should have been obvious, but I couldnt find any!. The main highway bypasses it now, but the 135-year-old structure is still visible from the main road. 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. 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. Visitors hear hooves beating across the bridge, splashing in the creek below, maniacal laughter, and an inhuman growl that emanates from the woods. An honest businessman, his goat raising business was a success. I bet youre excited to find out what happened next! Photo from ReneLibrary. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. Back in The Day is an ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the Denton Haunts historical ghost tour. Washburn was gone and was never seen again. However, not everyone was pleased with Oscars newfound success and acceptance within the North Texas community. Ghost Adventures anchors Travel Channels Ghostober event with all-new frightening specials. Harrod was last seen at his residence in the 500 block of Carnation Drive Placentia, California sometime between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on July 27, 2009. There are many spirits calling this place home, but . Some people have claimed to see the figure of Goatman, with glowing eyes and. Supposedly this was near the location of the bridge. If youre interested in the moth man at all, youre probably familiar with silver bridge collapse. Located less than a mile from present-day Corinth, the new townsite was called Alton on a high ridge between Pecan Creek and Hickory Creek. But the success of a black man was still unwelcome, and Klansmen in the local government turned to violence after he displayed a sign on Alton Bridge: \"this way to the Goatman's\"\r\rOne night in August 1938, with their headlights off, Klansmen crossed the bridge, dragged the Goatman from his family, and lynched him over the side. Shortly afterwards, so the stories go, a family was passing over the bridge at night and encountered the old man, or at least his apparition, standing in front of them, a goats head tucked under each arm. I would laugh and think to myself (Another one bites the dust I guess) Many times however, I would get lucky and not have a single other person come visit the bridge, OR even a car drive by for an entire night. The Ghost Adventures crew first visited Goatman Bridge in a Season 13 episode that aired on January 14, 2017. Local high schoolers often trek there at night, the. 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. 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 Denton newspaper at the time did an article on a car found abandoned on the bridge." Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. 714-993-8164. Ghost Adventures fans are in for a spooky treat Thursday night. They wanted to put up a reward for his safe return, maintain his home and pay his bills. But for this particular bridge, those feelings may be more grounded than not. All there is is one single piece of information on the about page which is that he joined YouTube on July 15, 2022. DO THE DENTON HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE A PRO, THE MANY FACES OF DENTON'S FINE ARTS THEATER. "For the last several years I've given ghost tours on the Square, usually on the weekends. 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. However, the goatmans bridge is haunted. Some believe the Goatman remains dormant for years at a time and awakes only to hunt for prey. The KKK apparently kidnapped and killed Washburn by throwing him over the bridge. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. 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