Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron
truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...
connecting the
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
cities of
Denton and
Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barrancas del Cobre) is a group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico that is in size. The canyons were formed by six rivers tha ...
. Built in 1884 by the
King Iron Bridge Manufacturing Company, it originally carried horses and later automobiles over Hickory Creek at a location that once was a popular
ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
for crossing cattle. The bridge takes its name from the abandoned community of
Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
, which between 1850 and 1856 was the seat of
Denton County
Denton County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 906,422, making it the 7th-most populous county in Texas. The county seat is Denton. The county, which was named for John B. Denton, was establis ...
. This bridge is the subject of several
ghostlore
Ghostlore or ghost-lore is a genre of folklore concerning ghosts. Ghostlore occurs throughout recorded history, including contemporary contexts.
History
The first known recorded story to feature a haunted house is often regarded by folklore sch ...
stories featuring a
vengeful ghost
In mythology and folklore, a vengeful ghost or vengeful spirit is said to be the spirit of a dead person who returns from the afterlife to seek revenge for a cruel, unnatural or unjust death. In certain cultures where funeral and burial or crem ...
.
The heavily traveled Old Alton Bridge remained in constant use until 2001 when vehicle traffic was moved to an adjacent concrete-and-steel bridge. Prior to the new bridge, it was necessary for motorists to signal with a car horn before crossing the single-lane span. The new bridge straightened out a sharp curve on both sides of the creek and provided additional travel lanes.
With vehicle traffic removed, the bridge became an important link connecting the
Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trails. Today, it is a popular location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. Old Alton Bridge was included in the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
on July 8, 1988.
Ghostlore
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 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. 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". But the success of a black man was still unwelcome to many, and, in August 1938,
Klansmen
The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
in the local government crossed the bridge and kidnapped Washburn from his family. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. When they looked down to see if he had died, the noose was empty. In a panic, they returned to his family home and slaughtered his wife and children.
Locals warn that if you cross the bridge at night without headlights (as the Klansmen are said to have done), you will be met on the other side by the Goatman. 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.
This legend results in the area around Old Alton Bridge being popular among paranormal investigators,
such as the crews from ''
Ghost Adventures
''Ghost Adventures'' is an American paranormal and reality television series that premiered on October 17, 2008, on the Travel Channel before moving to Discovery+ in 2021. An independent film of the same name originally aired on the Sci-Fi Cha ...
'' and ''
BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural''.
Gallery
File:Goatman's Bridge - Old Alton Bridge from a Drone.jpg
File:Old Alton Bridge in Denton, Texas 4.jpg
File:Old Alton Bridge in Denton, Texas 3.jpg
File:Old Alton Bridge in Denton, Texas 2.jpg
File:Altonbridge3.JPG
See also
*
*
Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Denton County
*
References
External links
{{Urban legends
Buildings and structures in Denton County, Texas
Bridges completed in 1884
Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas
King Bridge Company
Transportation in Denton County, Texas
Pedestrian bridges in Texas
Former road bridges in the United States
National Register of Historic Places in Denton County, Texas
Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks
Iron bridges in the United States