He threatens to take the bridge for him and Ryanif Goatmandoesn'tshow up to fight him for it. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. 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. RELATED: 10 Scariest Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural Episodes. 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. They fitted a noose around his neck and pushed him over the side of the bridge, but when they looked over to make sure he was dead, all they could see was an empty noose. Cookie Notice Alternate versions of the ghost story have also circulated, including one that suggests the bridge is actually haunted by the Goatmans wife. The bridge takes its name from the abandoned community of Alton, which between 1850 and 1856 was the seat of Denton County. Often the growl will be accompanied by the words, Get off my bridge!. [2] This bridge is the subject of several ghostlore stories featuring a vengeful ghost. They just gotta know.. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Shane absolutely ripping the titular demon in "The Demonic Goatman's Bridge" and actively challenging the Goatman to kill him, to no result. Reporting Graffiti. I can't be the only one who thinks an animated show in the vein of Gravity Falls and X-Files featuring these two would be dope.Audio i. While on the bridge, Madej goaded on the Goatman by exclaiming Goatman! Regardless of which origin gets told, old timers warn that knocking three times on the trusses of the bridge is an invitation to judgment, since the ghastly Goatman only spirits away those with the bloodlines of Klansmen or slaveowners into the woods for his terrible revenge. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Wikimedia CommonsThe Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. If youre really brave, go stand on the bridge and knock three times to meet the Goatman face to face. Alton was later abandoned after its county seat was moved to the neighboring town of Denton at the end of the 1850s. 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. All Rights Reserved. The bridge has become an unconventional tourist attraction due to its haunted reputation. 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. But when the Night Riders stumbled down to the dark rivers edge to confirm their murderous handiwork, they were shocked to find only an inexplicably empty noose dangling over undisturbed waters. Shane throws out this quote nonchalantly at the end of the Australian Shark Arm Murder episode and Ryan gets wide-eyed and hilariously uncomfortable at the notion. 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 for crossing cattle. If youre brave, you can drive up to the bridge and honk your car horn twice at midnight. Privacy Policy. A quirky collection of old chairs fills a random vacant lot in suburban Texas. The Old Alton Bridge's nickname, Goatman's Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. Code Enforcement Resources. For the Kentucky creature, see, "Legend of Goatman Survives Despite Lack of Evidence", "Maryland's Goatman Is Half Man, Half Goat, and Out for brains", "Famed Goatman Forever Held In Dusty Room", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Goatman_(urban_legend)&oldid=1142657702, Articles with dead external links from January 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 17:43. A fan animatic I made. The Old Alton Bridges nickname, Goatmans Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. Many believe a demonic entity with the head of a goat haunts the bridge. Shane immediately disregards this advice when Ryan tells him about the basement of the haunted house that previously had a pentagram drawn on the floor. You want me off this bridge you're gonna have to kill me. This in and of itself is not that scary, until you add the fact that those who walked away reported their car doors locking and unlocking on their own, and or breaking down. Witnesses have reported sightings of a goat-like beast with glowing eyes. Oscar was gone. The Klansmen rode back to his home and torched it with his family still inside. 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. Old Alton Bridge was built to connect Denton, Texas to the town of Alton, Texas. The Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. 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. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. [5][6], The Goatman lore isn't well known but there have been some adaptations such as the slimy alien version in the game, Goatman's revenge.[7]. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. SHANE'S Bridge. To say this angered the local Klansmen would be an understatement. But when his killers went down to the water to fetch his body, it had disappeared. Today, the bridge remains open only to pedestrian traffic. He says it in an exasperated way as they discuss the O.J. Goatman bridge shane graffiti; Kolter builder upgrades; Duplex for rent on lockwood; South tampa rental properties; Southgate townhomes for sale; Countdown To Christmas SALE. All hail Shane, King of Goatman's Bridge. It quickly became a meme with people connecting the quote with a crime statistics graph that shows crime plummeting after Shane says this once. Goatman's Bridge is the common nickname for what's formally called Old Alton Bridge, an iron-truss span that once connected Denton, Texas, to Copper Canyon. Haunted or not, the century-old bridge remains a popular site, even for those who are looking to take some peaceful photographs. [1], The creature was commonly claimed to have a human face but with a body covered in hair. Another story blames the work of Satanists. You will see the Goatmans glowing red eyes on the bridge. Now that youve learned about the scary legend of Goatmans Bridge, go inside the mystery of the Overtoun Bridge, Scotlands dog suicide hotspot. With vehicle traffic removed, the bridge became an important link connecting the Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trails. See. The bridges spooky reputation has since attracted amateur sleuths and paranormal investigators alike. All rights reserved. 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 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. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. Today, it is a popular location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. Shane says this line in the Black Dahlia Revisited episode when Ryan brings up he took an improv class. [.] This really does look like the bridge from quiet place where the poor little kid is killed. Because as usual Ryan is genuinely terrified to visit the haunted locations, and Shane is nonchalant about having to visit the terrifying places. Visitors hear hooves beating across the bridge, splashing in the creek below, maniacal laughter, and an inhuman growl that emanates from the woods. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. The new bridge straightened out a sharp curve on both sides of the creek and provided additional travel lanes. ghosthunter_girls/InstagramThe bridge was originally named after the old Texas village of Alton which shuttered in the 1850s. by Christopher Hudspeth, Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej On this episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural, Ryan and Shane visited. This gateway went both directions, and now the most popular sighting is of a creature that resembles a half-goat, half-man. Since the appearance on Buzzfeed Unsolved, it has only grown in notoriety. Director Ryan Bergara Stars Ryan Bergara Shane Madej See production, box office & company info Located between the Texas towns of Denton and Copper Canyon lies an unassuming old bridge thats said to be haunted by a demonic legend. Washburn was never seen again, they say, but a vengeful spirit has haunted the Old Alton Bridge ever since. But thrill-seekers still frequent Goatmans Bridge by foot to explore the legends that emerged after its construction. Its my bridge now! and Theyre gonna put my name in graffiti! 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. Proudly powered by WordPress Ryan and Shane pay a visit to the bridge to find out. 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. Built in 1884, by Shane Madej, it originally carried horses and later automobiles over Hickory Creek at a location that once was a popular ford for crossing cattle. 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. He is the master of the bridge, possessed by a demon from another realm. As a mentor once wisely advised, never let the facts of a story obscure the truths in the tale. Occasionally, it was rumored that Goatman would venture out to kill a dog or rush up abruptly beating cars with an ax. 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. Shane can't resist taunting the demons and ghouls by lying down on the spot and screaming this iconic line. At least one person who visited the bridge with a friend claimed they heard the growling voice. The Goatmans Bridge is my least favorite story, said Shelly Tucker, who wrote the book Ghosts of Denton and leads local tours around Denton. The site became a hotspot for satanists, performing rituals, rituals that led to the opening of a gateway into another realm. 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 legend concerns a successful African American goat farmer who, in 1938, is said to have been murdered on the bridge at the hands of local members of the Ku Klux Klan. Our loan officers specifically specialize in all types . [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. 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. During "The Gettysburg Ghosts of Farnsworth House Inn", Ryan is so spiteful of the confederates who died there that he decides to, In the first season, the Sallie House scared Ryan so much he refused to sleep there overnight and swore he'd never return. If youve been there, or happen to go, let us know what you experience in the comments below. Goatman (urban legend) Goatman was rumored to be similar in appearance to the mythical faun. Arguably the funniest and most quotable line from theseries shows Shane's approach to ghost and demon hunting very early on. | Scan this QR code to download the app now. Most versions of the tale tend to include a warning that knocking three times on the trusses of the bridge runs the risk of bringing out the Goatman. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. On a dark night in the late 1930s, a lynch mob of Kluxers stormed Washburns shack and dragged the screaming Goatman to their noose waiting on the bridge, tightened the rope around the begging Oscars neck, then mercilessly flung him over the side. Then, Oscar made the biggest mistake of his life; he hung a sign on the bridge that advertised, this way to the Goatman.. 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. According to local lore, this demonic presence was brought to the bridge by the ghost of a Black goat farmer who was brutally lynched by the Ku Klux Klan there. Let's revisit some of the funniest quotes from Shane from the series so far, get ready to laugh Buckaroos! Look at the way I dance on it. This isnt the Old Alton Bridge any longer.