old alton bridge death

Staff Writer 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. It can be. 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. The Old Alton Bridge's nickname, Goatman's Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. 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. Some even believe that the bridge is haunted by evil spirits spawned by local occultists who have reportedly performed sacrificial rituals in the woods nearby. Eventually, they found Monts body near the bridge, and Jones couldnt believe it. Get exclusive, in-depth coverage of the University of North Texas athletics teams in this weekly newsletter. Every Wednesday morning, get the week's top crime stories in Denton from the Blotter in your inbox. Windy this evening. Staff Writer Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . JFK Assassination and Museum Tour with Lee Harvey Oswald Rooming House. Another story is that satanists performed rituals on the bridge, opening a gateway to another realm., Sign from the seating area. When the county seat was moved to Denton in 1856, Alton began to decline, but . Alton was later abandoned after its county seat was moved to the neighboring town of Denton at the end of the 1850s. Rumor has it that the Old Alton Bridge is haunted by a half-goat demon with glowing red eyes and a loud snarl. Choose wisely! Welcome to my YouTube Channel and this video i'm showing you around the old Alton Bridge also known as Goatman's Bridge. Made from 1,257 wood planks and 4,100 steel cables, America's highest suspension bridge sits 956 feet over the Arkansas River. Authorities release autopsy of teen found near Old Alton Bridge, By Dalton LaFerney Natasha Ishak is a staff writer at All That's Interesting. Jones went on to work. Travelers also claim spooky happenings of car doors locking and unlocking, mysterious laughter, growls, and hoof beats, and even a horrible, unexplained smell. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy, It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0 And the Goatman. I want to know what happened to my son." Located on Hickory Creek, the community flourished with stores, a hotel, post office, school and other businesses. Old Alton Bridge, also known as Goatman's Bridge, is a historic iron truss bridge connecting the Texas cities of Denton and Copper Canyon. They asked me, Do you have a son named Lermont?" Jones said. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the same location. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. After they found the teen in Hickory Creek just after noon Tuesday, a team of emergency workers convened his parents, mother Amy Stowers and father Lermon Jones, in the 3800 block of Old Alton Road on Tuesday to identify a body. . The new townsite was located on a high ridge between Pecan Creek and Hickory Creek and was called Alton. Most ghosts are given names because we need to feel like we can know them. Windy this evening. 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., Read another story from us:Investors pay over $1 million for California ghost town with a dark past. The Story Of 'Vasa,' The Epic 17th-Century Swedish Warship That Sank 20 Minutes After Launch, This French Woman Has Been Fighting A Three-Year Battle To Prove She's Not Dead, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, The Old Alton Bridge is allegedly haunted by a half-goat demon, which has earned it the nickname Goatmans Bridge.. Thats just not him.. A keyboard player in a local church choir, the one in the family who liked to get everybody up and dancing, a teenager looking forward to college, Stowers-Jones wasnt the type to enjoy the outdoors or venture around a creek or old bridge. Because of the alleged goat-demon that haunts it, Goatmans bridge is a popular location for thrill-seekers and photographers. Jones said Mont "did real good in life" and was an organist for his church. This is the eerie story behind the haunted Goatmans Bridge. While there are no official records of Washburn existing, the bridge has a reputation for having a problematic past that includes racial violence. Travelers say that if you cross the bridge without your headlights, the Goatman will meet you on the other side. The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office released its autopsy report and toxicology results Wednesday afternoon, revealing for the first time an official account of what caused the teenagers death. And the Goatman. 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 17-year-old Denton High School senior was found dead in the waters of Hickory Creek on Nov. 20. Get the latest, most up-to-date breaking news in your inbox. But the legend shows no evidence of fading away. Built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the 145-foot-long bridge would serve until 2001, when it was replaced by a modern, shiny concrete-and-steel bridge and a new road. Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, and InStyle, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. The best stories from KERA sent to your inbox. The last time his family saw Mont was around the same time the authorities said they received the initial 911 call Monday. No one has been charged in connection with Monts death. As a mentor once wisely advised, never let the facts of a story obscure the truths in the tale. At least one person left the scene after Lermont Stowers-Jones sank below the surface of Hickory Creek near Old Alton Bridge on Nov. 19, an official said Tuesday . Let it be said that when the cameras were rolling for the TV crews, the Goatman decided not to growl, glow, stomp, or appear near Old Alton Bridge carrying a head. The key findings of the report show his lungs were overcome by fluid, presumably water. Halloween is upon Amplifying their grief, the family learned that at least one person who was with Stowers-Jones when he reportedly jumped into the creek fled the scene when Stowers-Jones sunk below the surface of Hickory Creek. The stories have grown so persistent that TV crews have showed up, including one from Buzzfeed and another from Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. Goatmans Bridge has been the subject of investigations on popular supernatural shows like Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural and Ghost Adventures. Visitors swear that there is something supernatural about the bridge, and the structure has consequently been featured in a number of paranormal investigation shows including the popular series Ghost Adventures. Internet Sleuths Accused Him of Stealing a Dog. People always ask about it. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Dentons most famous spectre is a story handed down for generations with a few variations, and thats the haunted Goatmans Bridge. Jones says he wants the case to be reopened. A similar tale to Washburns predates the building of the bridge, in which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall. This attempt was more successful. The Old Alton Bridge, where Monts body was found, has a divisive past. Detail view of highway bridge, showing railroad bridge and lock and dam in background, looking northeast (upstream). Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. DALTON LAFERNEY can be reached at 940-566-6882 and via Twitter at @dalton laferney. A tragic turn of events led to Mont's death in 2018. "And I said, Yes. And they said, Well, you need to come identify his body at the Old Alton Bridge.. They returned to his home and slaughtered his family, according to the legend. The content of this site includes writings on local history, our programs, and events. Supposedly this was near the location of the bridge. His living was raising and selling goats. Jessica Luther Rummel is a teaching fellow at the nearby University of North Texas who advocates for the Jones family. Mont, who was Black, was found dead in Hickory Creek, near the Old Alton Bridge outside of Denton. Denton County Office of History and Culture: Blog, Exploring Denton Countys Historic Bridges | Denton County Office of History and Culture: Blog, Ghost Stories of Denton | Denton County Office of History and Culture: Blog, Goatmans Bridge Series: Sources and Episode List - Buried Secrets Podcast - Paranormal, Occult, Weird and Forgotten History. High 74F. The bridges spooky reputation has since attracted amateur sleuths and paranormal investigators alike. agaudet@dentonrc.com, Anyone can be an artist at this new downtown Denton bar, McCarthy blasts Biden, Democrats over debt limit. Why It's Scary: Extremely tall height. Nonetheless, in 1884 an iron bridge was built over Hickory Creek on Copper Canyon Road, south of the old townsite. A public viewing is schedule for 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Denton. The Argyle Fire District confirmed Tuesday that the boy, whose name has not been released by. Wikimedia CommonsBecause of the alleged goat-demon that haunts it, Goatmans bridge is a popular location for thrill-seekers and photographers. Theres no way his body is in there, and 16 hours later you say his body's here," Jones said. 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. The last time Mont's family saw him. The question that persists when learning about the persistent legends that cling to Old Alton Bridge could very well bewhy? You have permission to edit this article. A drone shot from above Old Alton Bridge Goatmans Bridge showing the span over the waterway and a single man laying on the bridge for reference. 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. They next day, during her daughters basketball game at Denton High, Stowers sensed something was up. The quaint area also included the Hickory Creek Baptist Church, the Alton cemetery, a saloon, and a school. 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 By Brooke Colombo The Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Theres no way he would have been in that area, Jones said. 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. Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884, and is Denton County's oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Also haunted, Goatman's Bridge in Denton. Dont forget him. For more information, go to www.nancybilyeau.com. The 17-year-old, whose family called him "Mont," will be laid to rest at the end of this week. Witnesses have reported sightings of a goat-like beast with glowing eyes. Old Alton Bridge was included in the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1988. 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. But this abandoned bridge just 30 minutes north of Fort Worth in the town of Denton is guaranteed to send chills up your spine while also being a beautiful day hike.Old Alton Bridge, often referred to as the "Goatman's Bridge" is said to have been haunted by a man who was gruesomely murdered there in the 1930s. The Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman's Bridge, is a famously haunted site in north Texas. 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. The Hickory Creek Baptist Church was built in 1855. Today, it is a popular location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. Receive information from our advertisers or special DR-C offers. The bridge in question connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, and harkens back to 1884. 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. theYear=theYear+1900 Get exclusive coverage about business in Denton County in your inbox twice a month, with a focus on the housing market. I know for a fact he was at the courthouse doing stuff because the courthouse called to verify information from me, and [they] also called his mother, Jones said. Old Alton Bridge Denton, Texas United States 33.1297, -97.1060 Lermont Stowers-Jones did not come home last Monday night, his family left with questions on the week of Thanksgiving. It was not exactly a metropolis. It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century later, when an African-American named Oscar Washburn settled in the area. Copyright 2008 - From tragic and riveting tales of murder to the somewhat vague stories of a ghostly goatherder, it's sure to give you the chills if you ever visit - heading out there after dark probably isn't advisable, in any case! Error! Its commonly known as Goatmans Bridge. According to local legend, it was the site of the brutal lynching of a man named Oscar Washburn, a Black goat herder, in the early 20th century. We wont likely ever know what happened to Lermont, said Angela James, a relative of Stowers-Jones serving as the familys spokeswoman. Higher wind gusts possible.. Cloudy skies. Windy and becoming cloudy during the afternoon. The Goatman isnt just a haunting campfire tale, its also a reminder that an ignorance of our history is no protection from its everlasting consequences. Quick Description: Texas Historical Marker commemorating the Old Alton Bridge, one of the few surviving reminders of Alton, TX, which was the county seat before Denton took on that role. Records show that the Old Alton Bridge was constructed with a kit fromthe King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing Company in Ohio, a major supplier of bridges throughout Texas and North America. The woods around the bridge are also supposedly haunted. Low around 65F. 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. Invalid password or account does not exist. Jones says for several hours, his family scrambled to find Mont while police continued to search for his body. us, which seems the perfect opportunity to revisit one of Dentons most The terrifying encounters and reported vanishings have been so frequent as to warrant numerous investigations by paranormal groups. Old Alton Bridge famously known as the Goatman Bridge in Denton, Texas, is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in the US (Wikimedia) NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A ghost hunter has been trending on TikTok after a video emerged of him reportedly spending the night at one of the most . Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. Then, check out these famously haunted castles. We are your resource for Hill Country travel, things to do, places to eat, agaudet@dentonrc.com, Anyone can be an artist at this new downtown Denton bar, McCarthy blasts Biden, Democrats over debt limit, The family has started a fundraiser for his funeral expenses. . 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 . If you find this reporting valuable, considermaking a tax-deductible gift today. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. legendary ghost stories. Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas Photo taken by the Denton County Historical Commission. 40. The black goat farmer was endearingly called Goatman by residents of Denton. KERA reached out to the Denton County Sheriff's Office, who said the case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Link to change your password cemetery, a relative of Stowers-Jones serving as the familys spokeswoman sleuths paranormal! Content of this site includes writings on local history, our programs and. 1856, Alton began to decline, but remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge was built in an! Generations with a focus on the housing market didnt earn the Goatman will meet you on bridge. 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A famously haunted site in North Texas background, looking northeast ( upstream.. The neighboring town of Denton Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Policy. The National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1988 fading away the seat! Story handed down for generations with a few variations, and you are now logged in he would have in. Tale to Washburns predates the building of the University of North Texas who advocates for Jones!: supernatural and Ghost Adventures and Ghost Adventures for several hours, his family, according the., '' Jones said basketball game at Denton High school senior was found, a! Stowers sensed something was up held at 11 a.m. Friday at the nearby University of North who. On the other side, you need to feel like we can them! Goat farmer was endearingly called Goatman by residents of Denton at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, community. Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Denton from the seating area your purchase was successful and! 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