OLD ALTON BRIDGE IN DENTON, TEXAS

The ASUP has been doing extensive field research at the Old Alton Bridge in Denton County, Texas. Director of Research Joy Maner has spent several weeks checking into claims of the paranormal at the old bridge, which is a national Historic Landmark.

Joy reports:

The earliest information on the area where the bridge was built is that VERY near, if not the exact point of crossing, it was once part of an old pioneer trail. Many wagons passed through that way down one bank, through Hickory Creek and then up the other side on their way to a nearby settlement called Alton. Then from there, it continued on to the mail route from Preston Bend to Bird's Station and the early northeast-southwest Texas Ranger patrol trail.

In 1876 there was also apparently a shoot-out close by between the notorious outlaw Sam Bass and his gang and the Texas Rangers. Details are non-existent about any injuries and/or deaths. Many local citizens were arrested and sent to Tyler to the jail there for aiding and abetting the gang, however.

The "iron trus" or "through-trus" bridge, as it was referred to, was built in 1884 by the King Iron and Bridge Company Manufacturing Company. It was used for approx. 100 years for both pedestrian, wagons, and then vehicle crossings.

In the 1980's, the State of Texas declared the bridge to be unsafe for safely transport school buses, heavy sport utility vehicles, and super-size trucks across Hickory Creek.

In 1988, the bridge was finally listed in the National Register of Historic Places, due largely to the efforts of Wayne Stuart Ryan and also his wife Melbagene Ryan. She worked tirelessly as well after her husband became ill. As Rick Moran noted during his research, Mr. Ryan unfortunately died just hours before the bridge was dedicated in his name.

The bridge was eventually refurbished in 1992, and it became part of the so-called "Elm Fork Trail". Now it is a hiking, biking and and equestrian bridge much like the days of long ago when it was first constructed.

The new modern bridge was constructed and finished in 2001. It is located very close to the old bridge, and traffic has been rerouted onto it since then.

November, 2001, Annette Fuller, Dallas Morning News, Denton Bureau, wrote an article entitled, "Old bridge had creaks, chills, and

Goatman Aging Hickory Creek structure is a popular Halloween haunt".

In the article, she mentioned the most common folklore about the bridge. She quoted Michelle Galizia, 15, from Argyle, Texas, who said, "On Halloween, if you honk your car horn twice, get out of the car, and look into the distance, you can see the Goatman's glowing eyes."

The story goes on to say that a man was hanged on the bridge above Hickory Creek. The victim somehow lost his head and his ghost is returning to search for it. When he fails, the ghost kills a goat to use ITS head. Since then this legend of the "Goatman" has been a fixture in the local community.

In the same article, she also quoted Charlie O'Shel, a senior at Denton High School as saying that the Goatman draws teenagers from as far away as Dallas to see if they can visit the bridge without running home afraid. He went on to say, "A month ago, a bunch of us tried to spend the night under the bridge," adding that the group went home in the wee hours of the night, much more from being uncomfortable in their sleeping bags, than from any spooky occurrences. "My family has Halloween parties almost every year, and the hayride over the Old Alton Bridge is always the highlight."

In an attempt to substantiate ANY claims of a hanging from the bridge, I did many hours of google searches online. I also searched the online archives of the Dallas Morning News and the Denton County News. I spoke to Kim Cupit at the Denton County Historical Commission. I found that there are no documented hangings or lynchings in this small area of Denton County whatsoever.

The Dallas Morning News in particular was VERY diligent about reporting executions and lynchings in the Dallas County area, as well as from as far away as Louisiana and Montana during the late 1800's through early 1900's so I find it difficult to believe they would not have somehow found out about a lynching conducted at or near Old Alton Bridge.

Kim and I spoke together on the telephone for quite some time. She said that the "Burns Brothers" were hanged in 1879 and J. Q. A. Crews was hung on January 14, 1895. These two incidents of legal hangings were both conducted at the Denton County Jail as she has the documentation to prove that. There were also two men who were lynched in Pilot Point (which in the Northern part of Denton County) in 1922 for horse theft.

The sheriff of the particular county seat where the crime was committed used to be responsible for carrying out executions until 1923 when all executions were moved to Huntsville. Alton was the county seat of Denton County from 1851 until 1856. Then because of a drought they moved it to the town of Denton because of it's more central location and better drinking water due to an artesian spring in the area. This move occurred 28 years before the bridge was built! Therefore, it seems highly unlikely that a hanging or a lynching occurred on Old Alton Bridge at any time.

 According to the Paranormal Investigators of North Texas (or P.I.N.T.) website, there have also been tales of people seeing a lantern light swinging about 6 feet off the ground, outlines of people, strange noises, and car doors locking and unlocking themselves. This cannot be substantiated in any way; however, as I cannot locate any records anyone who has admitted to actually having witnessed this.

Sarah Blair of the Denton County Paranormal Investigators claims that she had run across information online of yet another version of the story.

In an email response to my inquiry, she said, "As far as Old Alton goes from what I found out during online research, is that in the late 1800's there was a man that lived out near the bridge, who owned several goats. The residents of what is now Argyle and Denton, thought the man to be a bit of a loner and sort of odd, though no one knew much about him. It is said that at one time he had a wife who died mysteriously. One night a few of the locals got drunk and found the man herding his goats, they then drove the man and his goats off the bridge. When the sheriff went to investigate, he was unable to find any bodies, human or goat. Shortly afterwards, a family crossing the heard strange noises coming from underneath the bridge. Upon looking back, they spotted the man, staring at them, holding the heads of goats, one under each arm.

There are also other stories about the kids from a nearby youth home doing devil worshiping and animal sacrifices under the old bridge, and we have found some "devil" signs spray painted under the new bridge.

Legends have it that you can hear hoofbeats on the bridge and splashing below, and sightings of a man with a goat's head. Other's have heard, maniacal laughter, nonanimal or inhuman like growling coming from the surrounding woods. We have spotted mysterious lights, possibly the lantern lights that people have sworn to have seen though they are usually red or orange in tint in photographs and in person but always facing the bridge.

I haven't had a chance to actually check out the story about the elderly goat herder and his possible murder yet, but am hoping to in the near future. The time would have had to been late 1800's since the bridge had only been built in 1884."

After this, I tried to establish any link to any news story online. Once again, I can't find any information about the supposed murder or attempted murder of an elderly goat herder.   

The photo below was sent to us and was supposedly taken by a visitor to the location a few years ago. 

Contributed Photo

Now after months of studying the area, we have begun to collect our own evidence substantiating some albeit certainly not all of the claims.

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