Texas' Most Terrifying Bridge Is A Historic Landmark Famed For Horrifying Legends

Fans of the paranormal have tons of allegedly haunted spots to visit across the United States. Though the U.S. is a bit younger than countries on the other side of the Atlantic, America's complex and often-violent history, combined with plenty of well-preserved historical sites, gives the U.S. plenty of prime spots for ghostly activities. When imagining the most haunted places in America, you probably picture old prisons, battlefield sites, or abandoned hospitals. These spots certainly factor into America's pantheon of haunts, but other spots with intriguing paranormal lore are just as spooky, even if a bit less flashy. The perfect example of this is Texas' Old Alton Bridge. 

At first glance, the bridge may not look like much. It's a bit creepy, to be sure. First opened in 1884, the Old Alton Bridge has a distinctly rustic look, indicative of age and decay. But the Old Alton Bridge is also quite small — and more importantly, in the middle of nowhere. The bridge sits between the city of Denton and the adjacent town of Cooper Canyon just north of Dallas, and it spans a small tributary of Hickory Creek. With little in terms of civilization or industry around it, the Old Alton Bridge isn't all that important beyond local foot traffic through a heavily rural and forested area. 

But even though it doesn't look like much during the day, when night falls the bridge's infamous reputation comes out. According to local legend, the Old Alton Bridge is the domain of one of the most terrifying specters in American folklore — a malevolent half-man, half-goat entity that gives the Old Alton Bridge its notorious sobriquet: "the Goatman's Bridge." 

Bridges are an underrated spot for good scares. But while many of the most terrifying bridges in the world earned their reputations from extreme heights, complex engineering, or shoddy construction, some have a macabre characteristic that's perfect for spooky stories. This is certainly the case with the Old Alton Bridge and its legendary Goatman. When the tales began to circulate is unclear, but for decades visitors have reported terrifying paranormal events on the bridge after dark. Many have sworn they've seen the Goatman himself, a terrifying creature with the body of a man and the head of a goat, waiting for them on the other side of the bridge. 

Like most legends, the tale of the Goatman has many variations. But the most common version draws from the real-world horrors of racism. According to the story, an African-American man named Oscar Washburn ran a prosperous goat farm near the bridge. Despite living in an era of Jim Crow segregation, Washburn's farming business was so successful that he eventually hung a sign on the Old Alton Bridge proclaiming: "This way to the Goatman."

But Washburn's success and boldness soon drew the ire of the local Ku Klux Klan. One night, several Klansmen attacked Washburn's farm, dragged him from his home, and took him to the bridge with the intent of hanging him over the creek. But when they dropped him from a noose off the side of the bridge, Washburn's body suddenly disappeared. In a panic, the Klansmen destroyed Washburn's farm and killed his family. Today, Washburn's spirit still haunts the Old Alton Bridge as the terrifying "Goatman," seeking revenge on the descendants of those responsible for the death of his family. 

To date, no one has found actual evidence of an African-American farmer named Oscar Washburn or the exact events described in the legend. But Texas does have a dark history of lynching and racial violence. As with so many urban legends before it, the tale of the Goatman's Bridge touches on real-life horrors even as it delves into the supernatural.

Ghost stories aside, the Old Alton Bridge still stands above Hickory Creek as a Texas Historic Landmark. Newer bridges nearby have since assumed all the local vehicle traffic, so the Old Alton Bridge exists mainly as a pedestrian bridge just off the Elm Fork Trail. Sitting less than an hour's drive from downtown Dallas, the Old Alton Bridge is an easy stop on a road trip to see some of Texas' hidden gems. During the day, the bridge provides a nice, peaceful walk along the riverfront and the nearby woods. But if you dare cross the bridge after night falls, you just might come face to face with the infamous Goatman, one of Texas' most infamous, and enduring, legends.