Old Alton Bridge - The Goatman's Abode

One of the weirdest cryptozoological creatures is a strange hybrid monster known as the goatman. Tales of goatmen come from all over the world, and quite a few places in the United States have their own goatman legends. Perhaps the most famous is the Pope Lick Monster of Kentucky, which supposedly lures people to their deaths on old train tracks, or the Lake Worth Monster of Texas, whose descriptions sometimes sound goatman-esque, but more like Bigfoot in others.

Another famous Goatman legend is, like the Lake Worth Monster, also from Texas. This goatman supposedly haunts Old Alton Bridge, located in Denton County. The bridge was built in 1884 and is named after the town of Alton, a community which existed between 1850-1856.

The legend says that an African American man lived near the bridge and became a successful goat farmer. Local KKK members were not happy with the man's success, and one night in 1938, they kidnapped the farmer to hang him on the bridge. After they had tossed him over the side, they looked to see that the noose was empty and that the farmer was nowhere to be seen. In a panic they went to his home and killed the rest of his family.

Since that time, there have supposedly been many odd occurrences and encounters on Old Alton Bridge. People have reported seeing a strange creature that seems to be half-man half-goat, a ghostly farmer leading goats, or a headless ghost holding two goat heads. Strange noises are also reported, including horses galloping along the bridge, sinister laughter, splashing in the water below the bridge, and terrifying growling sounds from the woods around it.

Like most legends of bridges and specters, there is a way to see the goatman as well. Supposedly, if you drive along the bridge at night with your headlights off, you will see the goatman on the other side.
Some people have reported that their car doors lock on their own or that their cars will break down on the bridge. Only in Your State also mentions that "since 1967, police have discovered countless abandoned cars and investigated a number of missing persons cases where their last known location was this very bridge."

Is the legend of the goatman of Old Alton Bridge true? Or is it just that, a legend? Either way, it does have similarities to other stories of haunted bridges from around the United States and is very well known for its resident monster.

Old Alton Bridge - home of the Goatman
(mahanga, Wikipedia)

As a side note, a recent episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved covered the goatman of Old Alton Bridge. While not really a thing to watch for "real research," it is quite funny and a little spooky at times. I recommend it!

*This post is #1 in a series concerning legends and folklore of monsters and paranormal beings throughout the USA. Check the label to see the others.*