We’ve all heard of crazy myths and tall tales about our state, but this particular haunted bridge in Denton, Texas is known to give visitors nightmares.

You Could Say It's the GOAT When It Comes to Texas Hauntings

Old Alton Bridge is known not only as one of the most haunted bridges in Texas, but according to Only In Your State, this bridge is also the home of a creature called the Goat Man.

If you grew up in Central Texas, you’ve heard plenty of stories of the Goat Man living in Maxdale. You've probably heard he lives in a cave near Camp Tahuaya as well. There are Goat Man legends all over Texas, but Denton's is the most well known outside of our state, and for the most tragic reason.

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Do You Know the Story of the Denton, Texas Goat Man?

The story of Denton's Goat Man is sad and horrific, no matter which version you read.

Version 1

The story goes that a man of color living in the area in the early 20th century had a thriving business raising and selling goats. Naturally, this didn't sit well with the local Ku Klux Klan, who weren't about to tolerate a non-white having any success if they could help it.

Legend has it that in August of 1938, Klan members ambushed the man on the bridge and threw him over the side in an attempt to hang him. When they looked over the edge to make sure he was dead, they saw...nothing.

Fearing the man had escaped and might turn them in, they went to this home and slaughtered his family. However, they never found him or his body.

Version 2

According to WeDentonDoIt, there's another version of this tale that's equally grim, but ten times as terrifying.

This legend actually takes place before the bridge was even built. In that version, a slave by the name of Jack Kendall, whose job was to tend to goats, was lynched by a group of angry cowboys. They murdered him by hanging him from a tree, but were horrified to see his reanimated body rise from the ground and replace its head with a goat's head.

A Lot of Creepy Stuff Happens There

While people may not agree on the origin of the haunting, many people agree that the area is rife with creepy activity.

Some have reported hearing herds of goats bleating angrily, a headless specter holding a goat's head, and a half-man, half-goat hybrid creature. Texans also say they hear a galloping on the bridge or frantic splashing, and even the laughter of a madman.

Legend has it that since the late 1960s, countless missing person cases have linked to the bridge and the surrounding area. People have reported their cars acting funny, locking without a button being pressed, or simply breaking down on or near the bridge for no apparent reason.

Beware of the Old Alton Bridge

If you’re thinking about visiting this infamous haunted bridge, I would suggest being very careful. If you hear a herd of goats, hoof it!

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