Latest / Mystery Archives Episodes / The Horrifying Legend Of Goatman Bridge (Old Alton) - Texas

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The Horrifying Legend Of Goatman Bridge (Old Alton) - Texas · Mystery Archives Episodes

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There's a place deep in the woods of Denton County, Texas,
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where iron and timber hold more than just history.
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They hold secrets. A place where time seems to
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pause, the trees lean in to listen, and the air itself feels
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wrong. This is Old Alton Bridge, better
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known by the name that chills to the bone, Goatman's Bridge, a
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place where history, folklore, and true terror collide.
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Tonight, I'll walk you through its haunted past, the horrifying
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legend at its center, and the disturbing accounts of those who
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dared to tempt fate. If you think you know the story,
0:55
think again, because the goat man is more than just a tail,
1:01
he's a warning. Do you like supporting your
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1:51
Thank you guys. And now we'll switch gears yet
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again so you can enjoy this very creepy episode.
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Our story begins long before the legend ever took shape.
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In 1884, Old Alton Bridge was constructed as a one lane iron
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Truss bridge spanning Hickory Creek in Denton County.
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Designed by the King Iron Bridge Manufacturing Company, it
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connected the city of Denton with the now abandoned town of
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Alton. Alton, once a county seat in the
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mid 1800s, faded into obscurity after just a few years.
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It was a short lived frontier town that saw the rise and fall
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of local politics before vanishing all that remains
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today. Our cemetery.
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Some scattered historical records and this rusting
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monument to a forgotten era. The bridge was once a critical
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connection between Denton and other communities supporting
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wagon and later automobile traffic.
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It was narrow, too narrow for two cars to cross
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simultaneously, so drivers were instructed to honk their horns
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before entering. This quirk would later evolve
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into part of the ritual, honking, knocking, and calling
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out for something unseen. By the 1990's, the bridge showed
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its age. A modern concrete bridge was
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built nearby, rerouting traffic and sealing the fate of Old
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Alton Bridge. It was closed to vehicles in
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2001 and preserved as a pedestrian crossing, serving as
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a historical landmark and a quiet footpath for nature
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enthusiasts. But as the road grew still,
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something ancient stirred beneath the iron.
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Whispers, sightings and stories began to spread louder, darker,
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and more frequent. Something was waiting.
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The story that gave the bridge its infamous nickname begins
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with tragedy and hate. According to local legend, in
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the 1930s, an African American goat farmer named Oscar Washburn
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lived near the bridge. He was known for the quality of
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his livestock, his products, and the integrity of his business.
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Proud of his work, he posted a wooden sign on the bridge that
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read this way to the Goat man. But success in that time in that
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place came with danger. Washburn's prosperity and
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defiance of social norms drew the attention of local alleged
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members of the Ku Klux Klan. 1 summer night, they crossed the
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bridge without headlights, stalked the area, and then
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stormed his home. Although Washburn fought back as
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hard as he could, he was outnumbered.
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They dragged him to the bridge, tied a noose around his neck and
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threw him over the side. Expecting a series of struggled
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gasps, they instead heard nothing.
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When they looked over the edge, Washburn was nowhere to be
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found. No splash, no thrashing, just an
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empty robe swaying in the breeze.
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Panicked, the mob returned to his property and frantically
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searched for him, but their efforts were ultimately
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fruitless. However, inside the house
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resided Washburn's wife and children.
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Unable to carry out their original mission, they instead
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turned their hateful energy towards his family.
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Although details are hazy at best, they somehow were able to
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lock them inside the house by barricading them and with the
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strike of a flame, lit the home on fire.
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Within minutes, Washburn's family's screams were
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extinguished as the home burnt to embers.
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The once proud farmer, Oscar Washburn, was never seen again.
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However, something else, something unearthly, seemed to
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take his place. Witnesses soon began to report a
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terrifying creature lurking near the bridge, a being with the
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body of a man and the head of a goat, eyes glowing red, hooved
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feet stomping across the bridge in the dead of night.
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They said he was a spirit of vengeance, a soul wronged by
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evil returned to punish the wicked.
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But not everyone agrees on the origin.
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Another story stretches even further back to the 1860s.
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During the chaos of the Civil War, a man named Jack Kendall,
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possibly at that time a freed man, was lynched by a group of
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outlaws. Upon the gruesome act, the ropes
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severed his head, which plunged into the waters below.
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Moments later, the body rose, resurrected by dark forces.
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Kendall, or what became of him, rather than searched and found a
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suitable replacement for his head, he found severed and then
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placed the head of a goat upon his neck.
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From that day forward, the area was considered cursed.
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Some believe this earlier entity fused with Oscar Washburn
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spirit. Others believe the Goat Man is
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something older still, something demonic.
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Whether man, myth, or monster, the Goat Man's story does not
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end in the past. It continues to this very day.
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The stories began as whispers, then screams.
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Teenagers dared each other to visit at midnight, couples
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parked nearby only to flee in terror.
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Paranormal investigators brought their cameras, their meters,
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their courage, and still they too ran.
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Some reports seeing a tall, muscular figure covered in dark
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fur with long twisted horns. Others described glowing red
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eyes staring from the tree line. Visitors hear phantom hoof beats
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clattering across the wooden bridge, sometimes fast,
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sometimes slow, as if something is stalking them unseen.
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Hands tug at clothing, claw marks appear on backs and hair
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stands up on end. Breaths have even been known to
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fog in the summer heat. One woman said she heard her
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name whispered in her ear, only to turn and find no one behind
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her. Another man found his phone
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camera disabled when he tried to record, and when he finally
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left, his footage was overwritten by static.
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Multiple Evps, otherwise known as electronic voice phenomena in
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what they've captured is disturbing.
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From growling voices saying come back to crying children, to
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women sobbing, and even what has sounded like a goat screaming in
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agony. There are many rituals to
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supposedly summon the goat man, but this is one of the most
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infamous. Upon visiting the bridge, one
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must knock three times on the steel rails, say his name, and
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then wait. Some say the air changes, the
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temperature drops, others say nothing happens at all and tell
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their home. 1 Teen reported seeing hoof prints in her
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driveway the next morning. Another said she was followed by
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a horned shadow. For weeks, she'd wake up
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screaming. Scratches also appeared on her
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arms. Paranormal teams have
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experienced battery drains, unexplained interference and
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equipment malfunctions. Some refused to return after
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what they saw. There is another entity that has
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been seen at the bridge as well, certainly at this point, a
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lesser known figure. The woman in white as she is
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called, is a translucent figure that is sometimes seen crying
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beside the bridge. Some say that she's Washburn's
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wife, still searching for her lost children for all of
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eternity. When approached, she disappears,
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or worse, she screams in your face.
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And then there are the missing visitors who have vanished.
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Cars have been found empty there, phones that have been
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left recording but with no sign of their owners, and footprints
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that stop in the middle of the bridge.
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Whether goat man or a ghost, something lurks there and this
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something does not want to be disturbed.
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While the legend terrifies, real events near the bridge have
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raised deeper concerns. In 2018, a 17 year old named
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Lermont Stowers Jones was found dead near the bridge.
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The official ruling was accidental drowning, but many in
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the community weren't exactly convinced.
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The case drew media attention, with some pointing to the
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Bridges history of violence. In 2023, another man, Alan
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Wilson, was found shot to death in the gravel lot near the
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bridge. His murder remains unsolved.
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To many, these modern tragedies echo the past.
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Whether supernatural or symbolic, the bridge has become
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a place where death lingers and yet people still come.
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Paranormal TV shows like Ghost Adventures and BuzzFeed Unsolved
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have featured the bridge, with some of their team members
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leaving shaken, leaving with voices captured on tape and
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figures seen in the shadows, and the feeling of a heavy presence
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pressing down on their chests. Ghost tours now include the
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bridge on their nightly routes, and locals warn not to go there
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alone. And fair warning, it seems as
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though local authorities have increased their patrols of the
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area, especially around Halloween.
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Despite or because of its reputation, Goatman's Bridge has
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become one of the most haunted locations in Texas, and
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allegedly, the Goat Man is more active than ever.
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So what is the Goat Man? A tormented spirit?
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A vengeful ghost? A demon summoned by occult
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rituals? Some believe that it could be a
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tulpa or a manifestation of belief itself, shaped by decades
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of fear and storytelling. Others think it's a warning left
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by the past, a reminder of atrocities that must not be
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forgotten. Local legends say the Goat Man
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only harms those who come with hate and their hearts that his
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vengeance is specific, targeted and moral.
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Others believe that he or it has no rules, only rage.
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But whether rooted in justice, voodoo or hell itself, the Goat
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Man is allegedly more than myth. It is a presence, a predator, a
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protector. And it is watching.
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So now that you know the supposed truth, would you cross
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the bridge? Would you knock three times?
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Would you speak his name? Thank you for joining me on this
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journey into the unknown. If you enjoyed this exploration
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into real life horror, be sure to like, subscribe, and share
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your thoughts in the comments below.
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Have you visited Goat Man's bridge?
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If so, what did you see? How did it make you feel?
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And if you do ever find yourself in Denton County, think twice
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before stepping onto that bridge because the Goat Man just might
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be watching. As always, guys, I appreciate
16:43
you. I tried a little bit of a
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different approach on this video.
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So if you enjoyed it, definitely leave it a like subscribe and
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share it around. All those things help me out
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support the channel, consider becoming a patron over on
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well as all my content ad free either way.
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And or you can check out my store where I sell my books and
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merchandise shown here. And I'll also link these down
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below in the description. I always appreciate your guys's
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patience and support. I know sometimes it takes me a
17:21
while to get content out, but there's just a lot of stuff
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going on in the background and I know you guys understand and,
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and for that I am truly grateful.
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But we're here, we're back at it.
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We're pushing forward. So just so you know, I'm doing
17:35
decent. We're we're working through the
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chaos. But yeah, if there is a story
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that you'd like covered that I haven't covered yet.
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Also definitely let me know down below in the comments.
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I did also want to give a big shout out to Jason who requested
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this video and or topic. I hope I did the story justice,
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my friend. And thank you for not only
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watching, but for taking the time.
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I can't remember exactly if you recommended Goat Man Bridge in
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the comments or the Discord or both.
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But yeah, either way, thank you. And Speaking of Discord, you
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guys should definitely join if you haven't already.
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It is completely free. And I'll put the link on screen
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now, as well as in the description below.
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There you can talk to me and other members of this wonderful
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community. So yeah, we always have a great
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time. So you should hop in there.
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This has been Cody here at Mystery Archives.
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Remember to please stay safe out there from Goat Man and demons
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and well, anything that really goes bum in the night and I'll
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see you next time. Take care.