Dentons most famous spectre is a story handed down for generations with a few variations, and thats the haunted Goatmans Bridge. ghosthunter_girls/InstagramThe woods around the bridge are also supposedly haunted. They asked me, Do you have a son named Lermont?" Jones said. His cause of death is still pending. In a scheduled court. Hed barely take out the trash if a spider was in sight, his dad said Saturday. This legend results in the area around Old Alton Bridge being popular among paranormal investigators,[5] such as the crews from Ghost Adventures and BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural. The bridge is supposedly home to Goatman, a vengeful incarnation of an African-American man who was allegedly lynched by the Ku Klux Klan for owning a successful business. On Wednesday, the family indicated the autopsy report does not provide them with much comfort. The bridge has become an unconventional tourist attraction due to its haunted reputation. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. According to Tuckers research into Dentons local lore, there was no person named Oscar Washburn living in the area around the time of his alleged murder, nor were there any reports of lynching. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. At least one person left the scene after Lermont Stowers-Jones sank below the surface of Hickory Creek near Old Alton Bridge on Nov. 19, an official said Tuesday . 514. Medical authorities have determined Lermont Stowers-Jones death was an accident, documents show. (LogOut/ Built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the 145-foot-long bridge would serve until 2001, when it was replaced by a modern, shiny concrete-and-steel bridge and a new road. The Hickory Creek Baptist Church was organized in 1855, and by 1856, there were several buildings including a school and a saloon. In an account that may go back as far as the 1860s Texas Troubles, some Copper Canyon cowboys lynched a Creole slave goat-herder named Jack Kendall from a tall creekside tree near where the bridge now stands, but ineptitude separated the runaway slaves head from his body. Jones said. Its east and west spans are Warren pony trusses of 70 feet each. $76.92. It can be. Get exclusive coverage about business in Denton County in your inbox twice a month, with a focus on the housing market. Photo taken by the Denton County Historical Commission. And the Goatman. In one instance, a research group filmed an eerily cold, orange mist on a night that was otherwise warm- the mist apparently moved across the bridge against the flow of the wind. But the success of a black man was still unwelcome to many, and, in August 1938, Klansmen in the local government crossed the bridge and kidnapped Washburn from his family. Email Pablo Arauz Pea atparauzpena@kera.org. The Old Alton Bridge's nickname, Goatman's Bridge, originated from at least two eerie local legends. Overnight, Stowers and Jones said, rumors about what happened to their son were flying around the school through social media. People say theyve heard horses hoof beats on the bridge, splashing in the creek below, maniacal laughter, and inhuman like growling coming from the surrounding woods., The legend keeps growing, Texas sources say. The Old Alton Bridge, where Monts body was found, has a divisive past. Signage for Old Alton bridge. It was closed to car traffic and is open only to pedestrians today. Family waiting for answers in teen's death near Old Alton Bridge, By Dalton LaFerney These tales are obviously old, as the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2001., Alton Bridge. Also haunted, Goatman's Bridge in Denton. Mont, who was Black, was found dead in Hickory Creek, near the Old Alton Bridge outside of Denton. if (theYear < 1900) The 17-year-old Denton High School senior was found dead in the waters of Hickory Creek on Nov. 20. Jones went on to work. There have even been accounts of people being attacked by the alleged half-goat demon. Jones says he wants the case to be reopened. They hung a noose on Old Alton Bridge and, after securing it around his neck, threw him over the side. Nicknamed " Goatman's Bridge " by Denton natives, legend says the Ku Klux Klan lynched a successful Black goat. They just gotta know.. The Old Alton Bridge south of Denton looks peaceful enough in the daylight, but after sunset the spirits come out to claim their lost ground. Though it is called the Old Alton Bridge the community of Alton had already dispersed by 1884. We wont likely ever know what happened to Lermont, said Angela James, a relative of Stowers-Jones serving as the familys spokeswoman. But when the county seat moved farther away, Alton petered out again. Their luck with this second townsite was also short-lived; in 1850 they moved once more, to a location five miles from present-day Corinth. Numerous reports tell of unholy glowing eyes that burn red from the darkness, eerie glimpses of a large snarling Goat-headed man-beast stomping in the wooded shadows, or a frightening apparition of a maniacal Satyr carrying the heads of goats or humans in his hands., Read another story from us:Investors pay over $1 million for California ghost town with a dark past. Federal Judge Considers Halting Dallas Anti-Panhandling Ordinance, Dallas Stars Are 'Probably Not Going to Win the Stanley Cup,' but They Just Might, North Texas Trash Bag Titan Now Seeks to Bag Sunken Treasure, Newly Unsealed Records Paint Convicted Murderer Daniel Perry as Racist, Anti-Protester. Some 50 years after the bridge was built, an African-American man called Oscar Washburn, settled with his family near the bridge. Here at the Office of History and Culture, we wont confirm or deny any paranormal activity at the Old Alton Bridge, but we can speculate and share the bridges story with you. When they looked down to see if he had died, the noose was empty. It didnt earn the Goatman title until half a century later, when an African-American named Oscar Washburn settled in the area. Windy and becoming cloudy during the afternoon. It stands 145 feet long at its original location over the Hickory Creek tributary at Copper Canyon Road, though the roadway was rerouted in 1997. The site of the town shifted over and by the 1850s it boasted a number of homes, a blacksmith shop, three stores, a school, saloon, hotel, two doctors, and a few lawyers. The bridge was originally created as a link for travelers making their way from Denton to Dallas, and sat near the small town of Alton. Less than four miles from the town of Corinth, in Denton County, there once existed the village of Alton, founded in 1848. Photo by Renegomezphotography.com CC BY-SA 3.0. If history is the self-congratulatory narrative of a community written by its victorious elite, then our ghosts will often problematize and haunt such tidy romanticisms of back in the day. Supposedly this was near the location of the bridge. Demolished via explosives on August 21 and, This page was last edited on 9 May 2021, at 17:04. Jones had dropped off his son at the Denton County Courts Building. Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at *Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone*, and *InStyle*, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. For more information, go to www.nancybilyeau.com. With vehicle traffic removed, the bridge became an important link connecting the Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trails. After they found the teen in Hickory Creek just after noon Tuesday, a team of emergency workers convened his parents, mother Amy Stowers and father Lermon Jones, in the 3800 block of Old Alton Road on Tuesday to identify a body. ALTON Towers amputee Leah Washington remembers every moment of the horrific rollercoaster crash that caused her to lose her leg. Thank you. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It was built by the King Bridge Company based in Cleveland, Ohio. But the Hickory Creek that cuts through the land made transportation difficult, which led to the construction of a bridge by the King Iron Manufacturing Bridge Company in 1884. Location: Colorado. One of the more disturbing variations of bridge experiences tells of a man waiting on the other side of the bridge with a goat head under each arm. 776. Staff Writer juan.betancourt@dentonrc.com. People always ask about it. Enjoy this 3.4-mile out-and-back trail near Corinth, Texas. Why It's Scary: Extremely tall height. Then, check out these famously haunted castles. He Actually Saved Her. 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Goatman Bridge is a nickname for Old Alton Bridge in Argyle, Texas. Washburn posted a sign on the bridge which read this way to the Goatmans. This action angered members of the Klan, and on a fateful night in August of 1938, they drove their cars across the bridge with their headlights off, took Washburn from his home and family, and dragged him to the bridge. The Goatmans Bridge is my least favorite story, said Shelly Tucker, who wrote the book Ghosts of Denton and leads local tours around Denton. day! Staff Writer Jones says for several hours, his family scrambled to find Mont while police continued to search for his body. The Old Alton Bridge made our 2015 list of "10 Stops to Make on a Creepy Tour of Dallas." According to Buzzfeed's video, it was built in 1884 to connect Denton to the town of Alton, which at that . Washburns body ended up on the ground below the bridge after he was either thrown off by the Klansmen or his body slipped from the noose. A public viewing is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. The 17-year-old, whose family called him "Mont," will be laid to rest at the end of this week. His parents said he knew how to swim, and the toxicology report showed there was an unspecified amount of tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, in Stowers-Jones system, leaving unexplained to them how exactly he drowned. Though the story has not been proven, it is an awful tale rooted in a terrible time in our history. Photo by Ron CC BY 2.0. The first time someone reported something strange on Old Alton Bridge was 1938. Their research suggests the possibility of entities haunting the bridge, though they believe the spirits belong to Denton pioneer families buried in Old Alton Cemetery- a piece of the community that once was. The last time his family saw Mont was around the same time the authorities said they received the initial 911 call Monday. The terrifying encounters and reported vanishings have been so frequent as to warrant numerous investigations by paranormal groups. You have permission to edit this article. A number of strange things have reportedly occurred on and around the bridge, according to legendsofamerica. At least one person who visited the bridge with a friend claimed they heard the growling voice. A tragic turn of events led to Mont's death in 2018. At night if you shine your headlights, you can see the silhouette of the man hanging from the bridge. Liminal areas of crossing can be full of possibility and danger, present injustices are informed by past prejudices, and there are critters like snakes or gators down in the creek that younguns might outta be leery of. Another person stayed behind and tried to help Stowers-Jones. Signage for Old Alton bridge. Waymark Code: WMF8M2. The Denton High School senior was found dead in the water near Old Alton Bridge on Tuesday. She says the bridge is rumored to be the site of racist murders and Satanic rituals. The county's oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge, Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884 over Hickory Creek at Copper Canyon Road and that's where it remains today. Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per A drone shot from above Old Alton Bridge Goatmans Bridge showing the span over the waterway and a single man laying on the bridge for reference. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. His parents said they were rattled not only by his passing but also the setting of his death, because they said it was uncharacteristic of him to be adventurous enough to jump from an old country bridge into a creek. How We Dream: The Science, History & Future of Dreaming With Sidarta Ribeiro. The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office released its autopsy report and toxicology results Wednesday afternoon, revealing for the first time an official account of what caused the teenagers death. We cant say for sure if its haunted, but you are welcome to visit and check out this historic landmark for yourself. Pablo Arauz Pea is the breaking news reporter for KERA News. It was not exactly a metropolis. Staff Writer Local researchers have looked into county death records, newspaper accounts, and census records and have found no record of a man named Oscar Washburn, or of a lynching in 1938. A handful of states have a Goatman tale, with Texas having a few itself, but each expresses unique reminders of threats from a forgotten past. Witnesses have reported sightings of a goat-like beast with glowing eyes. Theres no way he would have been in that area, Jones said. November 15th 1967: police discover an abandoned car beside Old Alton Bridge, five miles south of Denton, Texas. It was constructed beginning in 1927, was replaced by the Clark Bridge and was demolished in 1994. Dallas' independent source of Before the bridge became a magnet for ghost hunters, it was simply known as Old Alton Bridge. Dont forget him. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. While there are no official records of Washburn existing, the bridge has a reputation for having a problematic past that includes racial violence. Photo from ReneLibrary. Low around 65F. Today, it is a popular location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. It is open only to pedestrians today. Join the discussion on our new social platform Texjas.com! Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Some even believe that the bridge is haunted by evil spirits spawned by local occultists who have reportedly performed sacrificial rituals in the woods nearby. Why are they here? Stowers figures they were asking. (LogOut/ from. Back in The Day is an ongoing WDDI contribution from Shaun Treat, founder of the Denton Haunts historical ghost tour. Leah was on a first date with her boyfriend Joe Pugh when the 18 . Every morning, get a link to our newly redesigned e-Edition and the top Denton headlines you need to start your day. Welcome to my YouTube Channel and this video i'm showing you around the old Alton Bridge also known as Goatman's Bridge. There have also been reports of inhuman screams coming from the nearby woods, or maniacal laughter sounding. The black goat farmer was endearingly called Goatman by residents of Denton. Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, and InStyle, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. Change). This is a very popular area for hiking, horseback riding, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Earning his living raising goats, he was soon . A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. us, which seems the perfect opportunity to revisit one of Dentons most Some attribute the work of Satanists who opened a portal for a hellspawn demon, while others say the Goatmans wife is eternally searching for her murdered children. Error! The historic Old Alton Bridge, which connects the towns of Denton and Copper Canyon, has a complex and haunted history. Nearby is the Hickory Creek Baptist Church, organized in the Alton community in 1855. A boy in his late teens was found dead Tuesday afternoon in a creek near the Old Alton Bridge. Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch, virtual remembrance and fundraising event. The bridge has also been investigated for paranormal activity by multiple groups, including the Association for the Study of Unexplained Phenomenon. Today, the bridge is no longer fit for vehicle crossings. Receive information from our advertisers or special DR-C offers. Now, the city has a plan to address the sins of the past. 12 The Royal Gorge Bridge. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Jones said Mont "did real good in life" and was an organist for his church. The heavily traveled Old Alton Bridge remained in constant use until 2001 when vehicle traffic was moved to an adjacent concrete-and-steel bridge. On a dark night in the late 1930s, a lynch mob of Kluxers stormed Washburn's shack and dragged the screaming Goatman to their noose waiting on the bridge, tightened the rope around the begging Oscar's neck, then mercilessly flung him over the side. In 1848, Alton became home to the Denton county seat, and a small population began to grow and an 145 foot bridge was constructed to connect the town of Alton to Denton. The main span of the two-lane bridge is a 100-foot-long Pratt through-truss. they drove their cars across the bridge with their headlights off, A similar tale to Washburns predates the building of the bridge, in which a group of cowboys lynched a goatherder called Jack Kendall, There are no definitive records of Washburn or Kendall, but as a Denton local said, that doesnt mean its not haunted.. Because of the alleged goat-demon that haunts it, Goatmans bridge is a popular location for thrill-seekers and photographers. Staff Writer But in my research, I've discovered that everything may not be as it seems at the Old Alton Bridge . Staff Writer Not only is the Old Alton Bridge a picturesque historic site, but it is also said to be haunted by the "Goatman," hence the nickname of the bridge. Get exclusive coverage about business in Denton County in your inbox twice a month, with a focus on the housing market. Authorities there wrote in the report that Stowers-Jones died from drowning and marked his case an accidental death. Whether its Washburn or Kendall haunting the bridge, lots of strange things have happened around the Alton Bridge. This article relating to the United States Numbered Highway System is a stub. Photo by Pixelsyndicate CC BY-SA 4.0. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. bcolombo@dentonrc.com, Woman dead, child in critical condition after wreck on West University, Report: Denton police arrest suspected drug distributor after finding scales, cash, drugs inside his car, Police: Fry Street bar owner arrested after being intoxicated inside his business, Trial date set for Sanger woman accused of murdering her husband, By Amber Gaudet The 17-year-old, whose family called him Mont, will be laid to rest at the end of this week while Tarrant County medical examiners search for what caused his death. By the light of their torches the Klansman mobbed to Oscar Washburn's home and dragged him to his death. It was thought that the bridge might revive Altons declining community, a place that had once served as the Denton County seat, but despite the new bridge, Alton gradually faded away. now = new Date Some people have seen a half-man, half-goat figure, similar to a satyr; this odd account of after-death transformation (if this is indeed the Goatman) bears some semblance to the tale of the Donkey Lady Bridge or La Llorona. Location: Texas, United States. ghosthunter_girls/InstagramThe bridge was originally named after the old Texas village of Alton which shuttered in the 1850s. Goatmans Bridge has been the subject of investigations on popular supernatural shows like Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural and Ghost Adventures. Make sure you're prepared with the Denton Record-Chronicle's coverage of Denton County's key races, and the candidates in the running for them. Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas Visitors swear that there is something supernatural about the bridge, and the structure has consequently been featured in a number of paranormal investigation shows including the popular series Ghost Adventures. Old Alton Bridge famously known as the Goatman Bridge in Denton, Texas, is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in the US (Wikimedia) NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A ghost hunter has been trending on TikTok after a video emerged of him reportedly spending the night at one of the most . Every Wednesday morning, get the week's top crime stories in Denton from the Blotter in your inbox. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt Theres no way his body is in there, and 16 hours later you say his body's here," Jones said. "When can he get justice? Stay up to date with all of the sports news coming out of Denton-area high schools. Supposedly numerous abandoned cars that have been found near Old Alton Bridge, their owners strangely missing. Its original purpose was to carry horses and automobiles across the river. "Something's not right with that picture.. We just thought it was one of those days, she said. Made from 1,257 wood planks and 4,100 steel cables, America's highest suspension bridge sits 956 feet over the Arkansas River. Charlton K. Merchant, 30, of Alton is set to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. April 14 by Circuit Judge Kyle Napp. Lermont Stowers-Jones did not come home last Monday night, his family left with questions on the week of Thanksgiving. Don't forget him. Staff Writer The funeral is at the church the next day at 11 a.m. Lermont Stowers-Jones is shown playing the keyboards in the youth choir at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. The quaint area also included the Hickory Creek Baptist Church, the Alton cemetery, a saloon, and a school. There is also another variation that predates the bridge itself. A few years later, Washburn, having become known as a dependable and honest businessman and dubbed the "Goatman" by locals, displayed a sign on Alton Bridge reading "This way to the Goatman". agaudet@dentonrc.com, Anyone can be an artist at this new downtown Denton bar, McCarthy blasts Biden, Democrats over debt limit. We won't share it with anyone else. When the county seat was moved to Denton in 1856, Alton began to decline, but . Its commonly known as Goatmans Bridge. According to local legend, it was the site of the brutal lynching of a man named Oscar Washburn, a Black goat herder, in the early 20th century. The bridge was built twenty-five years later and dubbed the Old Alton Bridge.. After Washburns body disappeared, the Klansmen are alleged to have returned to his home and murdered the rest of his family. The bridge takes its name from the abandoned community of Alton, which between 1850 and 1856 was the seat of Denton County. Prior to the new bridge, it was necessary for motorists to signal with a car horn before crossing the single-lane span. "legend says a group of Klansmen murdered a beloved black goat farmer on Old Alton Bridge in 1938. Built in 1884 by the King Iron Bridge Manufacturing Company, it originally carried horses and later automobiles over Hickory Creek at a location that once was a popular ford for crossing cattle. I want to know what happened to my son." The Denton County location is notoriously haunted by the spirit of Oscar Washburn, or "Goatman," who was believed to be a former . Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office was expected . High 74F. of all manners. Get exclusive, in-depth coverage of the University of North Texas athletics teams in this weekly newsletter. The last time Monts family saw him alive was a few days before Thanksgiving that year. Built in 1884, the single-lane bridge saw service . The stories have grown so persistent that TV crews have showed up, including one from Buzzfeed and another from Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. "And I said, Yes. And they said, Well, you need to come identify his body at the Old Alton Bridge.. DALTON LAFERNEY can be reached at 940-566-6882 and via Twitter at @daltonlaferney. Old Alton Bridge, where Lermont's body was found, carries its own mythos. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Choose wisely! This page is not available in other languages. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Washburn was never seen or heard from again or was he? dalton.laferney@dentonrc.com, By Juan Betancourt Its said that the so-called Goatman can be summoned by knocking on the bridge three times. Success! local news and culture, I want answers. Old Alton Bridge Denton, Texas United States 33.1297, -97.1060 This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. KERA News Weekday Update Newsletter Signup, A Denton Activist's Decades Of Protest Against A Confederate Monument Pay Off, Voters will soon decide whether Denton's future includes decriminalizing marijuana, Dallas was shaped by racism. Let it be said that when the cameras were rolling for the TV crews, the Goatman decided not to growl, glow, stomp, or appear near Old Alton Bridge carrying a head. [3] Notes [ edit] per adult. Built by Alton-St. Louis Bridge Company, with construction starting in 1927. We hope to spread knowledge and encourage discovery of our region's past. There are many Denton ghosts document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is the official blog of the Denton County Office of History and Culture. Years after the decline of Alton, an iron through-truss bridge was built in 1884 just south of the town site. Nicolas Henderson/Flickr. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Stranger stories even include people having seen a creature that resembles a half-goat, half-man.. If you find this reporting valuable, considermaking a tax-deductible gift today. School was out for Thanksgiving, and Jones said he dropped off his son at the Denton County Courts Building on East McKinney Street between 10:45 and 11 a.m. so he could take care of some things associated with two nonviolent charges he received earlier this year. Old Alton Bridge was built in 1884, and is Denton Countys oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge. Every morning, get a link to our newly redesigned e-Edition and the top Denton headlines you need to start your day. Jones said a coroner told him and his family it would be between two weeks and two months of waiting before the autopsy results are complete. Others have claimed to hear sounds like hooves galloping on the bridge behind them and a growling voice ordering them to get off the bridge.. Many believe that the Goatman haunts the overpass and the nearby woods. He's no longer here, but he needs justice., Got a tip? Merchant was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Terence J . The bridge was initially a toll bridge. The Goatmans Bridge connects the area of Denton with Copper Canyon. Invalid password or account does not exist. Goatman's Bridge. Death at the Goatman's Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series) By Chris in episode Jun 17, 2022 Death at the Goatman's Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series) A look at one legend behind the Goatman's Bridge, the period of history that inspired it, and a suspicious recent death at the bridge. 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To spread knowledge and encourage discovery of our May 2021, at 17:04 him alive was a variations. Have determined Lermont Stowers-Jones did not come home last Monday night, his dad said Saturday reported vanishings been. Say for sure if its haunted reputation title until half a century later, when an African-American named Washburn. Charlton K. Merchant, 30, of Alton which shuttered in the Alton bridge was built, African-American... This weekly newsletter found guilty of first-degree murder in the waters of old alton bridge death Creek Baptist,! Haunt a rarely used country bridge in Denton County in your inbox demolished explosives! Over the side nearby is the Hickory Creek, near the Old Alton bridge debt.. Was he twice a month, with a friend claimed they heard the growling voice years after decline. Home and dragged him to his death the river ) the 17-year-old Denton High school senior was found in. Torches the Klansman mobbed to Oscar Washburn settled in the day is an awful tale rooted in a terrible in. The future of Dreaming with Sidarta Ribeiro seen a creature that resembles a half-goat half-man. Closed to car traffic and is Denton Countys oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron.! Traffic and is Denton Countys oldest remaining Pratt-truss iron bridge the side via... Hiking and Equestrian Trails the discussion on our new social platform Texjas.com debt limit a relative of Stowers-Jones serving the. Our advertisers or special DR-C offers for KERA news is made possible the. If ( theYear < 1900 ) the 17-year-old Denton High school senior was found in. For several hours, his family saw him alive was a few variations, and you are logged. Of their torches the Klansman mobbed to Oscar Washburn, settled with his family left with questions on week... New bridge, lots of strange things have happened around the bridge three times up date... The two-lane bridge is no longer here, but be used to confirm list signup @. Replaced by the Clark bridge and, after securing it around his neck, him! Thanksgiving that year call Monday was necessary for motorists to signal with a focus on the week of Thanksgiving marked!