Posted in GeneralState Parks History
In honor of Halloween, we’re sharing some of the spooky stories that come from Ohio’s State Parks. This entry is part two of the series. You can read part one, featuring Malabar Farm and Mohican State Park here.
Enjoy these ghastly tales. We have one more part coming up!
At Beaver Creek State Park, there are many reminders of the time when this area bustled with commerce. Through the 1800s, grist mills powered by the tumbling waters of Little Beaver Creek ground grain into flour.
This precious cargo was loaded onto canal boats nearby, destined for cooks in the city. Today, hikers on the Sprucevale trail come across a single remnant of a community long deserted. The ruins of Hambleton’s grist mill are all that remains of the town of Sprucevale, which once prospered with the Sandy and Beaver Canal.
Hambleton's Mill at Beaver Creek State Park (photo by Juanita Ruffner)
With the coming of the railroads, the canal system declined and, along with it, many canal towns such as Sprucevale were abandoned. Three stone walls of the Hambleton mill stand proudly in defiance of the failure of the canals and the town.
Legend has it that sometimes, late at night, the figure of a woman may be seen wandering through the old mill. She is said to be the spirit of Esther Hale, a stern Quaker preacher who lived in the town, and has kept her vigil at the mill for more than a hundred years.
The abandoned mining town of Moonville, near Lake Hope State Park, had once been an industrial center where supplies were delivered daily by train. One night, the careless railroad brakeman at the Moonville station near the old Moonville Tunnel had a tragic accident while on duty.
Moonville Tunnel, Lake Hope State Park
As he was waving his lantern to signal the steam locomotive to stop at the station, the brakeman swayed and stumbled into the path of the oncoming train and was killed instantly.
Folks claim that sometimes, late at night, the eerie green and red lights of the brakeman’s lanterns can still be seen glimmering, waving back and forth by the old train tunnel.
Stories written by Jean Backs and first appeared in the 1996 Fall/Winter issue of the Ohio State Parks Magazine.
Have you seen anything spooky at any of the state parks? Share you stories in the comment box below!