Lonesome Lock Near Cleveland Is An Abandoned Canal Era Site... And A Place Of Legend
By Nikki Rhoades|Published October 18, 2021
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Here in Northeast Ohio, taking a trip through time isn’t too hard at all. There are all sorts of places that offer a window to the area’s rich history, but few places are quite as fascinating as the Towpath Trail. This route was once walked by mules pulling passenger ships between 1827 and 1913, and the old canal alongside its stretch was once busy. Of course, a flood shut the historic canal down for good, and today much of it is in ruin. Today, we’re going to explore one of the spookiest haunted locks near Cleveland. History and legend interact in this almost mythical place in the National Park. Check it out:
Out in Peninsula, there's a little ruin a few hundred feet away from the Cuyahoga River that reminds visitors of a bygone era.
Located half a mile south of the Ohio Turnpike, Lonesome Lock in the National Park is isolated and largely forgotten... except in legend. This site is 90 feet by 15 feet, and it's a standard mitered gate-type lock, but local legend argues that Lock 31 is so much more.
This lock, which was once part of the Ohio & Erie Canal, drained into Stumpy Basin, which is now a wetland.
According to the Canal Society of Ohio, the basin gets its name from massive stumps that once dotted the landscape. They were once nearly impossible to move, but they're now long gone. In fact, the land of Stumpy Basin where ice was once harvested by the Lake Erie Ice Company is now a wetland, largely reclaimed by nature.
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Even during the canal era, this site was known as Lonesome Lock, likely due to its isolated location...
Located just a stone's throw from Route 303, this site is accessible only by foot. It is fascinating and full of history, and watching nature reclaim it over the past few decades has been a treat.
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...But the name is especially appropriate now that it's a site of legends.
According to legend (if you believe such a thing), this is the most haunted lock in all of Ohio. In Ghosts and Legends of Northern Ohio by William G. Krejci, an 1891 newspaper clipping reveals that the lock has been "haunted" for well over a century. Purportedly, murders occurred at the site, including an accidental beheading that has resulted in a headless specter.
According to the aforementioned book, there was an accident on the old Valley Railroad right within spitting distance of Lonesome Lock. In 1885, a former Cleveland councilman stuck his head out of the train, hit the trestle of a bridge, and was thrown from the train.
The construction of the canal was also infamously brutal, and it's said that there is an Irishman buried along every mile of the canal.
During the time of railroad and canal expansion, Irish labor was cheap... and people of Irish descent suffered as a result. Canal digging was difficult, rife with injuries and disease from mosquitoes breeding nearby. Could there be a grave near this lock...? Perhaps there's not, but it's still possible that workers here sustained injuries that led to their demise elsewhere. Of course, it's equally as possible that there is absolutely no haunting associated with this site... but that's a less exciting consideration.
Today, this lonesome site is part of the Towpath Trail... and there's even a boardwalk extending out into the old Stumpy Basin.
All sorts of area hikers have explored the Towpath, and you can find all sorts of gems from a bygone era along the route. At over 100 miles in length, the Towpath trail stretches all the way up into Cleveland.
Today, the old lock hides in the National Park... and the only sign of life nearby is noise from the Turnpike a half-mile away.
Since the 1820s, this lock has somehow captured a piece of public interest... and it continues to do so today. If you have a chance, visiting the Towpath Trail is a true treat. There's a ton of history in the area, including some less-secluded locks.
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Whether or not you find the lock on your next adventure, you'll love your time in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
History aside, nature abounds here. There's something for everyone, from quaint shops in nearby villages to hiking and biking.
When you spot one of the most haunted locks near Cleveland, you just might feel a chill creep up your spine. Whether or not it is actually haunted, people truly did suffer digging canals during the era of expansion in the U.S.
