Gretchen's Lock

Ohio · United States · House

She died of malaria on 12 August 1838. The lock on this abandoned canal carries her name, and she walks the towpath on the anniversary.

Beaver Creek State Park in Ohio contains the remains of a canal system from the 1830s, and two of its locks carry accounts.

Gretchen's Lock is named for a young Dutch girl who died of malaria on 12 August 1838. On the anniversary of her death she is said to walk the towpath.

The precision of that date is unusual and it is what keeps the story anchored. Malaria was endemic across the Ohio valley in the canal years, and canal construction made it worse by creating standing water everywhere the diggers went. It killed labourers and their families in large numbers.

Jack's Lock has its own: a lock keeper struck by lightning, described as charred.

The Sandy and Beaver Canal was a commercial failure, abandoned within a few years of completion, and the locks were left in the woods where they still stand.

The park is public and the towpath is walkable.

FAQ

Where is Gretchen's Lock located?

Gretchen's Lock is in Ohio, United States.