The area currently known as “Beaver Marsh” was once owned by Charles Carter and his family. Cater was the son of a canal boat captain and he spent most of his life working on the canal. This is why he built his house at the nearby Pancake Lock.
His son, Darwin, built a house just to the north of the homestead, and helped his father after we went blind.
When the canal was phased out and the family then opened a dairy farm on the property. Charles prayed for a rebirth of the canal, hoping to work on the boats once more, but his hopes were washed away with the flood of 1913. The flood destroyed the canal beyond repair. He then passed away the same year.
Both of the Carter homes have been demolished, the cow pastures became a junk yard until the site was cleaned up by the National Park Service. It was turned into a marsh once beavers were re-introduced into the region.
Many visitors have reported strange blue lights between the lock and the marsh, as well as footsteps along the boardwalk which stretched across the marsh.
Also, a shadowy figure wearing overalls has been seen running down the towpath. The towpath was once the Carter family driveway.
Today, it is believed that the spirit of Charles Carter is responsible for the activity. He must still waiting to see the canal restored to its former glory.
Doug
Every year we participate in late night bike rides and having grown up in the area and frequenting the towpath this is the only area I can attest to any activity. One night I got ahead of my 2 friends and I stopped and waited for them. We were headed North towards peninsula just before the canal lock when I smelled a strong tobacco smell as if someone was smoking a pipe within feet of me. I walked around a bit to see if maybe there was a person or couple walking nearby but nope.. Just me and a minute later my friends arrived.. Another time we have had stopped in the vicinity of the lock and have heard footsteps on the path. But nobody but ourselves were around.. We get great enjoyment riding the path at night and nothing really ever alarms us.. But this section of path does make you feel a little uneasy.