Near The Pennsylvania Border Is Ohio's Once-Thriving Canal-Era Gem Now A Ghost Town Inside A Popular State Park

With over 2,700 acres of forested hills to explore, Beaver Creek State Park is a popular destination for nature lovers in Northeast Ohio. And there's more to Beaver Creek than the expected hiking trails and campground. Before the area was declared a state park in 1949, it was the location of the canal town of Sprucevale, which was home to several mills and about 20 families at its height. Sprucevale faded from the map after canals were replaced by railroads in the late 19th century, but there are still traces of it to discover for visitors to the park today.

For history buffs, the ghost town of Sprucevale is just one of many points of interest within this scenic state park nestled between Akron and Pittsburgh. Archeologists have found arrowheads and pottery in this area from the Fluted Point Culture dating back thousands of years, and the Mingo and Wyandot people lived here before the first European settler arrived in 1790. During the Civil War, it was where Confederate General John Hunt Morgan was captured in 1863. About 70 years later, in 1934, infamous outlaw "Pretty Boy" Floyd was shot while fleeing from police across what was then the Conkle farm and is now part of the park. While the farm itself is gone, a sign marks the location of his demise today. But the main historic attractions in Beaver Creek State Park are related to its canal town era and include two historic mills (one of which still works), several preserved canal locks, and a reconstructed Pioneer Village that gives visitors a glimpse into what life would have been like here in its pre-park days.

Sprucevale's origins date to 1813, when the Hambleton brothers bought the land and built a grist mill beside Little Beaver Creek. After construction of the Sandy and Beaver Canal started in 1828, a town started to grow around the mill. By the mid-19th century, it was a flourishing little town with a wool factory, two general stores, a post office, and a dozen or so homes. Then, in 1852, the Cold Run Reservoir Dam breached, leading to flooding and damage along the canal path. Since railroads were already replacing canals, it didn't make sense to repair the damage. The canal was abandoned, and Sprucevale dwindled to just a few residents by 1870.

Hambleton's Mill closed when the town died, but the building was left standing. Today, it's the only structure that remains from the once-thriving town of Sprucevale, though local legend says some former residents never left, either. The main spirit said to haunt the mill is that of Esther Hale,  an abandoned bride-to-be. She's said to appear clad in her wedding dress on August 12th, the day she was supposed to be married. Another spirit is said to haunt Gretchen's Lock, about a half-mile west on Little Beaver Creek from Hambleton's Mill. It's named for Gretchen Gill, a young Sprucevale resident who died of malaria in 1838 and was briefly entombed in the lock. Some say her spirit never left, and you can hear her calling for her mother when you visit the lock.

Beaver Creek State Park is near Ohio's border with Pennsylvania, about 60 miles from Pittsburgh and about 30 miles south of Youngstown. You can find Hambleton's Mill in the southeast area of the park, off Sprucevale Road. If you want to explore more canal-era history, you can pick up the Vondergreen Trail from the parking lot near the mill. It follows Little Beaver Creek all the way to the Pioneer Village and goes past four preserved locks in the course of the roughly 3-mile hike. You can also drive to the Pioneer Village by taking Sprucevale Road to Echo Creek Road, or via Cannons MI Road and Bell School Road to approach from the south (that's the path you'll want to take with an RV or trailer).

All areas of Beaver Creek Park are open daily year-round, but some buildings in the Pioneer Village have more limited hours. The Trading Post shop opens on weekend afternoons from May through October. Gaston's Mill, the Pioneer Village's still-working grist mill, only operates on select weekends during that span, usually during events. The largest of these is Pioneer Days, which happens every October and includes demonstrations of traditional crafts along with vendors, food, and live music. You can check the Friends of Beaver Creek Park Facebook page to learn about other events when you can see Gaston's Mill in action.

If you enjoy ghost towns, there are more you can check out nearby. The once-thriving village of Boston is hidden inside Cuyahoga Valley National Park, about a 90-minute drive from Hambleton's Mill. Or you can head about two hours the other way, into Pennsylvania, to explore the Steel Country history along the scenic Ghost Town Trail that runs for 54 miles through Indiana and Cambria counties.