The story of this strange creature is thought to have its roots in Pennsylvania’s lumber history. The only account of a person catching a Squonk comes from the book Fear- some Creatures of the Lumberwoods, a fantasy field guide published in 1910 by William T. Cox. In it, a man captures a Squonk in a sack only to feel the sack becoming lighter and lighter as he carries it home. Upon opening the sack, he finds nothing left but a wet spot. The northern reaches of the Greenway overlap with Squonk territory. Listen carefully for its sad sniffles and think twice before you step in any puddles. It might have been a Squonk!
According to legend, escaped slaves captured a Native American brave and maiden, and killed the man. The woman was able to flee, but, stricken by grief, drowned herself in the quicksand. Since that fateful day, she would appear over the swamp in a glowing orb. Her spirit would even help you if you went to the swamp and asked, and thus it became known as the Swamp Angel. The most famous account of the Swamp Angel originates with a man named Isaac Gaines, aka “Loop Hill Ike,” a re- al-life folk hero and legendary witch and monster hunter during his era. It is said that he called upon the aid of the spirit to break a witch’s curse, summoning her by burning a plant called foxfire. The Swamp Angel appeared with just the right advice and the day was saved. Next time you find yourself in a pickle, just make your way along the West Branch section of the Greenway to Clinton County, and see if the Swamp Angel can help you out!
swamp angel
Did you know the swamps of northern Clinton County once contained quicksand? It’s said that a strange glowing fireball known as the Swamp Angel still frequents those wetlands.
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