Peleg Walker and the Ram Tail Mill Multi-cache

It was 1799, and a gentleman from Warwick by the name of William Potter bought some land on the Ponagansett River, founding the Foster Woolen Factory, also known as the Ram Tail Mill. After a few years, he expanded the operations there and by 1813 had brought on his son-in-law, Peleg Walker. Peleg worked as the night watchman and would sound the bell to get the day shift started. He held this position for some time until eventually, an argument broke out between Walker and Potter. During this argument, Walker was supposedly heard saying that one day “they'd have to grab the keys from the pocket of a dead man."

Sure enough, that day would come. On May 19, 1822, Peleg was found hanging from the bell rope with the keys in his pocket. There are rumors and questions that still surround his death. Did he end his own life, or did somebody end it for him? Either way, he certainly did not die of natural causes.

The journey begins at the historic Hopkins Mill Pond. There is a gravel road across from telephone pole #3 on Winsor Road. You can park on the street near here (P1) or a few feet in (P2). This is a DEM fishing area and nearby are the remnants of a dam that ran a mill up into the mid-1900s. To get to the first stage, you will have to follow a narrow footpath around the pond. It is slightly overgrown and can be difficult to spot, so you can refer to the waypoint coordinates (TH) to find it.

This is Foster #38, the Potter Lot. Both William Potter and Peleg Walker are buried here. There is a waypoint for Peleg’s grave (PW), which is still in decent shape. It may be hard to make out, but the epitaph (appropriately) reads: “Life how short, Death how eternal.” Nearby is his widow, Mary Potter Walker, who died in 1837 and never remarried.

The cache container is a micro test strip container that holds coordinates for the second stage. Please conceal it at least as well as you found it and head back the way you came. From here, it’s a short drive to the next part of your journey.

After Peleg’s death, strange things started to happen at the Ram Tail Mill. The bell started to ring on its own, so they removed the rope. When it still rang, they had to get rid of the bell. And at night the glow of a lantern, much like the one Peleg carried, could be seen moving through the area. On other occasions, there were reports of the mill running with nobody present and of the waterwheel turning backwards, against the flow of the water.

The place was cursed with the rumors of Peleg’s spirit, eventually forcing the mill out of business in the 1840s. It was later destroyed by arson in the 1880s and was cited as haunted by the Rhode Island State Census in 1885.

The rest of your journey is located in the Foster Land Trust. Parking is located at the gate behind the cemetery. The trail to the final near the ruins of Ram Tail Mill is well established. As it is on Providence Water Supply property, permission is now required to access the mill so you will need to pay attention to the yellow signs. But this should not matter too much as there have been strange sightings throughout this entire area.

There will be a trail that branches off from the main road, just before it continues onto private property. From here, it is a short walk to the final. It is a small camoed lock ‘n lock which includes a short history of the location. Unfortunately, because of the creepy vibes lingering in these woods, I was in a rush to leave and cannot recall the exact spot it was hidden. Good luck!