Wherever a lock was built, boats had to stop to lock through. Businesses often sprang up at these spots, making use of the stopped traffic or the power of the falling water. Here at Lock 37, there was a tavern and a store. During the mid-1800s, the Alexanders built a mill across from this tavern. In time, that mill was sold to the Wilson family, who still own the business today. Regulating a constant four feet of water in the canal is a challenge. From the beginning, engineers struggled with too much or too little water. Near this busy lock is a flood gate that allows excess water to be released from the canal into the nearby Cuyahoga River. Even today this lock remains busy—being near the Towpath Trail, the Wilson Feed Mill, and the access road to the Fitzwater Trainyard.