History & local legend
The Maples was the original 1840 building at Carson Long Military Academy in New Bloomfield and later served administrative functions. A night guard who worked at the academy for three years described an encounter there in a recollection posted in September 2015.
During quiet rounds, the guard would stop to play with two kittens named Carson and Teddy. On one visit, while sitting on the floor with them, the guard heard a door creak and footsteps cross the wooden floor of the next room. One kitten ran to the stairs and stared toward the sound; the other stayed where it was.
Expecting someone to appear, the guard went to investigate but found the room empty. Afterward, the guard tested the doors one at a time, trying to reproduce the distinctive creak. The sound matched the basement door. The academy closed after the 2017–18 school year.
