The Underground Railroad

Ohio: The Gateway to FreedomPresented by :Dr. Ronald Helms, Sean Guiliano, Allison Lorenz, Denise Naff,

& Angela Nyberg

Underground Railroad: Overview

• Underground Railroad began in isolated cases as early as the 1700’s

• URR reached it’s peak from 1830-1865

• Loosely connected stops in which runaway slaves could find safety as they fled north

Underground Railroad:Overview

• Lacked much formal organization• Vigilance Committees • Shrouded in Secrecy • Passengers and Conductors• Loose structure of URR leaves the

number of slaves finding freedom unknown

Southern Ohio

• Springboro

• Cincinnati

• Ripley

Springboro Ohio

Springboro Ohio

• Antislavery sympathies of residents: Quakers

• Location: situated between Great and Little Miami Rivers

Springboro Ohio

Springboro Ohio

• Jonathan Wright – Platted the village of “Springbourgh” 1814– Active member of Society of Friends– Strongly opposed slavery– Conductor of URR and his home was a

station

Springboro Ohio

Springboro Ohio

• Underground Railroad Codes– White Chimneys: still evident in Springboro

• Indicated that house was safe for slaves

– Quilts were also used as codes • Location of quilt

Cincinnati Ohio

• Many slaves arrived in Cincinnati after crossing Ohio River– Population of Cincinnati very helpful:

Quakers and many other abolitionists – Harriet Beecher Stowe

• Cincinnati resident from 1832-1850• “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”

Cincinnati Ohio

– Levi Coffin• Assisted over

3,000 slaves find freedom

• Known as “President” of URR

• “Central Station”

Ripley Ohio

• Located East of Cincinnati

• Location on Ohio River gave runaways a place to hide

Ripley Ohio

• John Percial Parker, an African American abolitionist and former slave, was one of the earliest and busiest station conductors

Ripley Ohio

• Reverend John Rankin's house on a hill overlooking the Ohio River shone like a beacon to fugitives making the dangerous journey across the great river

Underground Railroad Now

• Possible field trips for Students– Springboro’s guided tour– Ripley’s Rankin and Parker homes– Cincinnati’s Coffin Historical Home– Cincinnati’s Freedom Center

Freedom Center

Freedom Center

• Interactive Museum – Suitable for elementary through high

school – Hands on– Computer simulations – Several movie “theaters”

Freedom Center