1. The Underground Railroad Ohio: The Gateway to Freedom Presented by :Dr. Ronald Helms, Sean Guiliano, Allison Lorenz, Denise Naff, & Angela Nyberg

2. 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

4. 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

5. Southern Ohio Springboro Cincinnati Ripley

6. Springboro Ohio

7. Antislavery sympathies of residents: Quakers Location: situated between Great and Little Miami Rivers

8. Springboro Ohio

9. 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

10. Springboro Ohio

11. 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

12. 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”

13. Cincinnati Ohio –Levi Coffin Assisted over 3,000 slaves find freedom Known as “President” of URR “Central Station”

14. Ripley Ohio Located East of Cincinnati Location on Ohio River gave runaways a place to hide

15. Ripley Ohio John Percial Parker, an African American abolitionist and former slave, was one of the earliest and busiest station conductors

16. 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

17. 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

18. Freedom Center

19. Interactive Museum –Suitable for elementary through high school –Hands on –Computer simulations –Several movie “theaters”

20. Freedom Center