DARING ESCAPES & HEROIC EFFORTS:
AMERICA AT ITS BEST
ew places share Clermont Country’s strong connection to the F American Civil War and our country’s legacy of freedom. Much of that legacy lies within the complex network of secret trails, hiding spaces, safe houses, and brave people who made up what we now know as the Underground Railroad. Our unique home was the pathway to freedom for thousands of enslaved people who were aided by sympathetic local residents, abolitionists, and allies. Clermont is home to dozens of major Underground Railroad sites, with 19 bearing the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom logo. These important sites along the Ohio River help tell our story of bravery and compassion, a story we are committed to preserving and sharing. Read on to start planning your Clermont County Freedom Trail experience. Clusters of the trail are accessible on foot, while other parts necessitate that you travel by car. Whether you plan to spend a day or more, you’ll find endless ways to learn about one of America’s greatest humanitarian endeavors—and along the way, you’ll find plenty of spots to pause and soak up the sights, sounds, and emotions still palpable in this region today.
Request or download a copy of the Freedom Trail Guide to discover the 33 National Underground Railroad Freedom Trail stops in Clermont County.
Visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in nearby downtown Cincinnati. Watch the museum’s informative videos, see and touch its artifacts, hear from world-renowned experts, and prepare for all that you’re about to experience in Clermont. And don’t forget to download the Clermont County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Freedom Trail Guide at discoverclermont.com/freedomtrail.
BEFORE YOU GO
NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
Now that you have everything you need, start your day in the historic river town of New Richmond. FOLLOW THE RIVER Close your eyes as you envision this scenic waterway as the active port it was for 19th-century
commerce. Make your way to the residences of prominent abolitionists Reverend George C. Light and Dr. John Rogers. Pick up a commemorative copy of The Philanthropist newspaper, and peruse the placards outside Cranston Memorial Presbyterian Church, an important historical meeting place for local abolitionists. Break for lunch at Front Street Café, then visit the birthplace of 18th U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant before venturing on to the home of Robert E. Fee, a local abolitionist who famously helped rescue enslaved woman Fanny Wigglesworth and her four children. Note the windows at Fee Villa, where the glow of lit candles once signaled safe harbor for refugees crossing over from Kentucky. As you continue along the Ohio River Scenic Byway, remember to reflect on the daily slave auctions that once took place just across the river, opposite sites like the John Parker House and the John Rankin House on the overlook bluffs of historic Ripley, Ohio. 14
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