Cycling the Underground Railroad--Part 2

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 DAY 5:  Aberdeen to Milford, OH

The Ohio River from old Front Street. Ripley, Ohio

As I rode along the Ohio River this morning, I heard thunder in the distance.  In a while the streak of good weather I have been enjoying would be snapped by an hour or so of rain.  But I really didn't mind.  It added to the ambiance. 

I soon arrived in the town of Ripley.  Founded in 1812, this borderland outpost found itself in the crosshairs between proslavery and abolitionists activists and was the first "station" of the Underground Railroad in this free state.


But just because Ohio was "free" didn't mean ot was safe for "runaway slaves." Bounty hunters from Kentucky would roam the streets and search the woods for fugitives for which they could collect bounties.

John Parker, a black free man, ironsmith, inventor and patent holder by day risked his life at nights by crossing the Ohio to bring others to freedom.  His house on the banks of the Ohio stands next to a park in his honor.

The John P. Parker house on Front Street in Ripley

Under the cover of darkness, Parker would point the escapees toward the house overlooking the town with the candles glowing in the windows, which could even be seen clearly from the Kentucky shores.  Here lived John Rankin, a Presbyterian preacher, staunch abolitionist and chief of this line of the Underground Railroad.  Rankin and his sons moved as many as 2,000 freedom seekers on their journey nothward.
John Rankin's home on the hill above Ripley. 

The view from this spot is amazing!  When I got up to the top, it started raining. 

Vista from Rankin's home.

In her book, Beyond the River, Ann Hagedorn, a journalist who lives in Ripley, accurately recounts the story of Rankin and his associates on the Railroad.  A good read.

From Ripley I turned to the north, climbing up two ridges.  This was the path fugitives had to take to their next stations.

I rode through Georgetown and Williamsburg, key stations on the Underground.   I also discovered Holtman's, but unfortunately it was closed.


Milford was today's destination, just over 61 miles from the start.  Yesterday I met two other "senior cyclists," Jeff and Larry, who had started near Dayton and were following this same route to the South.  They would go as far as Mississippi, then turn east to Atlanta (where Jeff's daughter lives) on rail trails.  It's always good to run across fellow bike tourers!

Today's mileage: 61.3
Total mileage this trip: 258.6
Total on the Underground Railroad route:
    1,446.5 miles

Comments

  1. Stephane MSeptember 9, 2021 at 11:13 AM

    I can't believe how far you have traveled!! What an amazing journey with so much history!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 9, 2021 at 3:48 PM

    Really enjoy your posts with fascinating stories and pictures!

    ReplyDelete

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