Discover 3 Newly Recognized Underground Railroad Sites in Appalachian Ohio

The Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tourism Initiative is working on a tour highlighting five Appalachian communities across southern Ohio and northeast Kentucky that were recently recognized for their role in helping freedom seekers escape enslavement prior to the Civil War. These destinations — three of which are in Ohio — joined the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, which is comprised of more than 800 sites nationwide. The trio of Ohio additions span Lawrence, Adams and Gallia counties.

Union Baptist Church of Blackfork: This Lawrence County church was founded in 1819 and is recognized as the longest continuously active African American church in the state. Its congregation is rooted in an early free Black community, today known as Poke Patch. Its members were comprised of free Black families and pastors who assisted in Underground Railroad activity. The church’s surrounding settlement served as an important station along routes that connected Ironton, Burlington, Macedonia, Red Hill and Proctorville to stops in northern Jackson County.

“This recognition by the National Park Service means so very much to all members of Union Baptist Church,” Hope Ripey, a longtime member of Union Baptist Church of Blackfork, said in a Jan. 7 press release.

West Union Underground Railroad Network: In 1822, freedom seeker Joe Logan was reunited with his wife, Jemima, leading him to settle in Adams County. There, he and Rev. John Graham of the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church worked together to operate an Underground Railroad station out of the West Union church. The building, which was constructed in 1835, still stands today and is now home to the Adams County Historical Society.

Abolition Corner: Located in Gallia County, Payne’s Corner, historically known as Abolition Corner, made an impact by sheltering hundreds of freedom seekers over the years leading up to the Civil War. Two brothers, Pleasant and Dave, who had escaped slavery in Greenup County, Kentucky, were hidden in Payne’s Store in the village of Porter until they were able to travel through Athens County before heading further north.

“[Recognition of the Abolition Corner ensures] the stories of freedom seekers and those who aided them are preserved, honored and shared on a national stage,” Robin Payne, executive director of the John Gee Black Historical Center in Gallipolis, said in the Jan. 7 press release.

An Appalachian Regional Commission POWER Grant awarded to the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation and Shawnee State University helps support this multi-county project in Ohio. A tour is currently in development as part of the initiative that will help showcase and preserve these historically significant places.

“We’re honored that the Appalachian Heritage Freedom Tourism Initiative has helped make it possible for the National Park Service to recognize these three Underground Railroad sites,” Marty Conley, director of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, said in the Jan. 7 press release. “This is a meaningful step in preserving these stories, and we look forward to safeguarding even more local history for future generations.”

For more information about the project, visit appalachianfreedom.com.

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