Rankin House Museum - or Ripley Area
6152 Rankin Hill Rd, Ripley, Ohio

Meldahl Locks and Dam
It’s fun to watch the river barges make their way though the locks. This massive structure spans the Ohio River between Chilo, Ohio and Foster, Kentucky, located about 35 miles upstream from Cincinnati. The site offers picnic shelters and restrooms.

Robert E. Fee Burial Site ~ Moscow Cemetery
Suggested Script: This is #8 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail publication and is an official Network to Freedom site. The burial place of Robert E. Fee can be found in this Cemetery. As we go on through Moscow and then to Felicity you will here the Fee name quite often. Robert E. Fee was very active in the Underground Railroad, along with his father, sister, brother and cousins.

Fee Villa
110 Water St, Moscow, Ohio
Suggested Script: #10 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail brochure, this was once the home of Thomas Fee, Jr., Robert's brother. Through years of oral tradition this home came to be known as the "Fee Villa". The home and store of Thomas Fee, Jr. and his family. In the mid 1970's two Catholic priests were living in the building and found shackles and chains in the basement. Also found in the basement, is an entrance to a room like structure blocked with lined limestone. According to oral tradition, this was an entrance to a tunnel. In the brick house across the street, known as the Spatt House, there is an identical structure located in the basement, and is in perfect alignment with the Fee Villa. Now on to Felicity where the Fee cousins lived and operated within the Underground Railroad network.

US Grant's Birthplace
1551 St. Rt. 232, Pt. Pleasant ~ 513-553-4911
The birthplace of Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States, is on the National Register of Historic Places. A basic 3-room frame structure was built in 1817. The home includes historic memorabilia and period furnishings. The grounds and park

Clermont/Parker Academy
1324 Clermontville Laurel Rd, New Richmond, Ohio
Suggested Script: This site is #7 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail brochure. The original school structure has been taken down some time ago, however the dorm housing of the school still stands and is now a private residence.

401 Front St, New Richmond, Ohio

#1 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail publication. This was once the home of Reverend George C. Light. Reverend Light was a Methodist Minister and agent of the American Colonization Society. The American Colonization Society was formed in 1816, for the purpose of voluntarily relocating free blacks to Africa. Part of this building is now a family owned business. Enjoy a tasty lunch "down home style'! Famous for unique specialty entrees made with Buffalo meat.

305 Front St, New Richmond, Ohio

Suggested Script: This is site #2 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail brochure. It was once the home of Dr. John Rogers, physician who delivered Ulysses S. Grant in Pt. Pleasant, on April 27th in 182+D112. Dr. Rogers was married to Julia Morris, daughter of, known abolitionist, United States Senator Thomas Morris. Rogers was also an active abolitionist, and was the first president of the Clermont County Anti-Slavery Society. He served on the vigilante group protecting the Philanthropist Newspaper office during its production in New Richmond.

Front St., New Richmond, Ohio

Suggested Script: This is site #3 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail publication. New Richmond, being a riverfront community, was an active port in the 1800's. This hotspot of riverboat shipments, was useful for the escaping fugitives and those that assisted them. In one case, an escaped slave named "Joe" was shipped in a crate from Louisville, Kentucky to a friend's family in New Richmond. Joe stayed briefly with the family until moving on to Levi Coffin, in Cincinnati, and from there onto freedom in Canada.

Walnut St., New Richmond, Ohio

Suggested Script: #4 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail brochure. This was once the office location of the "Philanthropist Newspaper". Published by James G. Birney, the Philanthropist Newspaper was known as an outspoken opponent of slavery and the official paper of the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society. Due to its highly controversial point of view, the paper received many negative threats requiring a local community group to guard the paper's office.

Union & Washington St., New Richmond, Ohio

#5 in the Clermont County, Ohio Freedom Trail brochure. Contact for opening: Mary Campbell 513-553-3661 ~ Suggested Script: As most know, churches had great involvement in the spread of abolitionist views and supported, if not involved, in the Underground Railroad. This church in particular hosted a number of organizational meetings for the New Richmond Anti-Slavery Society and speakers of great importance to the Underground Railroad such as: George Beecher, John Rankin and Alexander T. Rankin.

SUMMARY
Driving distance: 48.9 miles
Trip duration: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Driving time: 1 hour, 24 minutes