A hike in West Fairmount Park that explores the history of the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia.
Location: begins by Ridgeland Mansion in West Fairmount Park
Join Fairmount Park Conservancy and UGR3DAY Underground Railroad Experiences, Inc. for a 3.5-mile UGRR history hike and talk in West Fairmount Park. On his 203rd birthday, we honor the “Father of the Underground Railroad”, William Still (born October 7, 1821), and all those freedom seekers who traversed the lands of present-day Fairmount.
The loop hike will visit places of historical significance, some with connections to the UGRR. Stops include Ridgeland Mansion (c. 1762), Boelsen Cottage (c. 1684), Belmont Mansion (c. 1742), and physical remnants of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, which was a means of clandestine conveyance for freedom seekers in the mid-19th century.