THE RAILS END

IT WAS THE ONLY PLACE FIT FOR JURIED TRIAL, newly designated in 1852 as the courthouse and jail during the final years of the abolitionist movement and slavery through 1863. They ran, some escaped, others were escorted and helped along the way by those compassionate to humanity. While today one can find several excursions promising escorts and those sharing directions on printed maps the original trip along the underground railroad was one of uncertainty and hazardous, to say the least. The arrival at an intended destiny along a route of hundreds bought many trysts with the threat of imprisonment for arriving with no validation of who they were. The same system that tried and set free, or posted public viewings of hangings is what a runaway or illegal immigrant was pushed to expect fair treatment and just determination in his and/or his family's pursuit of freedom. A stow-away on a ship's cruise or arrival by night flight could buy the same resolve before judge and jury... public hanging, a return to where he'd departed, be apportioned to the local military forces, or best case scenario, be set free.

In 1841, Reverend Josiah Henson, a former enslaved person from the United States, settled further east near Dresden. He helped establish the Dawn Settlement — a safe area for Black Refugees. Henson also helped found the British American Institute: a vocational school for the Black community which later became known as a manual labor school. For many Black Refugees, the area of Dresden was the final destination on the Underground Railroad. Though there were many routes, most of them pointed north into Canada. A few pointed south through and beyond the extent of the ongoing Mexican-Indian wars and in the opposite direction of Civil War activity. It is yet to be determined what became of those who went south other than melding with groups along the way and settling to make families where they stayed. Of those put to battle among soldiers of the Civil War, many were already near that destination. Our focus, however, is North beyond the marshes and mire fields where settlement in Sydenham was the goal.

Today there are so many guided tours and independent travel guides sharing the story of the history behind the Under Ground Rail Road that it is fast becoming one of the best family vacations for coming seasons. Typical routes begin as far south as Texas and Alabama toward Mexico

and North toward and throughout Eastern Canada. Wither direction traveled had to be a horrific trip. If caught, the escapee was branded a runaway and returned to a slave's lifestyle or killed. Stowaways of any complexion and origin, were imprisoned and returned or killed. Evading the battle of the Civil War, while dodging slave catchers and depending upon the north or south route, being also wary of those fighting their own battles... the Mexican-Indian War within American borders, or the Indian-French-American War while at or near Canadian borders; had its own snare of entanglements set for abolitionists along the border. To be recaptured meant sure death for self and the population found with and supporting you. The UGRR was, for most, the only option for holding on to loved ones and themselves... the long road home.

In the end, it is best to be said and sang about... FREEDOM... what would they do to have it, where would they go and how far? There are populations still searching for that freedom from constraints. They search for freedom out of what amounts to a dictator's control... slavery that encapsulates their mind and body. It can be said only so well as in AT THE PURCHASERS OPTION by my new best friend... Rhiannon Giddens in an interview, "Last year I came across an advertisement from the 1830s for a young woman; thinking about her, and how she had to maintain her humanity against horrific odds inspired this song named for the end of the ad: "She has with her a 9-month old baby, who is at the purchaser's option." -- Rhiannon