Underground Railroad & Civil War Era Tours of Burlington, Ohio

About the name: "Handle with Tongs" Tours - Although most of the fugitives were sent on foot from one station to the next, some were provided with horses or conveyed in wagons or other vehicles. The slaves were instructed to give the password, "Handle with tongs" when they arrived at the next station. They were concealed in many different places, such as woods, cornfields, caves, cellars, barns a

nd in holes under the floors of houses. The Ohio, West Virginia & Kentucky area is rich in Civil War era history. Burlington, Ohio was a "gateway to freedom" on the Underground Railroad. Come see the final resting places and learn about the lives of local Underground Railroad Conductors, freed slaves, Civil War soldiers, local founding fathers and the importance of the Ohio River and steamboats to the local area. Learn about "the peculiar institution" of slavery, the "black laws" and visit the places where people helped others experience their first taste of freedom.