Photo Provided The public is invited to learn more about the Buckeye State’s abolitionist past on a statewide Underground Railroad Trail, which includes the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing. A display at that facility is shown here.

COLUMBUS — A local museum is featured on a new statewide trail launched by the Ohio Department of Development and TourismOhio on Wednesday on Ohio.org for history enthusiasts interested in exploring Ohio’s abolitionist past.

On June 14, 2022, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 340 designating September as International Underground Railroad Month. With its passage, Ohio joined 11 other states in honoring this historic movement.

“It is important that we remember the legacy and impact of the Underground Railroad on this country, as well as Ohio’s prominent role in its operation,” DeWine said Wednesday. “We’ve created this new trail to show both visitors and Ohioans how to learn more about Ohio’s history as an important connector on the Underground Railroad.”

The new Ohio Historical Underground Railroad Trail will further this cause, making it easier for interested visitors to find destinations and organizations related to the movement.

“There is so much important history in Ohio … ,” Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, which oversees TourismOhio, said. “The work of the organizations and destinations featured on this map is invaluable to preserving our history, and I’m so glad we get to put them in the spotlight.”

The Ohio Historical Underground Railroad Trail contains 15 stops across the state, highlighting Ohio’s legacy and involvement with the historic network and the people who assisted others to freedom from slavery. Included on the tour is the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing.

“Belmont County is honored to be included in this statewide tourism initiative highlighting the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing,” Jackee Pugh, executive director of Belmont County Tourism, said. “Belmont County’s population of anti-slavery Quaker settlers and location along the Ohio River made it an essential part in the Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement. The Underground Railroad Museum strives to help us all understand slavery and the culture during that period of history.”

Additional relevant sites and places of interest also can be found on the map beyond each trail stop, encouraging visitors to extend their stay and explore new branches of Ohio’s Underground Railroad history.

Those interested in learning more about Ohio’s Underground Railroad legacy can visit the trail’s page at Ohio.org/UGRRTrail.

Operating within Ohio’s Department of Development, TourismOhio works to showcase all Ohio has to offer as a place of adventure, a place of promise and the place for you. The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about this work at development.ohio.gov.

The Underground Railroad Museum is located at 121 E. High St., Flushing.