It’s been an eventful few days. Getting wifi access and being able to compose my thoughts haven’t coincided easily. Thankfully, we have libraries everywhere in America. I’m taking advantage of one right now in the outskirts of Atlanta.
We changed plans so that there will be enough time to get back home. Instead of visiting New York, Washington, D.C. and Boston, we are veering southIt’s going to be a quick journey back once we reach the Atlantic. I’m looking forward to seeing the ocean!
We left Pontiac, Illinois after my husband’s research was done. He was so impressed with the museum that I decided to donate some money to help them finish off their collection of wonderful design sketches and paintings. His name will be listed as a donor for the room that houses that collection. It was my surprise gift to him on this journey. He plans to return next year to continue his research.
We headed to Cincinnati, Ohio. Once again, we wanted to visit a family friend. We were going to end up getting there really late and it wasn’t optimal for us to find anywhere to camp outside the city limits. I decided that we needed to get a bed and breakfast inn with some flavor. I found the Six Acres Bed & Breakfast. I was attracted to its history with the Underground Railroad.
What is the Underground Railroad? It is a network of houses and safe routes that slaves used in the 19th century to escape to the free states and to Canada. Although, Ohio was a free state, it was not considered a safe place because of the Fugitive Laws of 1850. This particular house played a role in the safe passage of those slaves. It was owned by a noted abolitionist. The original family let this house go and it went to another set of people in the mid 20th century. Unfortunately, they filed bankruptcy and the house was a victim to the process and went into disrepair. The current owner saw the house before that happened and always wanted to own it. She made the happen. She had to nurse it back to its current state. When she bought it, it was boarded up. She told us that the first time she pulled the boards away from the window, she saw hypothermic needles and animal remains and other disgusting things. She bravely moved forward with the restoration. I’m so glad that she did it.
We decided to met up with our friend who served as my husband’s best person our wedding (my daughter was my best person). She picked us up outside of the inn. She graciously took us on an informative tour of Cincinnati. Even though I was tired form the road trip, what she told us was fascinating. Cincinnati is undergoing it’s own form of gentrification. I shouldn’t have been so surprised by this. Right?
The homes in many of the areas of Cincinnati that we drove through are large and beautiful. A good number of them are boarded up or in various stages of dereliction. They have the beginnings of what I call the “hipster” vibe in a few of the streets. When you see a tattoo parlor next to small cute shops, you know something is happening. I asked how much homes cost and she answered with, “about $100,000 to $200,000.” Jaw drop.
Of course, they have winters that we don’t. Still…
After the short tour and some eye-popping numbers, we returned to the bed & breakfast inn. We didn’t see much of it when we arrived came back. We were very tired, but the room that we slept in was wonderful and so full of history. The next morning, she greeted us with breakfast and that’s when we learned all about the wonderful history of the house. I took a small number of photos.
She says that there are ghosts that wander through the house. I’m not a believer, so that didn’t register with me. However, if there ever was a reason for a house to have ghosts, this would be it. I can imagine that many slaves did not make it through the secret passage network. I cannot even fathom the despair.
I’ll never think of Cincinnati the same way again.
Beautiful and historic Six Acres Bed and Breakfast Inn