A new park honoring the history of Columbus’ ties to Underground Railroad debuts 

The Alum Creek Trail played a pivotal role in The Underground Railroad, providing a safe waterway for enslaved people escaping a life of bondage and brutality. In Alum Creek, many people had to wade through the waters so that bloodhounds wouldn’t pick up on their scent.

Sunbury Road, in fact, was home to several Underground Railroad stations, and Columbus Recreation and Parks Department is joining forces with the Columbus Metropolitan Library to celebrate the Alum Creek Trail’s rich history and impact.

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The new project, called The North Star project, aims to educate others on the trail’s significance for enslaved people seeking freedom by moving North. With this new project, an area of the trail will be equipped with storytelling installations that share facts about the trail and the journey to freedom. 

The first phase of the project debuted last week, showing a new park constructed across the street from Shepard Branch equipped with a playground, education installations, and a reflective area. It will boast nods to the North Star and our galaxy, emphasizing how pivotal this star was for people escaping from the South.

Each year, a new installation will be built along the trail. The beginning stages of this new park and instillations will hopefully begin next year.

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