Local Program to Share Stories of the Underground Railroad

On Feb. 27, the and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will take visitors back in time to learn about the trials of those who traveled along the Underground Railroad.

The "Sunday Matinee: Lessons in Traveling an Underground Railroad" will be presented aboard the storytelling train as part of a three-hour train ride. Boarding passes are $10.

Passengers will have the opportunity to listen to a live narration from park rangers from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park about the Underground Railroad along the canal. 

The park rangers will narrate the travels of those who had been enslaved for the first half of the train ride.

"This is a good event for older children," said Mary Pat Doorley, the spokeswoman for the park. "The children will have the opportunity to learn about the history of the Underground Railroad."

Passengers will have the opportunity to see the rangers act out scenes in full costume.

"The time period covered during the train ride are the 1840s and '50s," said park ranger Pamela Machuga. 

During the second half of the train ride, passengers will be treated to an audio tour called "Voices of the Valley" that will highlight the history of and wildlife in the area. Participants are provided with their own personal headsets.

"The tour is GPS driven through location," Doorley said. "Therefore, your current location signals audio playback."