Customer Reviews

Traveling The Underground Railroad: A Visitor's Guide to More Than 300 Sites

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Dr. Bruce Chadwick's brief and exciting narrative of the history of the Underground Railroad is superbly written. Adventurous and refreshing from the beginning, this work can be enjoyed by both academians and laymen. Chadwick provides suspenseful tales of escape from slavery, including accounts such as the well-known escape of Henry "Box" Brown as well as lesser known treasures that I won't spoil by summarizing here.

Not meant to be an extensive historical account of Underground Railroad history or Civil War daily life, this book does provide descriptions, photos and historical details pertaining to more than 300 sites currently listed as part of the Underground Railroad, and an introduction to the Underground Railroad that is the sine qua non of the book. Chadwick also provides histories of some sites that were destroyed before they could be legitimately proven as an historical part of the Underground Railroad.

As for the previous Amazon[.com] reviewer's distaste for this work, I'm wondering what personal animosity existed between the reviewer and Dr. Chadwick. The accusations of historical inaccuracy and false acknowledgements are hardly believable. As for descriptions of certain sites the reviewer claims "vague," that would be the point of visiting the Underground Railroad sites for one's self.

Read this book, and enjoy your journey!

I looked at this guide to see what might be found in my local area and my state. I was surprised to find his entry for Grau Mill in Quincy, IL. He's correct that Quincy was an important underground railroad stop, unfortunately Grau Mill is not there. After doing some checking to make sure, I can only assume that he's referring to Graue Mill in Oakbrook, IL. The details match, including the location at the intersection of York and Spring Roads. Unfortunately, those roads are in Oakbrook, which is about 275 miles from Quincy. I would be wary of trip planning with this book.

I would really like to give the book 0 Stars or a -5. Thank goodness Dr. Chadwick was not alive and a conductor during the 1800's because based on his descriptions just in Ohio I would have be lost, caught and sold back to slavery. I know a couple of his acknowledgements and know for a fact he did not spend much time talking to them or getting their input before his final draft. There are so many sites all over the United States and Canada that I am sure Vince DeForest could have pointed out, yet he spend an amazing amount of time dwelling in Ohio. At first I was flattered until I started reading the descriptions. If he went on a tour at the Kelton House, he must have slept his way through it. There is a lot more to say about the Stone Academy in Zanesville! What about its significance in the history of the Underground Railroad? Isn't that what the book is about? The only thing about Benjamin Lundy that stuck in his mind was his "bragging about traveling more than 25,000 miles ..". A Quaker bragging, when did this interview take place? What about the Free Labor Store still standing? I could go on but I will leave a few comments for others.

I think you get the jest. In historical accuracy he gets a F, in vague research he gets a A+.

Don't read this book.