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Alesia to Ruxton The Falls Road Byway begins near PRETTYBOY RESERVOIR near the tiny community of Alesia. Hiking, fishing and paddle sports are popular pursuits at Prettyboy. The tranquil drive continues through woodland and rural landscapes to GUNPOWDER FALLS STATE PARK, where hiking trails and a blue-ribbon trout stream are found below Prettyboy Dam. Spend the night at MILL POND COTTAGE for a remote retreat just steps from the stream. Enter the town of Butler[...]

Journey back to the pivotal days of the War of 1812, also called “America’s Second War of Independence.” Visit charming Southern Maryland towns, the thriving and scenic Baltimore Harbor, and sites surrounding the nation’s capital that were critical in defending America’s fledgling independence. As fighting continued throughout the summer of 1814, Maryland’s brave defenders not only stood strong against British invaders up and down the Chesapeake Bay, but also inspired the poem that would become[...]

Central Maryland and the Upper Chesapeake Bay sat on the edge of freedom. Situated at the Mason and Dixon Line - the invisible divide between slaveholding and free states - the enslaved people were just miles away from a new life. Numerous freedom seekers made their way through this region to cross that line into free land, where the self-determined found new opportunities. Undercover in the dark of night, hidden in plain sight during the[...]

Baltimore City and its waterfront echo incredible stories from the past - the stories of survival, courage and the yearning of thousands of African Americans to be free. Follow this 3-mile walking tour to discover the vibrant communities, people, and events that wove and built a new nation while striving for freedom for all Americans. Start just west of the harbor at Camden Street Railroad Station. Follow the Inner Harbor Promenade to discover sites where[...]

For enslaved men, women and children in Southern Maryland, finding freedom through escape and flight from large tobacco plantations was almost an insurmountable obstacle. Abolitionists, Underground Railroad conductors and those who aided freedom seekers were rare, but wherever slavery existed, people yearned for freedom and some persisted in finding it. Those who were ready and able took their chances when unusual circumstances allowed unique opportunities for escape. Thousands fled to British military lines who offered[...]

A Dangerous Journey Escaping bondage and running to freedom was a dangerous and potentially life-threatening decision. Making the choice to leave loved ones, even children behind was heart-wrenching. Surviving exposure without proper clothing, finding food and shelter, and navigating into unknown territory while eluding slave catchers all made the journey perilous. At Maryland’s Network to Freedom sites and programs, you can discover personal stories about the ways enslaved people struggled for freedom and how others[...]