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Underground Railroad

As you Travel I-69 north of Evansville, you pass through an area where fugitive slaves reportedly hid and made the trek to freedom, sometimes stopping in Indiana and at other times passing through on their way to Canada. The “Underground Railroad” is one of a series of vignettes that recounts the story of the land between I-64 and Bloomington, Indiana. Choose one or all of the vignettes to learn about the cultural and natural landscape as you Travel I-69. 

Observe the following landmarks: Evansville, Oakland City, Dongola, the Patoka River, Petersburg, Washington, and Bloomington. A map also provides locational information.

At the bridge over the Patoka River north of Oakland City, I-69 travels close to the tow-path of the Wabash & Erie Canal and the Evansville and Petersburg Road, formerly known as the “state road.”  Fleeing slaves traveled northward to Dongola from three commonly used crossings over the Ohio River: Diamond Island in Posey County, Rockport in Spencer County, and a crossing near Evansville in Vanderburgh County1. To avoid detection, these slaves crossed at Dongola where they hid beneath the covered bridge that once stood at this site2.

In his book published more than sixty years after the event, William Cockrum remembered:

In his book published more than sixty years after the event, William Cockrum remembered: “In 1851 Mr. Andrew Adkins came across the Patoka River at Dongola to see my father. As Mr. Adkins was coming that morning two men from Kirk’s Mills. . .overtook and rode to the bridge with him. They showed him a flaming hand bill giving a description of seven runaway negroes and offering a reward of one thousand dollars for their capture. They informed Mr. Adkins that they, with some others, intended to watch the bridge that night and invited him to assist them, offering to share the reward with him if they got the negroes. Mr. Adkins was very anxious for fear they would catch the negroes and while we were resting after dinner he so expressed himself . . .”
—William Cockrum of Petersburg, Indiana, 1915

Places Of Reported Activity Of The Underground Railroad

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