Pathways to Freedom: Maryland and the Underground Railroad
About the Underground Railroad
about the underground railroad
following the footsteps
eyewitness to history
figure it out
mapping it out
secrets: language, signs and symbols
create a quilt block
living history
underground railroad library
You are here!
 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15


Hear this spoken!
Listen to this passage as you read!


What routes did the Underground Railroad follow through Maryland?

There were many different routes that enslaved people took as they traveled north to freedom. One route out of Maryland was that frequently used by Harriet Tubman. She led her groups, beginning on foot, up the Eastern Shore of Maryland and into Delaware. Several stations were in the vicinity of Wilmington, Delaware. From Delaware the group traveled on to Philadelphia or other places in southeastern Pennsylvania. From there, many traveled further north. Some settled in Massachusetts or New York. Many continued through New York state and on into Canada.

Those who were escaping also boarded boats that sailed up the Chesapeake Bay. They could sail from the many towns located directly on the Bay or from cities that were on rivers that flowed into the Bay. Baltimore was the largest such city. The Chesapeake Bay was a main route to freedom. Many ship's pilots were African Americans who hid fugitives and helped them on their way. Some white captains were also conductors for the Underground Railroad. Because many blacks, both free and enslaved, were sailors, it was very common to see African American men on ships, so their presence did not arouse too much suspicion.

How could enslaved people travel on trains or ships without being discovered?

« back to About home

classroom resourcesscreensaverfor parentsabout this sitethinkport home
©2024 Maryland Public Television. All Rights Reserved.