In a gentle bend of the Ohio River near the convergence of three states lies a small town with a remarkable history – Ceredo, WV.
The town of Ceredo, West Virginia was established in 1857 by a group of settlers from New England as an experiment to prove that a society not dependent on slave labor could flourish in the South.
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(At the time, Ceredo was located on the far western edge of the slave state of Virginia.)
One house in Ceredo holds an especially remarkable history - the Ramsdell House, built by Zopher Ramsdell in 1858.
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According to tradition, Ramsdell, a shoemaker from New England, sheltered and guided slaves escaping to northern states on the Underground Railroad.
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This is Ramsdell's office, complete with some of his original books and papers.

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Because of the severe punishments for aiding slaves, historical documentation for the Underground Railroad is often sparse, but it is said that a tunnel ran from the basement of his house to the southern bank of the Ohio River for use by escaping slaves.
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Once across the Ohio River, slaves had left the South behind and entered the Free state of Ohio.
Many oral traditions of Ohio communities on the opposite bank of the river confirm the Ramsdell family's participation in the Underground Railroad.
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Ramsdell went on to serve in the Union Army, then in the West Virginia Senate after the Civil War, but he continued to live with his family in Ceredo.
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Throughout his life, he worked for improvements to the lives of former slaves, including supporting the founding of African-American schools in and around Ceredo.
The Ramsdell House has survived the war, floods, and time, and today it is a museum featuring many period documents and artifacts original to the house, including the Civil War-era clothing pictured.
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Remarkably, original historical items are still being discovered inside!
Tours are free by appointment; see the Ramsdell House website for more information on visiting this amazingly preserved historical treasure!
Did you know about the Ramsdell House and its history? Have you visited? For more of West Virginia’s Civil War history, check out this article: This Historic Park And Battlefield In West Virginia Is Where The Civil War Began.

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Ramsdell House, Box 691, 1108 B St, Ceredo, WV 25507, USA