Legends of the Underground Railroad are some of the most enduring stories about abolition. Enslaved people journeyed north, seeking better lives against all odds. Along the way, they found allies who fed them, hid them, and sent them along to the next stop until they were able to secure passage to Canada, while slaveholders followed closely behind them. While the reality of the Underground Railroad does not always match the popular portrayal, it was alive and well in antebellum Ohio, and support from the underground railroad helped persistent freedom seekers in their long journey to freedom. Despite federal and state projections for slaveholders, Athens County residents acted as a stepping-stone between counties along the river and larger abolitionist communities to the north.