Trail Of Tears Research Paper

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Trail of tears Background Essay

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Turn left into the parking lot. To reach the trailhead in Hamburg from I, take Exit 30 toward Hamburg. Head south on N. Fourth St. Overall a good trail but there are some irritations. You have a choice of dealing with the usually heavy traffic on Main street, or bumps, driveways, pedestrians and dogs on the sidewalk. This renders the trail undesirable as a commuting route. North of Shawmont Ave. Parking is not reliably available at Spring Mill or Conshohocken, which also makes the trail much less useful for commuting into Philly, especially on weekdays.

The trail tends to get very heavy use, increasingly so as one approaches Philly and a considerable fraction of riders go faster than is appropriate. I used to live near philly and only did about 8 miles of the Philly portion. I am not a city person, but this area was beautiful. Trail was great. Extremely scenic. Lots of fun. Started at the trail end near Phoenixville did 11 miles towards Oaks. It was a beautiful day and not many people on trail. Most of the way the views were great and trail was very wide. Some hills but not to bad. Great ride on a great trail. It was in near perfect shape with the unpaved sections nice and packed and smooth. There were hardly any sections with deep or loose TSA, trail surface aggregate. Beautiful, uncrowded trail with great river views especially at the bridges.

While only about a half of a mile, it was rough riding on 26"x2" tires, due to logging that was done in the woods beside the trail. With more gaps being closed every year, the year goal of constructing a continuous, multi-use trail that will run the length of the Schuylkill River from the coal country of the Poconos southeast to the marshes of South Philly is close to being a reality. As of mid, over 71 miles of trail have been built, enough to classify the system as the unified Schuylkill River Trail, as opposed to a series of stand-alone greenways regarded as separate projects. Rather than rehash the description above, I'll just note that, like other long-distance greenways, the Schuylkill River Trail has a lot to offer for hikers, cyclists, parents pushing young kids in strollers and roller and inline skating on the paved sections.

Most of the trail follows old rail corridors or canal towpaths, ensuring a level trip with few slopes, as well as numerous reminders of the river's history as a major transportation route, a roll that can still be seen today by its close proximity to major highways like Routes 61, and I and active rail lines that freight trains often rumble along. Although most of the mills and other factories that used the coal and lumber shipped down the river for raw materials and sent finished product to the port of Philadelphia are now gone, their legacy also lives on whether as ruined hulks, historical markers or as repurposed apartment houses or office buildings.

Some of the many historical sites on or near the trail include the vintage car museum and Yuengling brewery in Pottsville, an old canal tunnel turned rock cut south of Landingville, the railroad museum in Hamburg, Daniel Boone's birthplace near Douglassville, Morlatton Village, a Swedish village that was one of the firstthe Phoenix Iron Works museum in the old foundry in Phoenixville, a restored segment of canal in Mont Clare, Valley Forge National Historical Park, an old movie studio just east of Valley Forge, the Philadelphia Art Museum and Bartram's Garden, the oldest botanical gardens in the US, along with many others. As one would also expect, the trail passes through a wide array of landscapes on its route. From the lush, remote forests of Schuylkill County, to the rural farmlands of Berks County, to the more suburban Montgomery and Chester counties and finally heavily urban Philadelphia, as well as smaller cities Reading and Pottstown and numerous towns along the route, the trail offers users a microcosm of Pennsylvania.

The trail is paved with crushed stone on most of its rural and remote segments from its northwest terminus outside Pottsville to the eastern end of a restored canal near Oaks, and asphalt in Reading, Pottstown and on most of the stretch from Oaks to its current southeast end at Bartram's Garden in South Philly. No review of the trail would be complete without mentioning the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk segment, which extends over the river itself in Center City Philadelphia. Although most of its surface is smooth and user-friendly, some of the shorter segments, including the one that parallels Route 61 just south of Pottsville and a little-used one near Felix Dam Park in the north Reading suburbs, are in need of improvement.

The westernmost segment of the Thun segment of the trail from Route to Reading Community College, although paved with asphalt, also needs repaired and better overall maintenance. The subpar status of these sections of trail. Fortunately, efforts continue to close these gaps and it looks like the trail may be completed in the next decade or so. Plans are currently under way to complete the long-stalled restoration of an old RR trestle south of Auburn in the next year or two, a pedestrian bridge over a steep gap over Route east of Monocacy is currently in the planning stage, a trail bridge spanning the Schuylkill River next to the new Route bridge east of Pottsville has been completed in anticipation of constructing the "missing link" between Pottstown and Parker Ford in and work is currently under way on the repurposing of an old RR swinging bridge over the river in South Philadelphia, which will connect the Greys Ferry Crescent and Bartram's Mile sections to one another.

In addition to bringing the Schuylkill River's status as a transportation corridor into the 21st century by connecting numerous towns and cities, the trail has also helped revitalize the economy of a region that was hard hit by the decline of steel, coal mining and other heavy industries in the last few decades. Well maintained, wide and easy to use if you want a good long distance trail. We rode the Douglassville to Pottstown section of the trail yesterday. Most of the trail was in shade which was welcome in the heat.

The Berks County portion is hard gravel and easy to ride. When you cross into Montgomery County the trail is macadam, but as a previous writer mentioned, it is marred by numerous raised sections, probably due to tree roots. This is the reason for a 4 star rating. When we ended our ride in Pottstown park, I was excited to discover a Little Lending Library and picked out a book to read.

The Douglassville trailhead is located in Old Morlatton Village. Not only is this a quiet trailhead, but there are several historic buildings with descriptive placards to read. New macadam surface from Conshohocken to Spring Mills, removing san area of washboarding, and indications of imminent resurfacing from Conshohocken to near Norrristown, so from Valley Forge to near Manayunk it is a very smooth ride.

I wasn't able to ride it for a number of years, but now, what nice improvements are there to be found. From Norristown to Valley Forge, mainly new macadam surface, plus the addition of several spots of racks of bike repair tools. And, the water fountain is about 1. There are areas of washboard type macadam around the Conshohocken area, and from Spring Mill to where it branches down to the Schuylkill River, relatively new macadam. Once you leave the tow path in Manayunk, it sort of tosses you into the street, which is crowded, so take the sidewalks, giving care for pedestrian traffic.

Once you hit the Fairmount Park area, relatively decent trail surface, but expect heavy traffic all the way to what is now the end of the trail in Philadelphia. I take away one star due to the heavy Philadelphia traffic, and right now the detour around the Art Museum due to construction and confusing signage. The entire route is relatively level, so easy riding. Since the upper end above Philadelphia is far less crowded, one may encounter cycling groups that travel at high speeds and can be annoying if they think they own the trail.

I love this trail for many reasons. I grew up in Manayunk. I played, fished, and explored the banks of the Schuylkill River. In my older years, I got into biking again. I read that they converted a lot of railroad tracks to a trail on the Schuylkill River. I was really excited. I rode the trail in for the first time. I was like a little kid in a candy store. I could not wait to see what was around the next bend and so on. The trail is mainly level with little ascents. The trail is mostly asphalt with some crushed gravel on the Manayunk Towpath. There is a " GAP" when you get to Manayunk in the trail. Just stay on the Main St, you will see signs to get on the Towpath.

When traveling in Manayunk be careful because the area in the summer is usually crowded. There is so much beauty and history to see. First, biking into Philadelphia showcases some of the most interesting sites along the Schuylkill River such as the rowers, boat house row, The Philadelphia Art Museum and the city skyline etc. Secondly,going west of Philadelphia there are a lot options you can take.

Recommended, if you need a break, Manayunk has a lot of eateries. In this area, there are other trails to explore. The Manayunk Trail Bridge is a must. The view is magnificent. Finally, after leaving the towpath you will get back on the Schuylkill trail at Shawmont. There the trail really opens up. There are other trails that connect,such as CrossCounty and Perkiomen. Enclosing, I thank all the people who made these trails available.

Even though its wintertime, as I right this review, I am getting the " Itch". Was in Pottstown for an event decided to take a ride while there. Parked at Grosstown Road. Rode into Pottstown River Front Park. Trail was paved but rough because of tree root growth. Then rode west to the Main Street crossing. The trail west was mostly gravel in good condition. Montgomery County portion of trail needs maintenance to the pavement. Tree roots are making the ride uncomfortable and possibly hazardous. Are there any? Overall a good ride. There is a short spur trail, the Schuylkill Highlands Trail. East of Birdsboro, just after crossing PA at the Fork and Ale restaurant the trail is on the right, there is a sign at the trail junction.

The trail climbs via switchbacks through mostly open fields and ends at Crusher Road. There are great views to reward you for the climb. The trail is wide and smooth and climbs at the maximum grade for an ADA trail. You can see the trail on the satellite view of the Thun section of the SRT. After our recent rains, this trail has gotten soupy and hazardous in places. Be especially caution of these wet areas especially in the shaded areas on upper half of the trail. These spots could really benefit from an application of crushed stone. Otherwise this is a fun and friendly rail-trail. Nice and well maintained trail for an easy relaxing walk or short bike ride. I have been riding this trail for a couple of years now. The trail is flat and puts you along some very nice scenery, river views from Oaks Pa down to the Philly Art museum.

The trail connects to Martin Luther King blvd in Phila. You can park at one of the many trail heads along the way and ride a good number of miles non-stop and there are some great places to stop for coffee or a craft beer along the way. This past weekend I went for the first time this season and I found it getting a bit more dangerous than usuall. The trail for the most part does not accommodate 3 or 4 riders across in a safe manner. That being the case there are many times where the fast and furious riders try to overtake slower riders while there are folks coming toward them in the opposite direction creating a 3 across situation on a narrow path.

I have been forced onto the lawn a few times last year. All of this behavior is at best rude and at worse dangerous. I have seen collisions that have sent people off to the hospital that could have been avoided with a little bit of behavioral modification toward the courteous side. This site promotes the rails-to-trails conservancy which attempts to raise money for these types of trails. These trails can be great and worthwhile benefiting many people in the long run by promoting a healthier lifestyle that has a cost benefit to the entire society.

However if there are accidents that leave people bloody and in need of an emergency room tax dollars and donation support for this will dry up. The trails this one in particular could benefit from some signage outlining proper etiquette and behavior. It would be money well spent. Had a terrific ride on this trail yesterday. Early autumn weather was perfect.

The parking was great, road intersections very well marked and designed. Trail surface was ideal. We did the north half, from Cromby trailhead to the northern point in Parker Ford. I'd hoped to see more of the Schuylkill River from the trail, but it's mostly hidden. We stopped a few times so that I could climb to a spot for a photo. My first day on this trail august 19, with my wife, started at valley forge and by chance were there for the first ride over the new bridge connecting valley forge park with the set.

Great access to surface roads to take a break and get a drink and easy on to continue on the trails. I'm on this section of the SRT times a week and always love it. Normally in the morning for a run, or on weekends on my bike. More riverwalks like this could be added to the SRT. It's a gem and huge bonus to the city recreation scene. Since I have lived close to the trail for 20 years, I am on it to run, bike, walk and just hang out.

It's a terrific spot and connects to many different parts of the city. I never take it for granted as there is always great wildlife sightings, fun and interesting activities, and friends on the trail. Use it, love it and enjoy it. I've been riding this trail since the mids, I think. I was just on it this past Sunday. The best time to be on it is early morning. It does get crowded the later you ride. The good: It's clean, easy to follow and few spots where we have to stop. It's absolutely beautiful in many spots. Even going through Conshohocken is a nice site. Cars seem to have the right of way wherever the path crosses, so beware. The bad: People.

I've almost hit kids because parents bring their 2 year olds up there on a BigWheel. Also, there are cyclists who rode two up, while having a conversation, unable to hear my 2 calls to pass. The third I had to yell and they copped an attitude. It is absolutely one of my most favorite trails to ride. Did the trail today, the grass is trimmed and the trail is in excellent condition , I only wish it were longer. Looking forward to returning in the fall.

Oh, and lots of good places to eat in the area. This trail could use a good steam rolling. I use it often, but I have to say it's surface is very loose and sandy, like riding your bike on the beach! I have been with other riders who have wiped out when their bike wheels sunk in the sand. It's a shame really. I know this trail section would get a lot more use by riders and runners alike, if it was paved. Lets face it, as other another reviewer wrote, there is nothing much to see on this route anyways.

I also was happy to see the hilly sections near Phoenixville get paved, it definitely makes for a safer ride and run. I hope the trail builders consider a different base material, or a lot less of it, when the new section is completed from Parkersford to Pottstown. For now though, it is better than nothing, and if I can get a thousand people a day to ride it, maybe two grooves could be cut for a safer smoother ride! This is my favorite trail in PA, but it's not 9. It's 6 miles but wonderful nonetheless. I reviewed this trail earlier and rated it very high!

But we just rode it again for the second time this year and sadly I have to down grade my rating. It appears that nobody is doing any maintenance to the trail any longer. There has always been an narrow section nearer the end of the trail but you could always ride on the grass to make room for oncoming bikes, but now that grass is at least 3ft high on both sides of the trail and impossible to use for riding. The trail also has spots that need repaired with gravel. The Kiosk in the parking lot appears to have had the legs sawn off and is just leaning on the ground. The trail is in dire need of TLC and it has been like this for at least 2 months if not longer. We started at the trailhead in Reading. Very urban here - parking at this spot is iffy and the only real option is an abandoned parking lot at the bottom of a dilapidated neighborhood.

The trail is in really rough shape for a while and several homeless people were camped out. Once we got downtown it was a bit better but even then it is a trail bike route here. We had hybrids and it was ok, but much better trails exist. We only rode about 5 miles before we turned around and found another trail in the area. If you do try this trail from Reading - park downtown and skip the first mile.

A recent improvement was the paving of the short hill just north of Phoenixville. It was a good walk - though I was a little disappointed as to how little I saw of the river. This trail is excellent underfoot though, and provides a good work out. The industrial heritage on view - for example the old power station - are points of interest. I would say it's probably best on a bike - and if you are looking for a scenic walk, then this walk has its moments, but is not amongst the real stars.

It was an exceptionally mild December day today. There quite a few runners, hikers and bikers on the trail. The real surprise was the cool holiday decorations added to the mile markers. A very clever person added garland and miniature Santa dolls to the markers and decoys. Very cool. Rode from Valley Forge to Philadelphia and back Nice ride Great scenery. Even though I volunteer with maintenance on another section of the overall Schuylkill River Trail, the Bartram section is my favorite. Yes, it is 6 miles from the main parking lot to the fence at the Auburn bridge, but if you read the literature closely it says 8 or 9 "disconnected miles".

There are actually another few miles on the other side of Auburn which might be connected some day. But there is ample opportunity for additional miles by going the other direction from the main parking lot on Kernsville Dam Road. There is the very lightly used dead end macadam road down to the dam and also a mile and a half trail just behind the Job Johnnie that goes to the edge of downtown Hamburg and on to the Reading Heritage Rail Museum.

Just beyond the bridge over the Schuylkill River there is also another option to your left along a park and the river. The best things about the 6 mile section are that there are absolutely no road crossings and the grade is virtually flat. I always find the surface to be in fine condition no matter whet the weather has been. There had been a few drainage issues when the trail was first opened but they apparently have all been remedied.

I understand that bicyclists want to book down the path which runs from valley forge to the Phila. Art Museum, but would it be too much to ask for you to stop when you see a pedestrian crossing?! I have had a whistle blown at me because I apparently did not cross the path fast enough. This kind of behaviour does not reflect well on our area. Thank you. My wife and I recently purchased hybrid bikes and have been on a mission to complete every trail around us. This trial is very flat and very scenic the entire way. Almost every half mile there was a bench or picnic table and we stopped about half way and ate a packed lunch we brought with us. Overall it was a good experience. The only thing is that its says the trail is about 8 miles long, but we got to mile 6 and there was a large fence and the trail just ended at the Schuylkill River with no way across.

It was a nice trail and we much enjoyed it but it is not 8 miles long. More like 6. So far a favorite just couldn't finish the trail. Don't think we had that much more to go. Beautiful trail with excellent scenery. Started at the Pottstown end which is a great little park. Can't think of anything negative to say about it at all. So far is one of the best we have ridden. I disliked this trail for several reasons. The first was it was so over crowded with rude people. On every trail I've been on other riders were friendly and helpful.

This trail was different. It was packed with self absorbed riders who felt they were the ONLY ones on the trail which they owned. Next it was such a pathetically easy trail that calling it a "trail" is a lie. How about referring to it as a paved sidewalk winding through some of the ugliest urban settings ever. What a shame other trails aren't given the attention this one is. It was filled with the self absorbed from Philadelphia. Any trail is better than this paved poor excuse for getting back to nature joke. Just starting riding again, and for some dumb reason I start with round trip on this trail Trail is really well maintained and you'll get to see alot of the area leading up to Philadelphia. Valley Forge park is really historic.

The trail will take you through little towns like Conshohocken and Manayunk and Kelly Drive which is located right next to the river. The trail will end at the Philadelphia Art Museum but you can keep going along the river into the city. I live in the area so I'm on the trail all the time. Lots of little coffee shops and restaurants as well. Should be 5 stars, but the "new" piece already needs work. Rode it for the first time the other day.

From Cromby westward, this is a fantastic trail. Nice and flat, reasonably quiet and isolated, and hardly any walkers meandering four across the entire trail. The crossing at Bridge St. Then I came back and explored the new section from Cromby to the Low Bridge near the Foundry building. Just east of the Cromby trailhead is a pretty nasty hill that has already significantly eroded the trail. MTBs may like it, but this newbie cruiser thought it was downright dangerous.

After crossing Fillmore St, there's a pretty steep downhill--not surprising, since you're essentially going from the high point in town to the low point in about a mile. However, significant erosion is already happening here too, leaving really deep ruts. These areas will need to be paved. Ironically, the remainder was very nice, flat and paved. Had they reversed the paved and stoned pieces, they'd have been fine. Still, very enjoyable and recommended--especially westward. Rode this trail for first time today.

The surface was nice and smooth; very few ruts or problems. Very scenic ride with views of the Schuykill River. The path runs through the forest and will be completely shaded during the summer. It was a beautiful spring day and there were a number of riders, walkers and joggers on trail. Quite a few dogs but all were leashed and seemed accustomed to bikers. The trail is wide at the southern end, near Hamburg, and easy to move around walkers, joggers and dogs.

The trail narrows at the northern end, but, the trail is used mostly by bikers in that area. The trail ends at the "Auburn Bridge. As is, the trail is a nice 6 mile ride from the trail head at Hamburg to the Auburn Bridge. Recommend for anyone to enjoy. It looks like there are mile markers every half mile, but some were missing at 46 and Had a great time on this trail. The scenery was sweet. Rowing races made that area congested, nice trail to relax and enjoy a slower ride and take in the sights. Loved the new boardwalk. Will be coming back to complete this trail. Just the ideas in philly to promote bicycle transportation.

Loved this along with the portion from manayunk to here. I ran on it the other day, and except for some parts that will probably be paved and would have been soft for bicycles, it was completely passable. This segment replaces a very hilly and high traffic road connection. Named in honor of a local conservationist, the Thun Trail segment of the Schuylkill River Trail connects two major cities on the middle Schuylkill; Reading and Pottstown. Although only 18 miles long, the multi-use trail takes users through a diverse array of environments. Most of its route follows abandoned rail lines, and two segments are "rails with trails," paralleling active freight lines.

The trail's western terminus is just upstream from the Reading Area Community College. After passing under the Penn Ave. This section is noted for the ultramodern buildings of the campus as well as murals painted on an old RR bridge that was moved to the site. A small meditation garden is also located off the trail. After bearing right at the junction with the Neversink Connector Trail, users cross the Schuylkill River via an old steel trestle. Although both the trestle itself and the modern viaduct that carries the Route Expressway down the southwest bank of the river are impressive works of architecture, the segment from here southeast to Old Wyomissing Road is marred by the presence of graffiti and shady-looking people, creating an uninviting atmosphere I can understand why some female reviewers felt spooked passing through here.

The surface of the trail also changes from asphalt to crushed stone on the southwest side of the bridge. Though still in the Reading city limits, the trail enters more suburban territory southeast of Old Wyomissing Road users have the option of passing under the adjacent railroad tunnel, then following the Wyomissing Creek Trail to the Reading Museum and continuing deep into the city's western suburbs.

A well-constructed pedestrian bridge carries users over Lancaster Ave. After leaving Reading, the trail passes high above the Schuylkill River on two restored, concrete trestles on either side of Poplar Neck. In addition to providing spectacular views of the river and nearby Neversink Mountain, these bridges also look out onto both Route to the north and an active, Norfolk Southern freight line to the south, providing excellent photo opportunities. Though largely wooded, the section from Poplar Neck to Route in Ridgewood also passes a power plant, an abandoned landfill, incinerator and a quarry, all attesting to the river corridor's industrial past. Also, while Reading may no longer be the prominent industrial and transportation hub it once was, the trail's proximity to the aforementioned Route and Norfolk Southern rail lines, as well as I, are clear reminders that these roles have not completely disappeared.

East of Ridgewood where users are urged to use caution while crossing busy Route , the trail enters the countryside of southern Berks County. Users are urged to descend the stairs at the bridge over a small, unnamed creek and observe the impressive masonry, before continuing east to Gibraltar. With a little luck, a freight train may come rumbling down the active RR line that parallels the trail for much of this segment. A signed, on-road route guides users through a 4-mile gap between Gibraltar and Birdsboro. The trail resumes behind the athletic fields off Armorcast Road on the town's east end, with the nearby, now-abandoned smokestacks attesting to Birdsboro's past as a mill town.

After passing behind a nearby residential neighborhood, the trail turns through the woods to the Union Twp. Recreation Area, where it forms the southern part of a circumfrential walking path. The old Schuylkill River Canal, now just a swampy ditch, parallels the segment through the Rec. The trail turns abruptly to the right at the entrance to the Union Twp. Area do not go straight or you will circle back around the park , crosses Route in the small hamlet of Monocacy, then heads back into the woods. Caution is advised at this crossing, as well as a second about a mile to the southeast. Steep slopes on either side of the second crossing make it particularly dangerous, though the dense woodlands that line the trail for most of its length from Birdsboro to Douglassville provide welcome relief from the hot sun and make it ideal for warm days in spring and summer.

The trail crosses the Schuylkill River one more time west of Douglassville. Though not as high as the trestles at Poplar Neck, the remote location of this bridge makes it a great place to stop and enjoy nature. Heading further east, the trail follows another active rail line, providing more opportunities to "rail fan" and photograph trains. Another highlight of this segment is Morlatton village, a colonial-era settlement that widely believed to be the first European-American town in Berks County. The rural nature of the trail abruptly ends after crossing the border into Montgomery County. The sometimes rough and uneven stone surface again gives way to smooth asphalt, and factories can be seen around the Grosstown Road trailhead.

Mostly light industrial now, the presence of large concrete pads east of Old Reading Pike hints that there were once larger factories in this area. The presence of young vegetation poking through deteriorating concrete floors of now-razed factories gives this area a surreal feel. After passing under Route , the trail enters Pottstown, though the shaded trees in Riverfront Park do not give the impression of being in an urban area. The trail currently ends near the intersection of College Dr. Eventually, the next segment of the Schuylkill River Trail should directly connect with the Thun Trail in this area.

Despite passing through some rough-looking areas near its west end, the Thun Trail is an excellent, multi-use rail trail that connects two southeast PA cities and forms a vital link in the continuous greenway that will one day extend from Pottsville to Philadelphia. In addition to linking several local parks and recreation areas, the trail also forms the backbone of the region's burgeoning trail network, with more extensions planned in the near future.

Trail was great, flat and clean. We rode round trip from Oaks to the Art Museum 46 miles total. Good food in Manayunk, great scenery along the trail. My wife and I live near Reading so this trail is one we ride frequently. It's easy to get to and the trail is always well groomed. It's plenty wide enough to easily share with hikers and other riders although it's rarely crowded. Our favorite times to ride are from mid-June through mid-July when the white rhododendrons are blooming along the trail and in the fall when the weather is cool and the autumn colors make the ride extra special.

Don't let the occasional whitetail startle you as it leaps across the trail in front of you. Flat wide trail great surface for biking and well maintained. Rode it for the first time in August and will be back! Great trail for train lovers as Port Clinton has a wonderful rail yard and station. My only complaint is it needs to be extended past the 6 miles. It would be awesome to ride across the trestle bridge that is fenced off and is the end of the trail now. I made the right on the Thun Trail I think that's heading west and then north. Very quickly the trail took me into areas I was not comfortable running in as a female running by myself.

Keep in mind that just last weekend, I ran in South Philly and never felt as nervous as I did on that portion of the Thun Trail. Wow, what a difference! This is a really nice trail. We visit this trail 2 to 3 times a week. Very scenic! You can watch the train yard in Port Clinton. And if you hit it just right - you can watch the train pull out and go under the bridge of the trail. In the evening we see deer crossing the trail. Really nice to get out after a long day. Well maintained and a nice 12 mile round trip from hamburg. We started at the trailhead near Cabela's and rode the entire six-mile length to where the trail currently ends at the old railroad bridge. The entire trail's in great shape. A fantastic mile, round-trip ride.

First trail ride since getting back in to biking. We had a good time on the trail. Got to see the other side of routes traveled by car, with no traffic. Have plans to ride other trails in next couple of weeks. There is also a new place near Conshohocken on the trail to get a bite or a drink! I have traveled, and I can say this is a wonderful addition to Berks County.

Those of you in fear for your life, stop watching so much tv. I have walked every section of this trail many times, and there is nothing to be afraid of. You have more chance of getting car-jacked. The experience of being outside on trails with no cars to fight is a gift. Sure there are some places where there are ruts and run-off spots but this is nature, folks, not some man-made pristine manufactured environment. So, come on, check the map, find a trail head, park the car, and get moving. You'll be glad you did. The trail is well maintained and provides a nice scenic ride. The paved areas are nice and smooth and you can get some speed up. Transition areas of the trail need some work, but over-all not bad. The major concern is the horseback riders.

Why is it that dog owners are required to clean up after their animals, but horseback owners can leave a knee high pile of crap and not think twice about it? Also when the horse is taken to to a gallop, it tears the trail up. There are sections of the trail that have to be ridden standing because they feel like, as I heard someone describe it accurately, "rumble strips". So much potential, but horseback riders, show some common decency and clean up after you animal! I was visiting family in the Phoenixville area in July of and I read reviews regarding this trail.

I started at the Oaks trailhead and made it to the art museum in Phila. The weekend I rode was great, a bit warm but I am from FL so no big deal. A regatta was taking place on the river as I got closer to the city. In total it was a 55 mi trip and well worth it. Many people were on the trail and I enjoyed some conversation and healthy challenges by keeping up with some bicyclist on the trail. Back in late June I did this trail from Spring City at Old Schuylkill rd to Phoenixville at Township line rd where there is a new Trail Head and a great parking lot that looks like it has a lot of shade.

This is not a great section of trail but when it is done on both ends it will be a great addition to the Schuylkill River Trail. I would say that this 5 plus miles of trail are family friendly as there is only one cross road that is a little tricky and that is Bridge st Spring City. There is a lots of shade and it is a flat ride. Oh yes the trail head at Township Line road dose have a port-a-potty. I did talk to a couple of locals and was told the section of trail going towards Pottstown is another year and a half to two years away as the bridge over the Schuylkill and route is now under construction.

My first plan was to ride the road over to the Thun Tail but I was running a little late so I drove over and am glad I as the six mile dose not look like it is bike friendly. Nice packed gravel trail. No problems on my road bike. Start by Cabella's. Six miles to the closed bridge and then back. Even on a day when temps were in 90's, we were cool by the river, in the shade, with our man-made breeze our peddling. Just wish the trail was longer. Support rails to trails so we can finish the bridge!! This is a great trail. I rode it twice this year so far, once from Valley Forge to Philly and back and today from Oaks to Philly and back.

Weekends the trail can get somewhat crowded at certain areas as is the parking areas. Manayunk can get a little tricky and you have to ride the Main Street. Subtle improvements in the trail in make it safer for the whole family. New pavement, handrails, and bridges along the way have increased the appeal. My 21 mile ride each way makes my visit to Pennsylvania a great time. Cheers, James - Orlando, FL.

The trail is quite level, and there will be walkers, recreational bicyclists, and speed bicyclists encountered. It is trivial to go 20 mph without breaking a sweat. All macadam, and less busy then the lower end. There are a few road stretches, but they are not well used roads, and I never encountered traffic. The roads access private property. Between Valley Forge and Norristown, there is a small rest area with a drinking fountain. There are also benches along the entire route. There are mile makers, and also mile posts at regular intervals.

Between Norristown and Spring Mill, there are three abandoned RR track crossings, with the trail set up for a 90 degree crossing, and rubber cushions. From Spring Mill to Shawmont, it is fairly new macadam, and it ends at a street crossing, then commuter rail tracks, and a short section about 25' of cobblestones. You may want to walk your bike for part of it. Total distance of about one block. Then, until Manyunk center, is is a combination of fine packed gravel, some boardwalk and some macadam. The trail abruptly departs from along the canal tow path into traffic for about a mile or so. There is a bike lane, but I ride the sidewalk. Not much pedestrian traffic, and much safer. Even in wet weather, this section is no big deal.

Along the tow path you will encounter more traffic. You can ride the sidewalk down past the theater complex, and the bus terminal, then hang a right onto the trail along East River Drive. Then you are in Fairmont Park, all macadam, and much more traffic, both pedestrian and bicycle. If you want to make time, do the upper end north of Shawmont. You can ride into the city proper, past the Art Museum, and ends at Walnut Street. They are working to get a work around for the street section in Manyunk, as well as extending it past Walnut Street. As a biker with an allergic reaction to being knocked off by nutty car drivers this trail is perfect. You can go out for a long or shorter ride on a great surface without the fear of being killed.

If only there were more trails like this! One great ride on a great fall day. Mile for mile it is one of the very best trails I have done. I only did from the Kernsville Dam at Hamburg to the closed bridge a 6 mile ride up. When I got back to the parking lot and talked to a local I found out about a detour where I could have done the whole trail but it was to late in the day.

He did tell me that there is a very big climb going and coming back though. This trail has a lot to offer, a great surface, Mile Markers every half mile, Park benches, a great canopy and great scenery. It is to bad that they just can not get the bridge re planked. I did this on a very old Mt Bike but it could be done on almost any kind of bike. It is family friendly and because of its short distance and not much of a grade it would be a great trail for a young family. This is a very nice run. Up and back from the parking lot near the basin monument is approximately 6 miles according to GPS.

If I am not mistaken, you can probably run into Hamburg, cross the river to you hit the "Steel something or other" trail head, then make a left and follow the trail signs to the rail yard museum. Started at Kernsville Dam Road. The roadbed is very compact and smooth riding. Rode to where the fence is up at the curved railroad bridge approx. The scenery is great and when passing above Port Clinton you can look down at the Reading and Northern's engine facilities and offices. The grade is hardly noticable so even the rail trail beginner will have no problems. I hope they will complete more of the trail in the near future. The plus here is when your done riding the trail you have a wide choice of where to eat.

It's a shame this trail has to be located where it is. Coming from the Reading end we looked to park at the trail head on Angstadt Ln, which turned out to be inaccessible due to bridge construction. So we moved on to one behind several businesses. When we pulled in there was only one other vehicle, whose occupants appeared to be doing something other than planing to enjoy the trail. I don't know they just looked sketchy, and I wasn't leaving my truck there.

So we moved on once again. After we unloaded we headed out a trail from the parking lot, while somewhat narrow it still seemed nice. Turned out it was about a half mile loop that came out the other end of the parking lot. We realized the actual trail was across street. When we headed in that direction we noticed a guy coming out of the restroom carrying a bottle in a brown paper bag. It didn't look like gatorade either. We chose to head off and hope for the best. The trail was fairly nice although a bit narrow and doesn't show much use.

I found it odd that on a fairly nice day we only came across about five or six other people on the ride the whole way to Pottstown. Bottom line is the closer to Pottstown you get the safer you feel. There's just an uncomfortable feel to the trail which is a real shame as it's a nice level, smooth, trail with some scenic sights along it. If you think I'm being a little overly critical regarding the security on the trail I'll just add that in today's paper there was a brief article about a body of a man who was found shot to death on the trail.

I don't usually like to pack heat with me on bike ride my friends. But if I do it'd be on this trail. Stay safe my friends. Took the mountain bikes out tonight from the Pottstown trailhead to the crossing near Shed Rd. The trail is in great condition after a pretty heavy rain earlier this morning. Maintained an easy 10mph average with minimal effort. Encountered a handful of bikers and joggers along the way. The Hamburg section is closed off 6 miles in the map is not accurate so this trail is really in 3 sections not just 2.

The bridge needs to be replanked and the other side needs maintenance also. But besides that I enjoyed riding these trails. I prefer the section from landingville to auburn and a short road ride to the auburn trail head. The Hamburg section is nice and it also links to the Appalachian trail. The sections that are open and maintained are very nice. Very nice ride the only issue I have is where the trails split there needs to be signs to tell you where to get back on. I rode from landing ville to auburn and after jumping on the second section in auburn the trail ends and I could not find the next trail head. The map shows a continuous trail from auburn to Hamburg. So today I'm driving down to Hamburg to ride the trail backwards and see where they connect.

Also there is another trail in auburn that cuts off from the bartram trail and runs back in the direction you come in from auburn on the opposite side of the river along the railroad tracks. I am going to investigate that section this weekend. My wife and I rode a short section of the trail, from the Betzwood Trailhead to Norristown and back, on 27 May The trail is in excellent condition, and we had a great ride. It was quite busy, with a variety of walkers, runners, casual bikers and more serious bikers. We look forward to returning for a longer ride toward Philadelphia.

A great trail; gentle grade, nice surface. Mile markers and benches. For much of this section you have nice views of the river, at least before the trees leaf out, and you are away from roads and buildings. Note I said views of the river: the trail meanders delightfully along the valley but far, far above the river, and not only would it be a steep scramble to get down to it, most of the trail is private land on both sides and signs request one to be polite and not trespass. If you want to dangle your toes in the river ride north on the public road from the Basin parking area toward the dam and lake; looking down from the trail which, even at that point, rapidly becomes elevated there appear to be quite a few places to pull over right next to the banks.

This is incorrect: heading north the trail dead-ends at a river bridge at the 6 mile marker. No idea if you can start at Auburn and ride south to the other end of the bridge, but you cannot legally cross the long, high, unrenovated bridge. Description note: The trail description mentions buying penny candy in Port Clinton. I'd plan on visiting the store before or after by car, especially if you have smaller kids with you. Have done the landingville stretch and love it. Lots of birds to see even at this time of year. Can't wait til spring when the birds start coming back.

Found a great new walking spot. My family and I checked out this trail for the first time yesterday. With blue sky, cool temps. With fallen leaves, running down the trail with us in the breeze, it was quite magical! We started from the trail head in Hamburg, went out about 6 miles and then back again. We found the trail that we traveled on to be in great condition, smooth, and well marked. We passed a few other bikers and walkers enjoying the trail too. Our only caution about this trail is that it is not one for young children to bike on as the drop off is quite steep in some areas and there are no fences. Not to stir the pot, but to help others avoid confusion, I have made three round trips through Birdsboro just this week alone.

Route joins south of town, then splits just above the Turkey Hill with traveling a bridge over the Schuylkill, and turning to run parallel with the river. I believe that road over the bridge was once 82, but has been since at least For what it's worth, the shoulders on Route are fairly wide and quite smoothly paved from said Turkey Hill up to at least where Schuylkill Road crosses above town and becomes Old River Road. I sometimes ride that rather than Schuylkill Road -- it's a trade-off of smoother paving for more sun!

All in all, I find the trail from Pottstown up to Brentwood to be a pleasant trip. It was bigger than the immigration of Jews into the United States during the 19th century, when some , arrived from Russia and Eastern Europe. It was bigger than the wagon-train migration to the West, beloved of American lore. This movement lasted longer and grabbed up more people than any other migration in North America before The drama of a million individuals going so far from their homes changed the country. It gave the Deep South a character it retains to this day; and it changed the slaves themselves, traumatizing uncountable families.

But until recently, the Slave Trail was buried in memory. Historians know about the Slave Trail. Some museum curators know about it, too. Last fall and this past spring, the Library of Virginia, in Richmond, and the Historic New Orleans Collection, in Louisiana, working separately, put together large exhibitions about the domestic slave trade.

Both institutions broke attendance records. It sat under a piece of glass and measured about 2 by 4 feet. If you squinted, you could see pinholes in it. Virginia was the source for the biggest deportation. Nearly , people were uprooted and sent south from the state between and Outside universities and museums, the story of the Slave Trail lives in shards, broken and scattered. During the move to the Deep South, many slaves found themselves on steamboats winding down the Mississippi to New Orleans. There they were sold to new bosses and dispersed in a mile radius to the sugar and cotton plantations. Many went without their parents, or spouses, or siblings—and some without their children—whom they were made to leave behind. My own ancestors held slaves in South Carolina for six generations.

I have studied Charles Ball and found no family link to him. But names and history contain shadows. About half of those people boarded ships in Washington or Norfolk, bound for Louisiana, where Franklin sold them. The other half walked from the Chesapeake to the Mississippi River, 1, miles, with riverboat steerage for short distances along the way. The Armfield coffle of is better documented than most slave marches. I started following its footsteps, hoping to find traces of the Slave Trail of Tears. The coffle headed west out of Alexandria. Today the road leaving town becomes U.

Route 50, a big-shouldered highway. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, the two Confederate generals. But when the slaves marched, it was known as Little River Turnpike. The coffle moved along at three miles an hour. People sang. Sometimes they were forced to. Slave traders brought a banjo or two and demanded music. The turnpike ran farther west—40 miles to Winchester, and then to the brow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every few miles, Armfield and his chained-up gang came to a toll station. He would stop the group in its tracks, pull out his purse and pay the man. The tollkeeper would lift the bar, and the coffle would march under it.

About August 25, they reached Winchester and turned south, entering the Shenandoah Valley. Among the people who lived in these parts was John Randolph, a congressman and a cousin of Thomas Jefferson. Along the way, the coffle met other slave gangs, construction crews rebuilding the Wagon Road, widening it to 22 feet and putting down gravel. They were turning out the new Valley Turnpike, a macadam surface with ditches at the sides. The marchers and the roadwork gangs, slaves all, traded long looks. Route 11, a two-lane that runs between soft and misty mountains, with pretty byways.

Long stretches of U. Northern Shenandoah was wheat country then, with one in five people enslaved and hoeing in the fields. Today a few of the plantations survive. I stop at one of the oldest, Belle Grove. The Valley Turnpike once ran on its edge, and the coffle of saw the place from the road. Relatives of President James Madison put up the stone mansion at Belle Grove during the s, and it lives on as a fine house museum run by a historian, Kristen Laise.

A walk through the house, a look at the kitchen where all the work was done, a walk through the slave cemetery, a rundown of the people who lived and died here, white and black—thanks to Laise, Belle Grove is not a house museum that shorts the stories of slaves. Recently, Laise tells me, she stumbled on evidence that in the s a large number of people went up for sale at Belle Grove. Hite expressed regret that he had to charge interest if buyers insisted on using credit. The nicest families in the Shenandoah tipped people into the pipeline south. Frederick County Visitor Center. In Edinburg, a history bookshop. In Staunton, the Visitor Center. People do know, however, about Civil War battles.

The bloodletting here has a kind of glamour. A few people launch into stories about the brave Confederates. A few bring up their own ethnic lore. A woman at a tourist store clarified. My oh my, the Scots-Irish—they were like made of brass. The children were asleep in some tents; and the males, in chains, were lying on the ground, in groups of about a dozen each. Featherstonhaugh, a geologist on a surveying tour for the federal government, described the slave trader as a raw man in nice clothes.

John Armfield wore a big white hat and striped pants. He had a long dark coat and wore a mustache-less beard. Early the next morning, the gang readied again for the march. On September 6, the gang was marching 50 miles southwest of Roanoke. They came to the New River, a big flow about feet across, and to a dock known as Ingles Ferry. Armfield did not want to pay for passage, not with his hundreds. So one of his men picked a shallow place and tested it by sending over a wagon and four horses. Armfield then ordered the men in irons to get in the water. This was dangerous. If any man lost his footing, everyone could be washed downstream, yanked one after another by the chain.

Armfield watched and smoked. Multiply that by The men made it across. Next came wagons with the young children and those who could no longer walk. Last came the women and girls. Armfield crossed them on flatboats. Today, on the same spot, a six-lane bridge crosses the New River, and there is a town called Radford, population 16, Born 50 miles that way, Radford for 20 years. On the dark slope after 40, since you ask. Daniel is pleasant, happy to talk about his hardscrabble days.

He is white, a face etched by too much sun. It is an easy chat between strangers, until I bring up the slave days. He shakes his head. His face acquires a look that suggests the memory of slavery is like a vampire visiting from a shallow grave. Armfield and his caravan came to the Shenandoah from Alexandria. Other coffles came from the direction of Richmond.

One of them was led by a man named William Waller, who walked from Virginia to Louisiana in with 20 or more slaves. In the deep archive of the Virginia Historical Society I discovered an extraordinary batch of letters that Waller wrote about the experience of selling people he had known and lived with for much of his life. He was an amateur slave trader, not a pro like Armfield, and his journey, though from another year, is even better documented. Waller was 58, not young but still fit. Thin and erect, a crease of a smile, vigorous dark eyes. She was fancier than he. The Wallers lived outside Amherst, Virginia, and owned some 25 black people and a plantation called Forest Grove. They were in debt. They had seen the money others were making by selling out and decided to do the same.

Their plan was to leave a few slaves behind with Sarah as house servants and for William to march nearly all the rest to Natchez and New Orleans. Waller and his gang reached the Valley Turnpike in October. But something happened early on, although it is not clear just what. The people who accompanied him included a boy of 8 or 9 called Pleasant; Mitchell, who was 10 or 11; a teenage boy named Samson; three teenage sisters, Sarah Ann, Louisa and Lucy; Henry, about 17; a man named Nelson and his wife; a man in his 20s called Foster; and a young mother named Sarah, with her daughter Indian, about age 2. There were others. The three sisters had been taken from their parents, as had Pleasant, Mitchell and Samson.

Most of the others were under Waller planned to sell all of them. Days and nights down the Valley Turnpike, the spine of the Blue Ridge, destination Tennessee, where Armfield would hand over his coffle and board a stagecoach back to Alexandria. Here the mountains thicken into the Appalachian South of deep hollows and secret hills. In the old days, there were few black people here, a lot of Quakers and the beginning of an antislavery movement. The Quakers have largely gone, and there are still many fewer black people than back in Virginia, miles east. I take the old route to Knoxville, but then get onto the freeway, Interstate The path of I west roughly matches a turnpike that once ran miles across the Cumberland Plateau.

At this point in the journey, other spurs, from Louisville and Lexington to the north, joined the main path of the Slave Trail. The migration swelled to a widening stream. Armfield and his gang of had marched for a month and covered more than miles. When they reached Nashville, they would be halfway. He had grown up near Gallatin, 30 miles northeast of Nashville, and he went there during off months.

He called it Fairvue. Columned, brick and symmetrical, it was just about the finest house in the state, people said, second only to the Hermitage, the estate of President Andrew Jackson. Fairvue was a working plantation, but it was also an announcement that the boy from Gallatin had returned to his humble roots in majesty. In Gallatin, I drive out to look at the old Franklin estate. After the Civil War, it held on as a cotton plantation, and then became a horse farm. But in the s, a developer began building a golf course on the fields where the colts ran. The Club at Fairvue Plantation opened in , and hundreds of houses sprang up on half-acre plots.

Approaching the former Franklin house, I pass the golf course and clubhouse. A thicket of McMansions follows, in every ersatz style. People still come to show their money at Fairvue, like Franklin himself. I ring the doorbell at the house the Slave Trail built. It has a double portico, with four Ionic columns on the first level and four on the second. No answer, despite several cars in the drive. More than one preservationist had told me that the current owners of Fairvue are hostile to anyone who shows curiosity about the slave dealer who built their lovely home.

The man may be gone, but generations later, some of his people are still around. I ask a Nashville museum director, Mark Brown, for help in finding a member of the family in the here and now. Two phone calls later, one of the living Franklins answers. Kenneth Thomson opens the door to his house, which is clapboard and painted a pretty cottage yellow—quaint, not grand. Thomson says he is 74, but he looks Short white hair, short white beard, khakis, cotton short-sleeve with flap pockets and epaulets. Shoes with crepe soles. A reedy voice, gentle manners. Thomson is an antiques dealer, mostly retired, and an amateur historian, mostly active.

It hangs in the living room, above the sofa. The house bursts with 19th-century chairs, rugs, settees, tables and pictures. Reading lights look like converted oil lamps. He takes a seat at his melodeon, a portable organ that dates from the s, and plays a few bars of period-appropriate music. It is plain that in this branch of the Franklin family, the past cannot be unremembered. But he had three brothers, and there are hundreds of their descendants living all around the country. Which means that Isaac Franklin was my great-great-great-great-uncle. Taking a seat in an armchair upholstered in wine-colored brocade, he picks up the story.

It was at the beginning of the s. When the brothers were growing up in Gallatin, James Franklin, eight years older than Isaac, took his sibling under his wing. He showed young Isaac how it was done, apprenticed him. Now, I heard this more than 50 years ago from my great-grandfather, who was born in , or two generations closer than me to the time in question. So it must be true. The family story is that after Uncle Isaac came back from service during the War of , which sort of interrupted his career path, if you call it that, he was all for the slave business. I mean, just gung-ho. Thomson gets up and walks through the house, pointing out the ample Franklin memorabilia. A painting of the mansion at Fairvue. A Bible from the family of John Armfield. He had six plantations and slaves.

Most slave traders at that time were considered common and uncouth, with no social graces. Uncle Isaac was different. He had the equivalent of an eighth-grade education. He was not ignorant. He could write a letter. But bad habits concerning sex were rampant among some of those men. You know they took advantage of the black women, and there were no repercussions there. Before he married, Isaac had companions, some willing, some unwilling. That was just part of life. And here, someone close to the memory of it says much the same. In , at age 50, he married a woman named Adelicia Hayes, age 22, the daughter of a Nashville attorney.

It is possible, of course, that Isaac Franklin sold his daughter. It would have been the easiest thing to do. Thomson brings out an article that he wrote some years ago for the Gallatin Examiner. How does a person inside the family measure the inheritance of slave trading? Thomson takes a half-second. It was a part of life in those days. Take the Bible. Many things in the Old Testament are pretty barbaric, but they are part of our evolution. Thomson warms up, shifts in his seat. I mean, people who do not understand the old lifestyles—their standpoint on life, and their education, are what today we consider limited.

That applies to Southern history, to slave history. They are great people. When I grew up, we were servanted. All the servants were black. We had a nurse, a woman who used to be called a mammy. We had a cook, a black man. We had a maid, and we had a yard man. We had a guy that doubled as a driver and supervised the warehouse. And we had all these servants till they died. There were free blacks in the South that owned slaves. And there were lots of them. Thomson emphasizes these last sentences. It is a refrain among Southern whites who remain emotionally attached to the plantation days—that one in 1, slaveholders who were black vindicates in some fashion who were not. We are not accountable for what happened then. We are only accountable if it is repeated. I never heard of any mistreatment.

You see, blacks were better off coming to this country. It is a fact that the ones over here are far ahead of the ones over there in Africa. And you know that the first legal slaveholder in the United States was a black man? You need to look that up. I think slavery developed here primarily because of the ignorance of the blacks. They first came over here as indentured servants, as did the whites. But because of their background and lack of education, they just sort of slid into slavery. I grew up in the Deep South, and I am familiar with such ideas, shared by many whites in Mr.

I do not believe that black people were responsible for their own enslavement, or that African-Americans should be grateful for slavery because they are better off than West Africans, or that a black man was author of the slave system. But I recognize the melody, and let the song pass. Kenneth Thomson brings out some daguerreotypes of the Franklins and others in his family tree. The pictures are beautiful. The people in them are well-dressed.

They give the impression of perfect manners. To get rid of their attitudes. Ben Key was a slave to Isaac Franklin at Fairvue. He was born in in Virginia. Franklin probably bought him there and brought him to Tennessee in the early s. For reasons unknown, Franklin did not send Key through the burning gates of the Slave Trail, but made him stay in Tennessee. At Fairvue, Key found a partner in a woman named Hannah. Their children included a son named Jack Key, who was freed at the end of the Civil War, at age Florence Hall Blair, born and raised in Nashville, is 73, a retired nurse. She lives 25 miles from Gallatin, in a pretty brick, ranch-style house with white shutters.

After 15 years at various Tennessee hospitals, and after 15 years selling makeup for Mary Kay Cosmetics and driving a pink Cadillac, because she moved a ton of mascara , she now occupies herself with family history. A lot of black people, she said, do not want to know about their ancestry. You see the names. Some names in the lists are familiar. You find them repeatedly. He was a minister. It must be in the genes, because I have a brother who is a minister, and a cousin who is a minister, and another relative.

And in Gallatin there is a church named after one of the Key family preachers. And that includes about Isaac Franklin. I think Franklin was a cruel individual, but he was human. His humanity was not always visible, but it was there. Time kind of mellows you out. The older I get, the more tolerant I become. It was like that. He did it, but it is what it is. If you carry hatred or strong dislike for people, all you are doing is hurting yourself. She laughs, surprisingly. Oh, no. Now I have five adult children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

I am married to a man with four children. Put them all together, we are like a big sports team. On holidays it is something, we have to rent a community center. As autumn gathered in , the caravan that John Armfield handed over left Tennessee, bound for Natchez. Records of that part of the journey do not survive, nor do records about the individual slaves in the coffle. Like other Franklin gangs, the probably got on flatboats in the Cumberland River and floated three days down to the Ohio River, and then drifted down another day to reach the Mississippi. A flatboat could float down the Mississippi to Natchez in two weeks. There—and this is conjecture, based on what happened to other gangs—half of the big gang might have been sold.

As for the other half, they were probably herded onto steamboats and churned miles south to New Orleans, where Isaac Franklin or one of his agents sold them, one or three or five at a time.