john rankin house

maevans70

The house is well worth the visit. The view of the river is awesome. Mr. Rankin and his house was a very important part of the underground railroad. I understand the Ohio River is more narrow in this part so many slaves chose to cross here as Mr. Parker checked the river bank every evening to help the slaves to Mr. Rankin's house.

TravelingDiva13

The path from the Ohio River to the home of the a Rev. John Rankin and his family was more than 100 steps but is said to be the 100 steps to freedom. The house now maintained by the Ohio Historical Society is being restored to its original state was an important location for those slaves seeking freedom and a safe place to stay.

tomas417

This is a great historic house, I enjoyed my visit. I enjoyed seeing the recent renovations. The guide was most informative. The view is one of the most beautiful in Ohio. This is a must see in the state of Ohio.

Radar06

A history refresher about a reverend passion to help all those who desired to be free from bondage of ownership. Also with an awesome view of the ohio river at sun set. A great place for picnic. Clean restroom facility. You can also climb the steps to freedom.

Tars57

We really enjoyed the guided tour we took. The guide was very informative. Construction was still being done and the upstairs was closed off. Very nice views of the Ohio River.

tlynn63

I have seen and read about this house and Rankin family for quite some time and have wanted to visit. Upon arriving, there is free parking and nearby restroom facilities. Read the plaques near the parking lot for added information and then make your way down the short path to the admission hut. Cost is $4 for adults and there is a guided tour every half hour. Currently the house is undergoing renovations and will reopen on August 23, 2014. We did go inside the house but it was being painted with scaffolding about. The guide did take us around the outside of the house and explained the history of the Rankin house. I enjoyed the visit and know if will be enhanced when the renovation is completed soon. Pair this with a visit to the Parker House.

YSFranklin

We did not have enough time to enter the house but the surrounding property and view of the Ohio River were beautiful.

explorepossibilities

Lucky I am - I visited just before the rehab project and during. Looking forward to stopping in again to see the refinishing. Views are the best in the area and the history is interesting and need-to-know. If you are anywhere in the area and have not visited - why not? :)

Janie C

We did not prepare properly and came to the site after they closed for the season. Beware, looks like they close for the winter starting 11/1. Totally our fault for not checking.So I still give it the highest rating because you can still walk around the grounds and read the plaques and see the house and its placement over the river. We walked around. Other people were there too, seemed to be ok.It is a very small house but that adds to the significance when you think about what this man and his family did to help over 2000 slaves in their journey to freedom.We will be back and next time will double check to make sure they are open. The tour sounds wonderful and the drive from Cinti was very quick, less than an hour.

OhioDriver

We took five grandsons (7-14) to visit the Rankin House on a summer history field trip. This was the favorite stop for all of us. The structure of the house is being restored and historians are studying the archeological findings. The skilled guide led us through parts of the house so that we could see what is being restored and studied. We all got to look out the front windows to see the hillside and the Ohio River and imagine the escaping slaves crossing the river and climbing the hill to this underground railroad stop. Outside the guide showed us the stairs that led to the house from the river bed and town below. We saw where the barn stood that had housed escaping slaves. Even though the day was sunny and bright, we felt that "we were there" on a dark night watching for slaves and listening for the sounds of hunting dogs chasing them. This was one field trip we will never forget! All of us rated this stop #1 in learning and fun. What tales this house could tell!

MitziDee

Currently undergoing a complete restoration, so tours focus on the structure and archeological work, but include information on the family's role in abolition. With OHS hit hard with budget cuts, it's heartening to see local groups step forward to care for important sites. Docents were enthusiastic and knowledgable. School age children of all ages can relate to the family's role in aiding escaping slaves.

RonaldR868

I'm a big history buff and my wife and I decided to drive down and do a little tour of southern Ohio. We ended up at The Rankin House in Ripley, Ohio where the Underground Railroad really gained it's steam from. The house and the history was beyond our expectations and they are working on restoring the house to it's original look. It's amazing looking into the upstairs and secret areas they would house the slaves before helping to gain their freedom. And while you're there be sure to take in the view over the Ohio River Valley over into Kentucky. It's awe-inspiring! Then you can take in the John Parker House, walk the historic river front and even go to the cemetary and locate the many children of Rev. Rankin and even his grave with a bust over the grave. It's amazing and a wonderful piece of history right in our own backyard!

tj3js289

The home sits high on the hill in Ripley, Ohio, a rivertown. Standing on the hillside and looking down on the river and into Kentucky you can get a feel for what it was like to escape crossing the river and the struggles once across.

Gent258

John Rankin was an abolitionist on the Ohio side of the Ohio River. His house was one of the documented stations on the Underground Railroad. This is where the real Eliza crossed the frozen river with his child in her arms. While you are there visit the house of the black abolitionist, John Parker.

AdriannM

This is a great place to visit. Especially paired with a trip to the Freedom Center in cincinnati which has tons of information about the Rankin family.