Tuskegee Airmen Museum Open!

[PlymouthRes]

Marsha-
Do you remember your tour guide’s name? Was he tall or short? Was he a member of the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition? That info may help WaCoTS id him better.
I wonder if you are referring the the Sally Port entrance ofthe fort, down the long sloping path to the right of the VC where thehistorical marker is set up? It is at the end of that path, just before entering the tunnel-like Sally Port door that the story of the Irish caretakerof the fort is told, as that was the approximate spot on which his farm originally stood. The caretaker was commissioned by the military to take careof the fort during its first time of decommissioning, that being the years of approx.1851 to 1860. Almost directly after construction, the military left the fort inthe hands of this caretaker, who, as an Irishman and whose race was oftendiscriminated against, was thought to have been sympathetic to the cause ofescaping slaves, and therefore was able to assist them in the last crossing tofreedom that so many worked so hard to get to.
Most of us who do tours mention the possible connection to the UGR, and there is a gal named Kimberly Simmons who directs theQuarrrels-Watkins Project [[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quarlls-Watkins-Heritage-Project/155392493165), which outlines the path to freedom taken by one her great-great relatives. The tour should have mentioned something about a possible hand ferry run by the caretaker [[which again is unsubstantiated) and that the passengers of thecrossing would have ended up at the Sandwich First Baptist Church, which was established in 1840.
Hope that this helps.
Res

[marshamusic]

Marsha-
Do you remember your tour guide’s name? Was he tall or short? Was he a member of the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition? That info may help WaCoTS id him better.
I wonder if you are referring the the Sally Port entrance ofthe fort, down the long sloping path to the right of the VC where thehistorical marker is set up? It is at the end of that path, just before entering the tunnel-like Sally Port door that the story of the Irish caretakerof the fort is told, as that was the approximate spot on which his farm originally stood. The caretaker was commissioned by the military to take careof the fort during its first time of decommissioning, that being the years of approx.1851 to 1860. Almost directly after construction, the military left the fort inthe hands of this caretaker, who, as an Irishman and whose race was oftendiscriminated against, was thought to have been sympathetic to the cause ofescaping slaves, and therefore was able to assist them in the last crossing tofreedom that so many worked so hard to get to.
Most of us who do tours mention the possible connection to the UGR, and there is a gal named Kimberly Simmons who directs theQuarrrels-Watkins Project [[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quarlls-Watkins-Heritage-Project/155392493165), which outlines the path to freedom taken by one her great-great relatives. The tour should have mentioned something about a possible hand ferry run by the caretaker [[which again is unsubstantiated) and that the passengers of thecrossing would have ended up at the Sandwich First Baptist Church, which was established in 1840.
Hope that this helps.
Res

Why thank you Res.

I just checked some old emails, and actually the visit when I was on this tour was in 2003, which is a long ways back. So I don't recall details about the tour guy, but he was a white male; I don't recall him being overly short or overly tall. Very friendly guy though, who was delighted in my interest in the fort and its buildings.

Yes, perhaps it is possible that he shared something of that story that you describe. One thing I do know, I am not mistaken as to my recollection of having been told, by the tour guide, that there was some history there regarding escaping slaves.

Again, thank you for your input Res - and your great information.