A new Ohio Historical Marker was unveiled June 6 next to the trail following a dedication ceremony at Butterworth Farm in Hamilton Township.
Descendents of the Butterworth family shared stories of the Quaker family that sheltered slaves and transported them on the Underground Railroad.
The plaque marks the location of Butterworth Station, no longer standing, but pictured here in an old photo. The boy in the photo is Thomas Foster, a Butterworth descendent. Although Thomas is deceased, his wife Avery lives in Mason and supplied the photo. The depot is round because it doubled as a water tower for the railroad, using water from nearby springs, and as a place to await the train.
Benjamin and Rachel Butterworth moved from Virginia to settle in the Ohio wilderness in 1812. They purchased land ($3/acre) to establish a farm along
the Little Miami River, and in 1820 completed the stone house that is visible from the trail across a field 2.6 miles north of Loveland (see photo). The farm is still owned by their descendents. The Butterworth family supported other projects as well, including the Montgomery Pike (today's State Rte. 22/3), the Maineville Academy, and the Little Miami Railroad. The Butterworths gave funding, right-of-way for the tracks to pass through their property, and use of their water tower in exchange for lifetime family train passes.
Most of us know the Little Miami Scenic Trail is built on the foundation of the Little Miami Railroad bed. Fewer people are aware of the secret railroad, the one built on the convictions and courage of those who stood against slavery. During the 1830s and 1840s, the Butterworths were a key link in the Underground Railroad, conducting thousands of slaves to freedom, often at great personal risk. A small community group, Friends of the Twenty Mile House, worked to secure permission and funding to erect the historical marker at Butterworth Station, both to honor the many contributions of the Butterworth family and to educate trail users about the rich history of this part of Ohio.
"I wanted the marker to be on the bike trail so people could learn about this incredible family that risked everything to shelter runaway slaves and transport them to the next stop," says Karen Dinsmore, leader of the group. "They gave so much to this country."
