PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
SPEAKER … Dr. Tristen Dominquez-Turkopp speaks during the Fulton County Genealogy Group’s Underground Railroad program at the Museum of Fulton County in Wauseon on Monday, April 13.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Fulton County Genealogy Group welcomed a strong crowd to the Museum of Fulton County on Monday, April 13, for a free evening program focused on the Underground Railroad in northwest Ohio.
Around 80 people attended the event, which was part of the museum’s continuing lineup of free public programs planned throughout 2026.
The program, titled Take a Ride on the Underground Railroad in Northwest Ohio, was presented by Dr. Tristen Dominquez-Turkopp, program and events manager for Heritage Sylvania. The event was held at 7 p.m. at the museum in Wauseon.
According to Doris Piercefield, the genealogy group merged with the museum about a year ago and has since continued hosting regular public programs on historical and genealogical topics.
She said the monthly programs have been drawing strong attendance, including close to 50 people for a recent presentation on veterans records.
Monday’s turnout exceeded that, showing continued public interest in local and regional history. Piercefield said the programs are free to attend and offer a valuable opportunity for the public to learn more about the area’s past.
During the presentation, Dominquez-Turkopp shared background on slavery in the United States and explained how the Underground Railroad developed as a dangerous but vital network for those seeking freedom.
He spoke about Ohio’s important place in that history and focused much of the evening on the role northwest Ohio played as freedom seekers moved north.
He noted that the region’s location made it an important corridor on the final leg of the journey toward Canada.
At the same time, he explained that the terrain and conditions in the area, including the Great Black Swamp, made travel extremely difficult.
The presentation also explored some of the people and families in northwest Ohio who were believed to have aided those escaping slavery. Dominquez-Turkopp discussed stations and routes, and spoke about how assistance was often given in secret through shelter, transportation, food, and guidance.
He also addressed the challenges historians face in documenting this history, since those involved often left little written evidence due to the legal risk tied to helping enslaved people escape.
Much of the history, he said, has been passed down through oral tradition and supported by secondary evidence.
Piercefield said the topic carries local significance, including connections to Fulton County.
She noted that the museum has information related to individuals in the county connected to Underground Railroad history, including a reference to a Delta man with the last name King, whose home was reportedly used in those efforts.
She said the museum also has resources available for those who want to learn more about the subject. Monday’s program gave those in attendance a closer look at a chapter of history that remains deeply important both locally and nationally.