Tomlinson Lake “Hike to Freedom” Fun & Inspirational!
One of Joe’s passions is the history of our region, and when he discovered that Carlingford was actually an entry point for blacks who were escaping slavery in the US in via the Underground Railroad, he had to find out more.
He threw himself into researching the history of this northernmost branch of the Underground Railroad, but documentation and details of this incredible route to freedom are extremely hard to find.
Absolute secrecy was required in order to keep both the fugitives, and people who helped them, safe from brutal retaliation from bounty hunters and slavers.
It often meant a death sentence for an escaped slave if he or she was recaptured, and white people who were caught aiding fugitive slaves could be sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined $1,000….a huge sum back then.
The Underground Railroad was one of North America’s greatest movements and the people who came to New Brunswick on this dangerous route 150 years ago deserve to be honoured.
Joe felt that by making people aware of this movement we could commemorate Black History in New Brunswick, and that there was also very good potential for this to provide Perth-Andover with a tourist attraction.
Art’s late wife Ruth had done
research on the Underground Railroad through her association with the Quaker Friends Church in Maple Grove, just outside of Fort Fairfield.
Quakers abhorred slavery, and so this small church became a sanctuary and hiding place for fugitives on the last leg of their journey before they reached freedom in Canada.
Once Joe completed his research, and had retraced the trail himself, he began planning a hiking event to introduce people to this amazing local history.
He made a list of items that would be needed, everything from a port-o-potty to parking spaces to advertising for the event.
The Village council agreed to permit the former landfill site in Carlingford to be used as a parking area and starting point for the hike. Although this site is no longer a dump, people had been using it as such since the site closed in 1996. Joe met with Ben Gee, Leigh Boone and SVHS Co-Op Ed Student Cameron Durost to clean up the area. They discovered that there was a lot more garbage than originally thought.
Dan Dionne called Birmingham’s and arranged for one of their dump truck to haul the garbage out, and there turned out to be close to two dump truck loads of refuse to be removed. The area ended up clean and provided plenty of parking for everyone who attended.
Francine St Amand designed the poster for the event, and this was placed at locations around the community, on Facebook and in this paper.
RJ McNichol of Athabasca Media in Craig’s Flat recorded a wonderful youtube spot that ran on the local Real AM web radio station. RJ is a long-time professional radio announcer with a wonderful voice…. his online radio announcement was fabulous!
Water and snacks for the hike were purchased at local stores who had all also made donations.
Terry Seguin of CBC News helped to publicize the event by doing a live on air interview with Joe over the phone in the week before the hike. This interview inspired a number of folks from all over the province to take part in the hike.
Joe was busiest the week before the trek preparing the trail for the hikers. In any pubic function like this, people’s safety is a priority. Joe had spent time out west working in deep wilderness that was accessible only by helicopter. Every morning field workers attended a safety meeting where they were drilled on every possible hazard they might encounter in the deep woods, and the steps necessary to avoid injury so Joe knew the steps needed to ensure public safety.
Joe went over the trail three times prior to the hike to remove all trip and slip hazards, dead falls, potential dead falls, sharp branches that might cause eye injury, pokers….the little sticks that are cut at an angle that will impale anyone who falls on them…and he laid plank bridges over several marshy spots.
He also put up ribbon markers on the trail that cut through the woods. He made sure to supply plenty of water as most people tend to underestimate the amount of water they will need to stay hydrated during physical exertion.
The hikers went through all the water they had brought themselves, plus an additional 75 bottle of water.
The morning of the hike another trip was made over the trail to check for any overnight deadfalls and animal carcasses. Dead animals attract predators, and increase the likelihood of a human encounter with aggressive and dangerous predators.
The day of the hike was amazing! The weather was absolutely beautiful, a perfect day with a clear sky and brilliant fall foliage.
Over 60 people made the hike, and they ranged in age from 3 to 80-something! Mike Allen, Wes McLean and Terry Ritchie all made it for part of the hike, and it was even Terry’s birthday!
Jeremy and Teri Fournier of Bath had donated the use of their Kubota all- terrain vehicle in case of injury, or to provide a ride for anyone who needed a break from the hike. Heading out, it was all clear hiking on a logging road but it was all uphill, too, and quite strenuous.
That Kubota provided a welcome ride to a number of people!
The hike will take place again next year and, judging from Facebook response so far, there will be hundreds of hikers.
This is a wonderful example of how a good idea backed with local enthusiasm can take off and prove to be a tourist attraction and financial asset for a community.
What an awesome project! Our province has always been culturally diverse (both historically and currently). A well-supported Multicultural Association provides a city and a region with an accessible and welcoming opportunities that actively encourage, promote, facilitate and support accessible and meaningful opportunities for everyone to take an active role in civic life and society. The on-going development and delivery of much-needed multicultural programming, events and services is our goal and we hope that our activities, events and initiatives will be better supported soon and in order to ensure that our region and all of the Province becomes better able to foster healthy positive growth and an environment where everyone is able to realize their full potential and thrive, without fear of racism and discrimination. Our people are very friendly and our Province can do better at ensuring it is equally as welcoming. Thank your active support and interest in multiculturalism and ensuring that you continue to demonstrate on an on-going basis better support and respect for Human Rights. Participation – Equality – Acceptance – Cultural Expression – Education P.E.A.C.E.