Photo courtesy of Fairmount Park Conservancy.

This month, Fairmount Park Conservancy will host three public tours in West and East Fairmount Park that highlight Philadelphia’s history, including one on Philadelphia’s role in the Underground Railroad. The tours will include hikes and interactive conversations with experts in the neighborhoods’ past.

Walking in William Still’s Steps: Guided Hike and Community Conversation will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, followed by Discover Strawberry Mansion: Neighborhood and East Park Walking Tour on October 22. The series will conclude on October 28 with Parkside Past, Parkside Present: Neighborhood and Centennial District Walking Tour.

The October 7 event will include an Underground Railroad-themed history hike and talk in West Fairmount Park. Walking in William Still’s Steps features stories of William Still (born October 7, 1821) on his 202nd birthday, honoring this “Father of the Underground Railroad” and all those freedom seekers who traversed the lands of present-day Fairmount Park.

William Still (1821-1902).

The tour begins at 10 a.m. from Ridgeland Mansion, 4100 Chamounix Drive. The 3.5-mile loop hike will visit places of historical significance, some with connections to the Underground Railroad. Stops include Ridgeland Mansion (c.1762), Boelsen Cottage (c.1684), Belmont Mansion (c.1742), and physical remnants of the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, which was a means of clandestine conveyance for freedom seekers in the mid-19th century.

Following the hike is a panel discussion and community conversation with historians Emma Lapsanksy-Werner and Andrew Diemer, moderated by Justina Barrett of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The $15 ticket includes a boxed lunch provided by Joshua’s Catering. The guided hike only is free (RSVP is required).

For more information and registration, go here. For other upcoming events, visit this page.