![\"Cover](\"http:\/\/historicpath.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2014-african-american-olean-walking-tour-cover.jpg\")
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This walking tour is designed to be a self-guided tour or a group-guided one.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n This walking tour is just over two miles long.\u00a0On the group tours, the guide will present\u00a0some history of each site. Please note that\u00a0this is a tour only and that the visitor should\u00a0respect the privacy of the present owners.<\/p>\n Group tours may be treated (schedule\u00a0permitting) to a personal tour of one of\u00a0the most interesting houses in Olean, the\u00a0Bartlett House; and may be treated to an old\u00a0fashion Victorian Tea at the end of the tour.<\/p>\n For group guided tours, please contact\u00a0Della Moore at aaccdofolean@gmail.com<\/a>\u00a0for information on cost, dates and\u00a0arrangements.<\/p>\n This tour will take us through a small\u00a0section of Olean\u2019s African American\u00a0history; it will touch on the underground\u00a0railroad as well as places and people who\u00a0have played a huge part in the growth of our\u00a0fair city by being role models and citizens\u00a0the whole area can be proud of.<\/p>\n The tour begins at Laurens and North Union Streets (Route 16) where runaway slave, Sarah Johnson, was first \u2018discovered\u2019 circa 1833.<\/p>\n Then we head up to the Olean House, also on Route 16 about a block down North Union Street. \u00a0The Olean House was the former Martin\u2019s Hotel which was a \u2018station\u2019 thus helping runaway slaves on their journey to freedom.<\/p>\n A few blocks south on Route 16, we come to South Union and Greene Streets and find the former Russell\u2019s Inn where bounty hunters went to drink or eat or rest when they were refused service at Martin\u2019s Hotel around the time of the tar and feather incident.<\/p>\n One block south of South Union and Greene, still on Route 16, we come to the South Union Street Bridge where you can view the Allegheny River where Sarah Johnson traveled on the last leg of her trip to freedom in Olean. \u00a0The Allegheny River, itself, has an interesting history.<\/p>\n We cross the bridge and one block south, still on Route 16, we find the Mount View Cemetery, where there are the gravesites of two United States Colored Troops soldiers.<\/p>\n In highlighting some of Olean\u2019s black history, we retrace our steps out of Mount View Cemetery, back over the South Union Street Bridge, back to the corner of South Union and Greene Streets, walk west on Green street. \u00a0Here we will find the house of Kathryn Kenny, who for many, many years was the only African American teacher in Olean. \u00a0Her house is 116 West Green Street.<\/p>\n Two blocks west on Green Street at number 402, this was the first African Methodist Episcopal church in Olean and has an interesting history.<\/p>\n Then we travel one block north to Irving Street, then two blocks west to come to Sarah Johnson\u2019s former house at 607 Irving. \u00a0\u2018Aunt\u2019 Sarah Johnson found a friend and benefactor in Dr. Andrew Mead who taught her midwifery and she became a beloved member of the Olean community.<\/p>\n We go back to 5th and Irving and head north for 3 blocks (across Henley; across West State Street) and up to Oak Hill Park where runaways hid while awaiting to be transported to the next \u2018station\u2019.<\/p>\n In the middle of the park, which is in the historical section of Olean, we turn right and exit on Laurens and North 4th streets; walk two blocks east and come to the end of our tour at the Fanny Bartlett House, Olean\u2019s Historical Museum, and the Olean Point Museum.<\/p>\n If we go on a group tour, Dave Deckman, the director of the Bartlett House, will (schedule permitting) take the group on a tour of that most interesting building. \u00a0We may even have a Bartlett House old fashion Victorian Tea at the end of our tour.<\/p>\n Thank you for taking the time to learn about this aspect of Olean\u2019s History.<\/strong><\/p>\n Please download the pdf<\/a> version of this brochure or fill out the request information<\/a> and we will send one to you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This walking tour is designed to be a self-guided tour or a group-guided one.\u00a0 This walking tour is just over two miles long.\u00a0On the group tours, the guide will present\u00a0some history of each site. Please note that\u00a0this is a tour … Continue reading Discovered<\/h3>\n
Olean House<\/h3>\n
Russell’s Inn<\/h3>\n
Allegheny River<\/h3>\n
Cemetery<\/h3>\n
Kathryn Kenny<\/h3>\n
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church<\/h3>\n
Sarah Johnson’s House<\/h3>\n
Oak Hill Park<\/h3>\n
Olean Historical Preservation Society & Museum<\/h3>\n