Osgood - Napoleon Driving Tour
Start at the Osgood Community Center. Set trip odometer to 0.0. Proceed east to the intersection of US 421/Buckeye Street and Ripley Street. Turn left.
Go north, cross railroad tracks. At about .25 miles turn left (west) onto Fairground Road just past the Grub Company. - MM .3
On Fairground Road just outside of town you will pass the Ripley County Fairgrounds. There is a small park with picnic area and playgrounds here.
After driving about 2.55 miles from US 421, you will intersect Michigan Road. Turn right on Michigan Road. MM 3.0
At about 3.5 miles turn left on County Road 750 N. MM 6.6
At about 3.21 miles run into "T" at Counry Road 750W, turn right. MM 9.8.
At about .63 miles run into "T" at Brownstown Road. Turn right MM 10.5
At about 2.5 miles run into "T" at Millhousen Road, Turn right. MM 13.0
At about 1 mile run into US 421. Ahead you will see two markers. Tour stop 6 on the Ripley County Underground railroad tour is located on that spot, also.
Turn right. MM 14.1.
On the right is Bonapart's Retreat. It was known in the early 1800's as the Railroad Inn, an obvious reference to it's illegal activity as there was no railroad in Napoleon. This old building was a part of the Underground Railroad. The cellar had hidden rooms and was connected to a house on the corner of Wilson Street and US 421 (Michigan Road in those times) by a tunnel running under the road. The old house is still standing and has been restored. Note - It is a private home, not open to the public.
Turn left onto Indiana State Road 229. MM 14.2
At about 2.25 miles turn right onto Finks Road. MM 16.4.
At about 3.9 miles intersect Indiana State Road 350. Across the road you will see this Bonapart's Retreat.
Turn left MM 20.4.
At about .75 miles turn right onto County Road 25 E. MM 21.0 This is the approximate location of one of the points on the Morgan's Raiders tour. Just about one quarter mile further east on State Road 350 is where the little town called Laughery Switch was located. Morgan stopped here and after a very brief encounter with local militia, made some of the local men push some of the railroad cars off the tracks and into a ravine. There was also an attempt to destroy the railroad tracks. Morgan moved on after the episode. There is a small pull off at the spot just before the bridge, but no marker. This is a dangerous spot to pull over, as the highway is busy and there is no safe way to turn around and continue the tour.
Continue on south on County Road 25E. At about .71 miles cross the wooden railroad bridge
Another .4 miles turn right onto Fairground Road. MM 22.7
John Harrison Craven House on left at MM 24.5. The house is on Harlen Street and it is a private residence not open to the public.
Fugitive Road MM 24.7, just before railroad bridge. This lane is all that is left of the original road that fugitive slaves used along the Underground Railroad as the fled slavery. There is a marker on the other side of the bridge.
You will intersect Beech Street/State Road 350. Turn left. MM 24.9
Next you will intersect US Route 421/Buckeye Street. Turn left. MM 25
On Buckeye you will pass the Damm Theater on the right.
At MM 29.2 turn right onto Ripley Street. It is the brick street.
Pull up in front of the Community Center. Tour finished. MM 25.3
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| Osgood Community Center. |
Start at the Osgood Community Center. Set trip odometer to 0.0. Proceed east to the intersection of US 421/Buckeye Street and Ripley Street. Turn left.
Go north, cross railroad tracks. At about .25 miles turn left (west) onto Fairground Road just past the Grub Company. - MM .3
On Fairground Road just outside of town you will pass the Ripley County Fairgrounds. There is a small park with picnic area and playgrounds here.
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| Ripley County Fairgrounds |
After driving about 2.55 miles from US 421, you will intersect Michigan Road. Turn right on Michigan Road. MM 3.0
At about 3.5 miles turn left on County Road 750 N. MM 6.6
At about 3.21 miles run into "T" at Counry Road 750W, turn right. MM 9.8.
At about .63 miles run into "T" at Brownstown Road. Turn right MM 10.5
At about 2.5 miles run into "T" at Millhousen Road, Turn right. MM 13.0
At about 1 mile run into US 421. Ahead you will see two markers. Tour stop 6 on the Ripley County Underground railroad tour is located on that spot, also.
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| Bonapart's Retreat |
Turn right. MM 14.1.
On the right is Bonapart's Retreat. It was known in the early 1800's as the Railroad Inn, an obvious reference to it's illegal activity as there was no railroad in Napoleon. This old building was a part of the Underground Railroad. The cellar had hidden rooms and was connected to a house on the corner of Wilson Street and US 421 (Michigan Road in those times) by a tunnel running under the road. The old house is still standing and has been restored. Note - It is a private home, not open to the public.
Turn left onto Indiana State Road 229. MM 14.2
At about 2.25 miles turn right onto Finks Road. MM 16.4.
At about 3.9 miles intersect Indiana State Road 350. Across the road you will see this Bonapart's Retreat.
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| Vines Station - Near Laughery Switch |
Turn left MM 20.4.
At about .75 miles turn right onto County Road 25 E. MM 21.0 This is the approximate location of one of the points on the Morgan's Raiders tour. Just about one quarter mile further east on State Road 350 is where the little town called Laughery Switch was located. Morgan stopped here and after a very brief encounter with local militia, made some of the local men push some of the railroad cars off the tracks and into a ravine. There was also an attempt to destroy the railroad tracks. Morgan moved on after the episode. There is a small pull off at the spot just before the bridge, but no marker. This is a dangerous spot to pull over, as the highway is busy and there is no safe way to turn around and continue the tour.
Continue on south on County Road 25E. At about .71 miles cross the wooden railroad bridge
Another .4 miles turn right onto Fairground Road. MM 22.7
John Harrison Craven House on left at MM 24.5. The house is on Harlen Street and it is a private residence not open to the public.
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| Fugitive Slave Road |
Fugitive Road MM 24.7, just before railroad bridge. This lane is all that is left of the original road that fugitive slaves used along the Underground Railroad as the fled slavery. There is a marker on the other side of the bridge.
You will intersect Beech Street/State Road 350. Turn left. MM 24.9
Next you will intersect US Route 421/Buckeye Street. Turn left. MM 25
On Buckeye you will pass the Damm Theater on the right.
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| Damm Theater |
At MM 29.2 turn right onto Ripley Street. It is the brick street.
Pull up in front of the Community Center. Tour finished. MM 25.3
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| Osgood Park |
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| Exploring Indiana's Historic Sites, Markers & MuseumsSouth East Edition |
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