FLORENCE-The Tennessee Valley Historical Society will host a trolley tour Saturday, September 14 at 11:00 a.m. This one hour trolley tour, conducted by Lee Freeman, will visit Florence sites significant to the story of the history of African American Florence citizens prior to after the Civil War.
This trolley tour will send you back into history where you can learn about how Florence-Lauderdale may have had an abolitionist society in the 1830s and about anecdotal evidence that exists for an Underground Railroad stop at a house in Lexington.
Lee Freeman/Tennessee Valley Historical Society
Also look into John Rapier’s story where his freedom was purchased by Richard Rapier. John opened up the only known barbershop in Florence until James Goin’s arrival in 1857.
The tour departs from the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Visitor Center at 200 Jim Spain Drive in McFarland Park at 11:00 a.m. Admission is $10.00, children riding in an adults lap ride free. All proceeds go to the UNA History Scholarship Fund. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. To make reservations or for additional information call the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism office at 256-740-4141.
Media Release/Randa Simpson Hovater, Manager, Media Relations/Florence/Lauderdale Tourism
