Chambersburg – September 24, 2026 -- Franklin County Visitors Bureau will host a two-day "Learn & Explore Weekend: Road to Freedom" on October 3-4, spotlighting the local history of John Brown, Frederick Douglass, and the raid on Harpers Ferry.
A bus tour retraces the county's role in the 1859 raid
The weekend opens Saturday, October 3, with "A Freedom Tour of Franklin County," running 9 AM to 3 PM. The bus tour stops at sites tied to the Underground Railroad, John Brown, Frederick Douglass, and the United States Colored Troops, including the Mary Ritner Boarding House, the capture site of John Cook, the home of bounty hunter Daniel Logan, Wertz Farm, and USCT cemeteries.
A living-history performer brings Douglass' life to a Sunday tea
On Sunday, October 4, a "Tea & Talk" program runs 2 PM to 4 PM in the Great Room of the Franklin County Visitors Center. Inspired by Douglass' 1845-47 European tour, the conversation covers the seven decades of his life. Actors Nathan Richardson and Doug Dobbs portray Douglass and Brown throughout the weekend.
Ticket proceeds fund a planned $200,000 statue
All proceeds from the event will go toward building a John Brown and Frederick Douglass statue in Chambersburg, estimated to cost $200,000. The weekend also launches fundraising for the Franklin County Road to Freedom Trail, which will span the period from Pennsylvania's 1847 Abolition of Slavery Act to the 1870 ratification of the 15th Amendment.
"During the 250th anniversary year, the freedom story highlighted a colonial journey to freedom. As we near the end of 2026, it is important to continue the theme of freedom in this essential year of history with another chapter of freedom," said Janet Pollard, executive director of Franklin County Visitors Bureau.
The tour recalls how Chambersburg, then a town of just over 5,000 people, served as a covert staging ground for the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry. Tickets are available at a fixed price or by donation through Eventbrite.