Don Ross is currently the Educational Coordinator at the Kelton
House Museum and Garden Underground Railroad Learning Station.
Don is a retired school teacher and coach. He taught English for thirty
years at Springboro High School after graduating from Miami University. He also
coached varsity sports in boys and girls basketball, football, and golf. He is in
the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
From 1973-1978, Don also doubled as the Sports Editor of the Springboro Star Press;
in later stints with that newspaper, he wrote sports and history columns.
Don Ross was a Springboro city councilman from 1993-97, and has been the president of
the Springboro Area Historical Society since 1995; the Society has over 240 members.
Don's interest in the Underground Railroad began in 1994. Springboro's
involvement had been acknowledged, but there was very little substantive research.
He has since authored a book, Paths Through the Wilderness, and three
booklets on the rich history of the Springboro area. Paths through the
Wilderness can be viewed on the City of
Springboro's web site.
While living in Springboro, Don presented Underground Railroad tours and programs to over 1,000 schoolchildren,
organizations and tourist groups each year, and wrote and produced Trail of
Hope, an Underground Railroad documentary.
Don's other interests include the mountain dulcimer (he founded the Family Tree Dulcimer Band), the
outdoors (he wrote the tree ordinance for the city of Springboro), and his golden
retriever.
Don Ross was recognized for his outstanding contributions in researching and preserving
Underground Railroad history with the "Ohio's Conductor of the Year Award" at
the 1998 Ohio Underground Railroad Summit.
