What is a slave quilt?

Some people believe Slave Quilts were used as coded maps to help slaves escape. Others think the quilt patterns were visual maps that showed the directions for the routes north. Whether the quilts and their secret directions were actually utilized as tools on the Underground remains unclear. However, the legend has been passed down from generation to generation and is now an important piece of American History.

The codes in some patterns were more obvious than others. For example, the North Star, Crossroads, and The Wagon Wheel represented apparent landmarks, while a Sailboat indicated a body of water or the availability of boats, the Drunkard's Path reminded travelers to vary their path by moving east and west, and the Monkey Wrench was a sign to gather tools together in preparation of an escape.