Ku Klux Klan Barn

Ku Klux Klan Barn

KKK parade in Springfield, Ohio.

When I moved to New Philadelphia in 2005 I had no idea that I was just a mile away from where a historical meeting place was. The Ku Klux Klan migrated to Tuscarawas County here in the 1920's from Southern America.The population of the Klan went for eighty to ten thousand rapidly. One of the Ku Klux Klan goals were to enforce laws, the 18th amendment was very important to them. The 18th Amendment was to prohibit the sale and manufacturing of alcohol. Sadly another goal of the Ku Klux Klan was white supremacy against the African Americans. KKK did not want blacks to vote, get an education or blacks that were ins search of better jobs. Members of the Klan were dressed head to toe in whites with white pointy hats. The pointy hat covered their faces to conceal their identities.The KKK in Tuscarawas County was led by Robert Cox of Strasburg.They built a barn on Crooked Run Road New Philadelphia, Ohio. The Barn

The original barn located on Crooked Run Rd, New Philadelphia.  

had a white outside and was three stories tall. This barn was used for the meeting of ten's of thousands of people. The first floor was used from meetings and dances. The basement area was where the kitchen was located. In 1926, the Klan's population started to declined. Outside of the barn was a pool and other small building. In the 1980's the a tornado destroyed the original house on the land but the barn was only had minor damages. In 2011, the barn and house brought from the owners in 1989,went to auction. This

barn still stands today. I feel the KKK is no longer a large movement here in Tuscarawas County because first of all the leader Robert Cox went back to his job in politics. Another, reason would be that times have changed and actions like the KKK did are no reasonable with todays government. I'm glad if it is still around people are not so prejudice to others. In other words I find it important to look back and see how far we have came as a country.