Passion Preserves the Past and Inspires the Future

Growing up in Barnesville, Kristina Estle never imagined that history would one day become her life’s calling.

Adopted alongside her brother and sister in 1992, she was raised in Barnesville and graduated from Barnesville High School in 2005. As a standout distance runner, she earned a scholarship to attend the University of Cincinnati, where she competed in track, indoor track, and cross country. She was a constant competitor in the steeplechase. Initially pursuing photojournalism before changing her major to art history, life took an unexpected turn during her junior year and she returned home. But as we know, an unexpected turn can lead to unexpected blessings.

Nearly a decade later, Kristina made a decision that would change the course of her life.

After a nine-year break from college, she enrolled at Ohio University Eastern, where she thrived academically and earned a bachelor’s degree in history. It was during a research composition class that she uncovered evidence connecting the Quaker Meeting House in Barnesville to the Underground Railroad. That discovery led to a three-hour interview with the late Dr. John Mattox of the Underground Railroad Museum, an experience that ignited a passion she never knew she had.

“I begged him for an internship,” Kristina recalled. “When I graduated, I told him I could find another intern to replace me. He smiled and said, ‘I don’t need another intern, I have you.'”

She began her internship in January of 2018 and continued working alongside Dr. Mattox while pursuing her master’s degree in Public History and Museum Studies through Southern New Hampshire University. Tragically, Dr. Mattox passed away just one month after she began graduate school.

Rather than allowing his work to end, Kristina chose to continue Dr. Mattox’s legacy.

Since July 17, 2019, she has voluntarily operated the Underground Railroad Museum, welcoming visitors and preserving the stories of those who risked everything in pursuit of freedom. Her master’s thesis focused on researching and mapping the Underground Railroad throughout Belmont County, uncovering remarkable stories that continue to educate and inspire.

Ironically, history was once her least favorite subject.

“It wasn’t history that I disliked, it was the lack of enthusiasm,” she said. “Dr. David Castle at Ohio University Eastern and Dr. Mattox completely changed my perspective. Their passion made history come alive.”

That passion eventually grew into a deep appreciation for Black history. Through graduate studies centered on Black history and a three-year “Let’s Talk Race” book club, Kristina expanded both her own understanding and that of others.

“Black history is American history,” she said. “It’s an essential part of our nation’s story. It can be difficult history, but it’s incredibly important. At a time when parts of that history are being removed from textbooks and museums, educating the public is more important than ever.”

Away from the museum, Kristina finds peace in the outdoors. Whether she’s hiking wooded trails, camping, kayaking, gardening or simply enjoying the sounds of nature, she believes the outdoors offers a chance to reset both mind and soul.

“A simple hike through the woods is like a purification for the soul,” she said. “Nature has a way of helping us refocus.”

She also enjoys reading, particularly novels by bestselling author Dan Brown, and is currently reading The Secret of Secrets.

Home is exactly where she wants to be, a rustic cabin surrounded by dense woods, where she shares life with her two children, her son, Antoni, an 18-year-old high school senior, and daughter, Tara, who is entering seventh grade, and their energetic beagle, Bagel.

“My children are my world,” she said.

Reflecting on her own journey from student-athlete to historian, researcher, museum curator and educator, Kristina hopes others will never give up on their dreams, no matter the obstacles they face.

“You have one life to live,” she said. “Go live the life you were meant to live. Nothing is unattainable. If you can envision it, you can make it happen. Everyone hits rock bottom at some point. How you choose to get back up and keep moving forward is what sets you apart.”