home of William Seward, U.S. secretary
of state, senator, New York governor,
abolitionist and good friend of Tubman.
Many original artifacts and documents of the era are housed in the
Syracuse University Special Collections Research Center Library Bird
and Onondaga Historical Association.
Also in the region is the Castellani Art
Museum at Niagara University (niagara.
edu/cam), which has a permanent exhibition, “Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in Greater Niagara.”
The Rochester Museum & Science
Center (585-271-4320) houses many
artifacts related to local Underground
Railroad conductors, including Frederick Douglass, who lived in Rochester.
The museum has a permanent collection of material relating to his work.
The Niagara Frontier and St. Catharines
The border between New York and Canada, the final stop on the Underground Railroad, was a hotbed of activity. There are 15 monuments on the
Niagara Freedom Trail spanning New York and Canada. tourismniagara.com.
St. Catharines, about 50 miles from the U.S.-Canadian border, was a well-known destination for slaves slipping into Canada. Many former slaves
found paying jobs as farmworkers or employees of the local spas that were
popular at the time.
While in St. Catharines, look for the Rev. Anthony Burns’ grave site in
Victoria Lawn Cemetery on Queenston Street. Burns was the last person
tried in Massachusetts under the Fugitive Slave Act. The verdict, which
returned him to his owners in the South, resulted in major riots in Boston.
His freedom was purchased by residents in St. Catharines, including congregants of the BME Church and Harriet Tubman herself.
The St. Catharines Museum has a comprehensive “Follow the North Star” exhibit that
traces slaves’ journeys to Canada. Nearby is a
plaque erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation in honor of Tubman.
stcatharineslock3museum.ca
OASIS YOUR
IN MANHATTAN.
Our popular complimentary
amenities include an expansive
European breakfast, daily New
York Times, wireless internet,
business center, conference &
meeting rooms, cardio fitness
room, Black Duck Restaurant
and weekend live jazz.
From left:
BME Church in
St. Catharines;
a plaque dedicated
to the Rev. Anthony
Burns; and Burns.
122 East 28th Street
New York, New York
800-315-4642
Present Amtrak ticket at
check-in to receive refund of
cab fare from station.
