Northeast Ohio stops along the Underground Railroad

Northeast Ohio was a major link in the road to freedom for America's Southern slaves in the 19th century. This section of Ohio was just 100 miles from the South (the western tip of Virginia, now West Virginia), and Lake Erie was a gateway to free Canada. Northern Ohio was also a stronghold of anti-slavery sentiment. Ashtabula County was home to the influential Congressmen Joshua Giddings and Benjamin Wade. Oberlin to the west was a freed slave haven for years and home to America's first integrated college.

Many former Underground Railroad stops still stand in and around Cleveland. Some offer tours; one is now a restaurant; others can just be admired from outside. All offer a fascinating glimpse at Ohio history.

Rider's Inn
792 Mentor Ave. in Painesville
440-354-8200
www.RidersInn.com

This Painesville landmark is located along Route 20 in the heart of town. The white-pillared, circa-1812 building is a former stagecoach stop and welcomed fugitive slaves in its basement during the mid-1800s. Today, Rider's Inn is a popular bed-and-breakfast inn and restaurant that specializes in traditional Western Reserve fare. There's even rumored to be a ghost of a former owner in residence.

Hubbard House
1603 Walnut Blvd. in Ashtabula
440-964-8168
www.HubbardHouseUGRRMuseum.org

Another Ashtabula County safe house, Hubbard House sits on shores of Lake Erie just west of Ashtabula harbor. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hubbard House was a final stop on the Underground Railroad. The brick two-story home was built in 1841 as the home of William and Catherine Hubbard. Today, the building houses a museum dedicated to Ohio Underground Railroad and Civil War-era history. You can even view the cupboard that hid slaves while they waited for the boats to take them to Canada and freedom.

Langston House
207 E. College St. in Oberlin

Oberlin, about one hour's drive west of Cleveland, also played an important role in the Underground Railroad. Among the many Underground Railroad stops and monuments here is the Langston House, home of one of the first black graduates of Oberlin College, John Mercer Langston. A freed slave, Langston offered shelter to those awaiting passage across Lake Erie to Canada. The two-story home built in 1855 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Langston House is privately owned, but may be easily viewed from the street.

Follet House
404 Wayne St. in Sandusky
419-625-3834
www.Sandusky.lib.oh.us/follett_house/

Follet House, a four-story, limestone, Civil War-era home, is located in Sandusky, about an hour west of downtown Cleveland. The structure, now a museum, served as a stopping place on the Underground Railroad as well as the home of area businessman Oran Follet. Today, the Greek Revival building is home to a collection of artifacts and displays about the Underground Railroad and nearby Johnson's Island, a Union prison for Confederate officers in the north.