Historical Site Maps
Williamsport
Doebler House
When Frederick Douglass spoke in Williamsport on November 14 and 15, 1867, he chose to speak at The Doebler House, a hotel at Fourth and Pine Streets. Its owner, Charles Doebler, had previously owned the U.S. Hotel on Third Street, where Doebler is suspected of having been an agent of the Underground Railroad.
Ebenezer Baptist Church
The stained glass window at the church was donated by the Underground Railroad Club.
Freedom Road Caves and Hughes Homestead
Former homestead of Daniel Hughes, Mamie Sweeting Diggs’ great-grandfather on Freedom Road. Across the street are caves where Hughes hid escaped slaves.
Freedom Road Cemetery
Nine African-American Civil War veterans are buried in cemetery, which is designated by a Pennsylvania historical marker.
James V. Brown Public Library
Updegraph’s family records, a sketch of Thomas Updegraph, and books and documents pertaining to the Underground Railroad are housed in the Updegraph Pennsylvania Room of the library.
Long Reach Plantation
Long Reach Plantation, later known as the Thomas Lightfoot Inn is no longer standing. The site is a now a storage company. The log house across Reach Road was the original smoke house and is still standing.
Peter Herdic Transportation Museum
Permanent home of the Underground Railroad Banner Project
Thomas T. Taber Museum
570-326-3326
tabermuseum.org
Artifacts at the museum include:
A will that leaves “Negro wench” to heir
Documents from the former Exchange Hotel, located on Market St. and run by abolitionist Thomas Updegraph
Historical photographs of Daniel Hughes, Quaker Meeting House and House of Many Stairs
Photographs from the Freedom Bound Project are housed at the museum.
West Branch Susquehanna River
Daniel Hughes operated a barge taking logs from Williamsport to Baltimore. He brought escaped slaves back on foot from Baltimore, over Bald Eagle Mountain and hid them at his home and in the caves on Freedom Road before leading them to Trout Run.
Trout Run
Apker House
The original house and outbuildings are now part of a working farm. A cupboard by the downstairs fireplace was used to hide slaves. This was the home of Robert Fairies, an abolitionist and president of the Williamsport-Elmira RR. The railroad ran through Apker property and escaped slaves were hidden in barn and house and then hidden in railway baggage cars for the trip to Elmira, NY.