Hidden Cleveland: Hudson's Underground Railroad

A historical marker near Hudson clock tower is a sign that a mere 190 years ago the center of town was a hush-hush hub of Underground Railroad activity. Here are three things to know.

Path to Freedom: Located on what is now state Route 91, Hudson enabled fugitive slaves to travel to Cleveland and possibly onto freedom in Canada. The presence of Western Reserve College helped bolster support for the movement. “We were a little more educated and more aware of what was going in the world,” says Gwendolyn Mayer, archivist, Hudson Library and Historical Society.

Stow Away: A few stops had elaborate hiding places, such as a tunnel that was under state Route 91, connecting two houses. “It was unclear how much it was used,” Mayer says, “but it was highly likely it was used for passage of fugitive slaves.”

Taking Sides: While unified in its hatred of slavery, Hudson became split between the abolitionists, who wanted freed slaves to be U.S. citizens, and colonizationists, who wanted freed slaves returned to Africa. The two groups often debated at the college, now Western Reserve Academy. “There were some slaves hidden among the students among the dorms,” Mayer says. hudsonlibrary.org/historical-society