On Wednesday, October 16th, “Beacon of Hope”, the 13-foot bronze statue, created by Academy and Emmy Award-winning sculptor Wesley Wofford of Wofford Sculpture Studio, arrived in Niagara Falls. The monument is on loan from Wofford Sculpture Studio and will be on temporary exhibit from October 16th, 2024 to January 2nd, 2025, in the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center’s Harriet Tubman Plaza. The exhibition of the “Beacon of Hope” monument at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center commemorates Harriet Tubman’s journeys to freedom through Niagara Falls via the International Suspension Bridge – originally located mere steps away from the Heritage Center and the current location of “Beacon of Hope”.
Born Araminta Ross, Tubman first liberated herself in 1849 by way of Philadelphia. Not even a year later, she would return to Dorchester County, Maryland, to assist many of her family members in their own escapes. She would eventually repeat this journey a dozen more times. After the passage of the 1850s Fugitive Slave Act, Tubman knew that for her family to be completely safe, they would have to make it to Canada. Her goal was St. Catharines, Ontario, by way of Niagara Falls, New York. The International Suspension Bridge that Tubman crossed, bringing dozens of people that she loved into freedom and directing many freedom seekers to, is one of the most important locations on the Underground Railroad.
“Beacon of Hope” traveled to Niagara Falls from John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake Placid, New York. Previously, she was installed and on display in Peekskill, New York – another important location on the Underground Railroad, and at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, among other locations in the North East. In January 2025, “Beacon of Hope” will depart Niagara Falls and travel to the Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Together, “Beacon of Hope” and the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center commemorate Tubman’s vision, her grit, and her indomitable will that led her to bring so many people to the promised land. A special evening commemorating Harriet Tubman and the monument’s display will be held on Friday, November 15th, 2024, at the Heritage Center from 5pm-8pm, commemorating Tubman’s and other freedom seekers’ journeys in the late autumn and winter months of November and December.
This monument reflects the interpretation of the Heritage Center’s award winning exhibits and its commitment to stories of self-agency rooted in freedom, justice and cultural movements. The Heritage Center is thankful to the artist for sharing his gift with our city and with visitors from around the world. Visitors can visit “Beacon of Hope” during daytime hours in the Harriet Tubman Plaza located in front of the Heritage Center, 825 Depot Avenue West, Niagara Falls, NY 14305.
The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Commission and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation proudly unveiled a historic marker designating the former site of the Cataract House at a press conference on Thursday morning at the park area across from Red Coach Inn, 2 Buffalo Ave.
“This historic marker will now designate a location that was important not only to our local heritage, but our national history as well,” said Saladin Allah, visitor experience specialist and community liaison at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, operated by the commission. “Outside of our community, people may not know much about Niagara Falls beyond the Falls themselves. This marker will help others realize the vital role our region played in the Underground Railroad and the rich history of Niagara Falls’ Black community. We hope that our representation of this site will help us continue to learn from the past so we can work toward a more just, equitable future.”
The importance of the Cataract House as the center of Underground Railroad activism in Niagara Falls cannot be overestimated. The African American waiters who worked as Underground Railroad agents made this site one of the most important Underground Railroad nodes in the entire nation. Famous cases included a failed rescue attempt in 1847 and the successful escapes of Cecilia Jane Reynolds (1847), a woman named Martha (1853), and waiter Patrick Sneed (1853). John Morrison, head waiter at the Cataract House, often ferried people across the river himself.
The Cataract House burned down in 1945 and was demolished in 1946. The historic marker for the former location of the hotel has been funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Congressman Brian Higgins agreed that the marker represents an important aspect of the history of our city and country.
“The Cataract House was a pivotal station along the Underground Railroad and its story is told beautifully and poignantly through the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center,” he said. “This Historic Marker further shares the story of the powerful network of ‘conductors’ here in Niagara Falls who bravely helped people escape slavery along the road to freedom.”
The event was attended by several community leaders and local political officials, including Mayor Robert Restaino.
“The Cataract House is an important part of the history of our City,” Mayor Restaino said. “It continues to show the significant impact of Niagara Falls in our national story. We appreciate the work of the commission and (New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation) in designating this historic marker for the Cataract House.”
Following the unveiling, visitors were invited to walk in the footsteps of freedom seekers from the hotel site to the brink of the Niagara River.
For Immediate Release Mayor Robert Restaino Dedicates Historic Marker at Niagara Falls Customhouse
(Niagara Falls, NY, November 14, 2020) Today, Mayor Robert Restaino announced the official commemoration of the Niagara Falls Customhouse with the addition of their new historic marker. The Mayor held a small press event to commemorate and celebrate the history of the Niagara Falls Customhouse.
The Customhouse was restored by the City of Niagara Falls in 2011. The building was integrated into the Niagara Falls International Railway Station in 2016. The initiative to save and restore this building was taken when it was listed on New York State’s “Seven-to Save” list that outlines the State’s most endangered historic structures.
“The United States Customhouse at Niagara Falls played a prominent role in the exchange of goods across the international border with Canada for nearly 100 years as the primary customs location in the Niagara region,” said City of Niagara Falls Mayor, Robert Restaino. “The current integration of the Niagara Falls Customhouse with the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center is a further expression of the importance of this location in history. This historic marker will make public the incredible impact of this building and location have had in the advancement of commerce and, most especially, in the fight for freedom.”
“Identifying the U.S. Customhouse with a historic marker is a further testament to the tremendous history that occurred here in Niagara Falls,” said Sara Beilein Capen, Executive Director of Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. “It was at this location that dozens of people who escaped slavery in the American south crossed into freedom, many under the steadfast and unwavering guidance of Harriet Tubman.” Interim Director of the Niagara Falls Heritage Area, Ally Spongr, went on to say that, “At the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, we recognize the significance of a place when sharing history with the public. Our visitors have the opportunity to stand inside and outside of the U.S. Customs House, where the Heritage Center is located, to see, and feel, where countless freedom seekers took their last steps before crossing the Suspension Bridge to freedom in Canada.”
“Niagara Frontier Chapter NRHS, Inc. has a proud tradition of Historic Preservation and Interpretation dating back nearly 80 years,” said Jim Ball, President of the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the National Railways Historical Society. “Our activities include public programs, historic research, publications, rail excursions, an extensive library and archives, a Museum, and our newsletter. The establishment of Historic Markers is an example of our Mission Statement in action.”
In addition to the building’s history as the last stop on a long journey to freedom, Anton Schwarzmueller, Project Coordinator for the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the National Railways Historical Society, provided another take on the historical significance of the building. “Why does this building matter? What was happening in our country in 1863 when this Customs House was constructed? Abraham Lincoln was president. The Civil War was raging. It was the year the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. Why did the government invest time and money on this building at that time? Because wars are expensive. A crucial source of revenue for the government was from the collection of duty. The tariff had been a divisive issue at the cusp of the succession; the northern states wanted a higher tariff to better protect their industries. The tariff was raised higher as the war began. This Custom House represents the resolve of the Union to enforce the tariff, collect revenue, and fund the war.”
Schwarzmueller explained how he worked closely with the City of Niagara Falls and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation to secure a grant to provide the historic marker for the Customhouse Building. The Pomeroy Foundation is a private grant-making foundation that was established in 2005. The Foundation is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history.
“The United States Custom House has stood as part of the rich history of the City of Niagara Falls for more than 150 years,” says Paula Miller, executive director of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. “The Pomeroy Foundation is delighted to have awarded a grant to help commemorate the building’s inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places with this new roadside marker. We congratulate the Niagara Frontier Chapter NRHS, Inc. and the Niagara Falls community for their efforts to recognize and preserve this historic property.”
Niagara Falls, NY – The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center is launching a new virtual “Freedom Conversation” tour program this week. Freedom Conversations are the signature program at the Heritage Center. Pre-covid, they were offered twice daily on site.
Interim Director of Education at the Heritage Center, Chris Bacon, is thrilled to offer the thought-provoking tour virtually to the public.
“Freedom Conversation tours have always been at the forefront of our mission as a pivotal program that ties our past to our present,” Bacon said. “Rooted in the stories of the Underground Railroad in Niagara Falls, these tours spark conversation and offer a space to consider the relationship between race, human rights, and freedom.”
The public can book their spot for the virtual “Freedom Conversation” tour at https://www.niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org/events/. The tours will last approximately 60 minutes and are led by trained facilitators, offering a way to foster empathy, increase knowledge, and encourage action. All tours will be hosted via Zoom and participants will be sent a password upon registration.
The Heritage Center is offering two tours per week: Wednesdays at 7:00pm EST and Saturdays at 2:00pm EST.
Prices
Family: $25
Couple: $12
Single: $8
Freedom Conversations are sponsored by a Humanities New York Action Grant.
About the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center opened in May 2018 after 11 years of planning. The center is located inside the former 1863 U.S. Custom House attached to the Niagara Falls Amtrak station. The center sits adjacent to the location of the former International Suspension Bridge, a point of crossing for many freedom seekers including Harriet Tubman.
The Heritage Center preserves the historic role of the people of Niagara Falls in facilitating freedom for the oppressed. The places and stories associated with this network of freedom seekers, free African Americans and abolitionists, evoke powerful themes in American history and celebrate the bravery of the men and women who risked their lives to achieve the most basic rights of liberty. Learn more at niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org.
On February 20, 2020, the National Federation for Just Communities of WNY presented an award to the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, honoring the museum for our work on the behalf of the community. The Heritage Center was given the “Organization” award alongside 19 other awards that honored everything from Youth, Sports, and Public Relations.
The National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York describes itself as “a human relations organization that facilitates conversation across human differences to create mutual understanding and respect.”
In 2019, The American Association for State and Local History awarded the Heritage Center the Leadership in History Award, for our permanent exhibit, One More River to Cross.
AASLH is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all people.
Opened May 4, 2018, One More River to Cross is the permanent exhibition at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. The goal of the project was to reintroduce the forgotten history of the Underground Railroad in Niagara Falls and share the unique and courageous stories of Underground Railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists in this city. We surpassed these goals by creating an experiential museum filled with stories grounded in academic scholarship and brought to life in an immersive experience that blends historic recreations, artifacts, original fine art, music, narration, and multimedia interactive exhibits.
The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also bring public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions, and programs to make contributions in this arena. For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at 615-320-3203, or go to www.aaslh.org.
