The Underground Railroad Interpretive Center at The Cozad-Bates House at University Circle

The Cozad-Bates House is the only pre-Civil War home remaining in University Circle. A new interpretive center, open Saturdays from Noon-4:00 p.m., highlights this area’s history as a center of anti-slavery activism and honors those seeking freedom through indoor exhibits and outdoor installations. This lecture will provide a brief history of local anti-slavery activists and freedom seekers, such as Sara Bagby, a Cleveland resident who escaped slavery only to be returned to Virginia under the Fugitive Slave Act. We will also learn of the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue, in which Oberlin residents rose up and challenged the federal authorities.