Underground Railroad in Iowa

[Coyote]

Travels in the Heartland: Reliving the Underground Railroad in Iowa

Imagine traveling under the cover of darkness, trying to sleep during the day while hiding from bounty hunters, in hopes of finding a safe harbor. This was life for escaped slaves who fled the South, following rivers and other routes northward in hopes of finding freedom. Two Heartland communities provided stops along the Underground Railroad during the mid-1850s.

The Hitchcock House in Lewis and the Todd House in Tabor are among five Iowa sites preserved as part of the history of the Underground Railroad. The others are the Jordan House in West Des Moines (2 hours east of Omaha), Lewelling House in Salem (4 hours east), and Pearson House in Keosauqua (4 ½ hours east).

Using language similar to railroad jargon, the Underground Railroad was a network of safe houses, which provided support and sanctuary for escaped slaves. Several freed Black people would find their way to Canada, with the American system assisting in the movement.

Hitchcock House – Lewis, Iowa



Todd House – Tabor, Iowa