Underground Railroad Historic Walking Tour Archives

Beatty Church

Leslie2023-07-22T14:19:06-04:00

SE Corner of Washington and Jackson Streets

A person looking in a south easterly direction from the northeast corner of Jackson and West Washington St. anytime during the latter half of the 19th century would have seen the old Beatty Church which stood just northwest of the courthouse. Continue Reading >

Beatty ChurchLeslie2023-07-22T14:19:06-04:00

C.C. Keech Warehouse

Leslie2023-07-22T17:03:22-04:00

231 East Water Street

Christopher Columbus Keech came to Sandusky from Batavia, New York in 1847. He was trained as a hatter and established a hat store on the south side of Water Street east of Columbus Avenue. Continue Reading >

C.C. Keech WarehouseLeslie2023-07-22T17:03:22-04:00

Captain Thomas McGee House

Leslie2023-07-23T06:57:17-04:00

536 East Washington Street

Sandusky was as important as the ports of Toledo, Ashtabula, and Cleveland for Underground Railroad travel. Continue Reading >

Captain Thomas McGee HouseLeslie2023-07-23T06:57:17-04:00

Facer Park

Leslie2023-07-22T14:03:01-04:00

255 Water Street

In 2005, a group of young civic leaders in Sandusky initiated an effort to recognize the city’s role in the Underground Railroad. Continue Reading >

Facer ParkLeslie2023-07-22T14:03:01-04:00

Follett House

Leslie2023-07-23T09:58:05-04:00

404 Wayne Street

Oran Follett, who was the publisher of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, resided at 404 Wayne Street. Eliza, Oran’s second wife, was very sympathetic to escaping slaves. Continue Reading >

Follett HouseLeslie2023-07-23T09:58:05-04:00

George Barney House

Leslie2023-07-26T15:32:02-04:00

422 East Washington Street

George Barney was born in 1814 at Sandy Hill, N.Y. In 1842 he moved to Milan, Ohio where he was in the mercantile business. Continue Reading >

George Barney HouseLeslie2023-07-26T15:32:02-04:00

Henry Merry House

Leslie2023-07-23T09:19:44-04:00

330 East Adams Street

Henry Merry lived in the house at 330 E. Adams Street. Merry was a builder who often employed those who had escaped from slavery until they were able to head to Canada. Continue Reading >

Henry Merry HouseLeslie2023-07-23T09:19:44-04:00

John and Samuel Irvine House

Leslie2023-07-26T15:56:01-04:00

320-322 Lawrence Street

Two brothers, the Irvines, lived in the double house at 320-322 Lawrence Street. John Irvine was a master builder. Sam R. Irvine was a grocer. Continue Reading >

John and Samuel Irvine HouseLeslie2023-07-26T15:56:01-04:00

Joseph M. Root House

Leslie2023-07-26T15:40:34-04:00

231 East Adams Street

Joseph Root was a radical abolitionist, an attorney, mayor of Sandusky, and later a state senator and U.S. Congressman. Continue Reading >

Joseph M. Root HouseLeslie2023-07-26T15:40:34-04:00

Lucas Beecher House

Leslie2023-07-29T08:08:37-04:00

Attorney Lucas Beecher lived in this stone house at 215 W. Washington Row.

Beecher represented Benjamin Johnson, a fugitive slave who arrived in Sandusky during the 1830’s. Beecher won Johnson’s freedom by arguing that Johnson was not the property of the plaintiff because the purchase was made in Ohio, which was a free state. Johnson then became a free resident of Sandusky. Continue Reading >

Lucas Beecher HouseLeslie2023-07-29T08:08:37-04:00