“New York City and the Path to Freedom”
Landmarks Associated with Abolitionist & Underground Railroad History
Bowne House is thrilled to be featured as one of only two designated landmarks in Queens associated with the Underground Railroad.
Introduction to “New York City and the Path to Freedom” Interactive Story Map:
New York City played an important role in the effort to abolish slavery nationwide, and to assist those seeking to escape it. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission created this interactive story map to bring greater awareness to the city’s abolitionist history through designated landmarks that embody it. Organized by borough, the map documents designated buildings associated with the multiple ways people and institutions engaged with the anti-slavery movement before the Civil War, whether through political and religious activism or by housing freedom seekers as part of Underground Railroad networks. The map also highlights landmarks associated with New York’s free black communities established in the 19th century in the period before nationwide emancipation.
-The New York Landmarks Preservation Commission, February 2022