Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in Greater Niagara

The Underground Railroad Exhibit at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center (NACC), “Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in Greater Niagara,” tells the story of the Underground Railroad Movement in Buffalo Niagara—and of the people who risked their lives, all in the name of freedom.

During the 1800s, many fugitive slaves came through the Buffalo Niagara region, crossing over to Canada—and to freedom. They used the Suspension Bridge and the Cataract House ferry in Niagara Falls. They traveled on boats from Lewiston and Youngstown. And some even swam across the river to freedom. The Underground Railroad—a secret network of people who assisted those escaping slavery by providing money, food, clothing, and temporary shelter—made this journey possible.