While there isn't an official Josiah Henson Trail (yet!), there are a number of historical locations associated with Josiah and the Underground Railroad/abolitionist movement. We've been to most of these sites, and each one is a meaningful outing for couples, families, and classes.
Located in Dresden, Ontario, and stewarded by the Ontario Heritage Trust, the UTCHS is a museum built on part of the Dawn settlement. It preserves the cabin where Josiah and his wife Nancy lived. An annual pilgrimage is highly recommended, especially for Emancipation Day.
Located in Rockville, Maryland, and stewarded by Montgomery Parks, the JHP is the former Isaac Riley plantation where Josiah was enslaved for decades before his escape.
Located in Hartford, Connecticut, the HBSC preserves and interprets the great writer’s home and historic collections.
Located in Washington, DC, the NMAAHC is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history, and culture. It doesn’t have a section on Josiah yet, but we’re hoping he’ll get a gallery shortly!
Located in the abolitionist hotspot of Cincinnati, Ohio, the NURFC is a colossal riverside museum on the history of the Underground Railroad.
Located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, the HNOC is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and beyond.
Located on the Red River in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the CMHR is a national museum that exists to explore the subject of human rights on an international scale.
Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the CCHR is a museum dedicated to the achievements of both the civil rights movement in the United States and the broader worldwide human rights movement.
Located in Cincinnati, The Harriet Beecher Stowe House tells the story of Harriet's 18 years living in Cincinnati as instrumental in the writing of the anti-slavery novel. The House is the Beecher family home and the only structure left from the Lane Theological Seminary, site of the Lane Debates.
Museums: please contact us if you believe your institution is relevant to this list.