Tower of Freedom
The counterpart to Hart Plaza’s Gateway to Freedom sits across the Detroit River in Windsor. This sister monument depicts the arrival of freedom seekers into Canada and features four life-size bronze figures, including a young girl holding a rag doll. citywindsor.ca/residents/culture/monuments/tower-of-freedom.
Second Baptist Church
Croghan Street Station, in the basement of this Greektown church, was a hiding spot for more than 5,000 Freedom Seekers from 1836 to 1865. It is the only documented Detroit Underground site that is preserved and remains in its original location. Prominent conductors including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth worked with Second Baptist. Tours are currently offered by appointment only. ugrrbookstore.com/tour.
Finney Hotel and Barn
Seymour Finney was a staunch supporter of the abolitionist movement. He owned a hotel at the corner of State and Griswold streets, and his nearby barn (since razed) was a hiding spot for freedom seekers. A historical marker pays tribute.
First Congregational Church
Now in Midtown at 33 E. Forest Ave. (on the corner of Woodward), this historic church once had two older buildings that sat near the riverfront, one of which served as one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad between 1840 and 1863. The lower level of the church has since been transformed into a living museum. Visitors can experience a 90-minute tour designed to reenact the original Underground Railroad pathway; tours are available by reservation Tuesday through Saturday at 11 a.m. friendsoffirst.com/underground-railroad-tours
Tommy’s Detroit Bar & Grill
The tunnel that runs underneath this sports bar at 624 Third Ave. (near Huntington Place) is said to have been used as a getaway route for those escaping slavery (and, later, Prohibition laws).
George DeBaptiste’s Home Site
The abolitionist’s home once stood at the corner of East Larned and Beaubien. DeBaptiste bought a steamship, the T. Whitney, and used it to usher those escaping enslavement across the Detroit River to Canada.
Read more about the role Detroit played on the Underground Railroad in our story about the Underground Railroad tour group, Footsteps to Freedom.
This story originally appeared in the February 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Feb. 10.
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