A 750-mile journey tracing the routes once used by freedom seekers escaping slavery will bring historians, community members and a towering Harriet Tubman statue to Farmington on Juneteenth.
FreedomWalk2026, a months-long pilgrimage from Maryland to Canada, is scheduled to arrive at the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Museum on June 19. Organizers say the effort commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence while honoring the legacy of self-liberators, abolitionists and the networks that helped enslaved people reach freedom.
The walk is led by historian Anthony Cohen, who first completed the route in 1996. Participants are traveling 750 miles by foot, boat and rail, using transportation methods available to 19th-century freedom seekers. The journey began May 4 in Sandy Spring, Maryland, and is expected to conclude July 4 in Ontario, Canada.
Farmington’s stop carries particular historical significance because of the community’s ties to abolitionist and reform movements. The 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse has long been associated with anti-slavery activism and will serve as a gathering place for public programs, tours and educational events during the visit.
Traveling with the group is the Harriet Tubman Journey to Freedom statue, a large bronze sculpture created by artist Wesley Wofford in 2019. The statue accompanies the walk as a focal point for reflection and discussion about freedom, justice and the continuing relevance of Underground Railroad history.
The Juneteenth program begins with an open house and tours from 2 to 5 p.m., giving visitors an opportunity to explore the historic meetinghouse and view the Tubman statue.
A strawberry social hosted by Farmington Friends Meeting will follow from 5 to 7 p.m., offering refreshments and community fellowship.
The evening program, scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m., will feature remarks from Cohen, abolitionist songs performed by Farmington Friends and living-history appearances by freedom seeker Austin Steward and General Gordon Granger. Granger, who spent part of his youth in the region, later issued the order in Galveston, Texas, announcing emancipation and helping establish the origins of Juneteenth.
Additional events are planned throughout the weekend in Macedon and Rochester, including public appearances by Cohen and displays of the Harriet Tubman statue during community gatherings and the Rochester International Jazz Festival.
All events are free and open to the public.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.