A free community celebration in downtown Auburn on Thursday will mark the completion and official New York state designation of the first phase of a proposed 550-mile Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad scenic byway.
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Byway organization and Tour Cayuga will host the welcome party from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 10 at Melody’s in the Hadley Building, 128 Genesee St., Suite 100.
The gathering will recognize the work behind Phase 1, which begins in Auburn and extends west to Niagara Falls. The developing route connects communities, historic sites and stories tied to Tubman, freedom seekers and the Underground Railroad across New York.
Auburn anchors the first phase
Organizers said Auburn serves as the route’s central point because Tubman made the city her home for more than five decades and is buried there. The community continues to draw visitors interested in her life, her work and the broader history of the Underground Railroad and the struggle for freedom.
Ally Spongr DeGon, executive director of the byway organization, said the designation grew from a grassroots effort involving communities across the state. She said celebrating in Tubman’s chosen hometown gives the group a foundation for connecting more places and encouraging visitors to experience that history where it happened.
Historians, community leaders, descendants, tourism professionals and other project partners are expected to take part in Thursday’s event. The program will include remarks about the completion of Phase 1 and its place in the broader byway initiative.
Members of the public may attend the celebration at no charge. Organizers are also inviting members of the media, with opportunities planned to photograph and speak with people involved in the project.
Phase 2 would extend the route south
The event will also address work still needed on Phase 2, which is intended to carry the route from Auburn to New York City. Organizers said additional resolutions of support are needed to complete that part of the project route.
The full proposed byway would link locations across New York connected to Tubman, freedom seekers and people who supported the Underground Railroad. Phase 1’s designation establishes the western portion between Auburn and Niagara Falls while the organization continues building support for the remaining route.
Additional information about the project is available from the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Byway organization at tubmanbywayny.org.
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