University District in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Underground Railroad on University Land

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., December 31, 2008

1. The Underground Railroad on University Land Marker #3

Inscription. After 1856, escapees on the Freedom Train followed Neil Run past the Neil Farm and through the swampy hollow that is now Mirror Lake. The stream forked, with the northeastern branch emerging from the marshy land where the Ohio Union now stands, to the home of Robert Neil, son of William and Hannah. It still stands on the corner of Indianola Avenue and 15th Avenue, the current home of the fraternity Kappa Sigma. From this spot, escapees were directed toward Lake Erie, the last stop before freedom and safety.

Erected 2006 by Ohio Staters, Inc. (Marker Number 3 of 5.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Agriculture • Education • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Notable Events. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.

Location. 39° 59.872′ N, 83° 0.838′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in the University District. It can be reached from Neil Avenue. Marker is near the southeast corner of Mirror Lake, about fifty feet west of the Browning Amphitheatre, on The Ohio State University campus. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Columbus OH 43210, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance

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of this marker: Mirror Lake (within shouting distance of this marker); Browning Amphitheatre / The Outdoor Performance Center (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ohio State University (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Mirror Lake (within shouting distance of this marker); 2018 Restoration & Evolution (within shouting distance of this marker); Bucket & Dipper Junior Class Honorary (within shouting distance of this marker); Ohio Farm Bureau Founded (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); NPHC at Ohio State (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., December 31, 2008

2. The Underground Railroad on University Land Marker #3

Pomerene Hall is behind marker, with Mirror Lake to right.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 12, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 2,577 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 12, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Christopher Busta-Peck was the editor who published this page.