Downtown in St. Catharines in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Harriet Ross Tubman c. 1820-1913

Harriet Ross Tubman, v. 1820-1913

Photographed by Dale K. Benington, June 11, 2012

1. Harriet Ross Tubman c. 1820-1913 Marker

Close-up view of the English text on the front side of the marker.

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

A legendary conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman became known as the "Moses" of her people. Tubman was born into slavery on a Maryland plantation and suffered brutal treatment from numerous owners before escaping in 1849. Over the next decade she returned to the American South many times and led hundreds of freedom seekers north. When the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 allowed slave owners to recapture runaways in the northern free states, Tubman extended her operations across the Canadian border. For eight years she lived in St. Catharines, and at one point rented a house in this neighbourhood. With the outbreak of the Civil War, she returned to the U.S. to serve the Union Army.

Célèbre conductrice du chemin de fer clandestin, Harriet Tubman est considérée comme une libératrice par son peuple. Née asservie dans une plantation du Maryland, elle subit le traitement brutal de plusieurs maîtres avant s’enfuir en 1849. Au cours des années suivantes, elle retourne au Sud à maintes reprises pour guider des centaines d’insoumis vers la liberté au Nord. Lorsqu’une loi adoptée en 1850 permet aux maîtres de capturer leurs esclaves fugitifs dans les États libres du Nord, Tubman étend ses opérations de l’autre côté de la frontière canadienne. Elle vit à St. Catharines pendant huit ans el loue une maison un certain temps dans ce quartier. Quand la guerre de Sécession éclate, elle retourne aux État-Unis pour aider les combattants de l’Union.

Erected 1992

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by Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Communications.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Immigration • Women. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1820.

Location. 43° 9.914′ N, 79° 14.404′ W. Marker is in St. Catharines, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Geneva Street and North Street, on the right when traveling north on Geneva Street. This historical marker is located on the north side of the Salem Chapel BME Church, in a fenced-off area on the church property. The side with English text is distantly visible from outside the fence. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 92 Geneva Street, St Catharines ON L2R 4N2, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe

and in Niagara Canada.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Photographed by Dale K. Benington, June 11, 2012

2. Harriet Ross Tubman c. 1820-1913 Marker

Close-up view of the French text on the back side of the marker.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Harriet Tubman (c. 1822-1913) (here, next to this marker); Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church (here, next to this marker); Harriet Tubman (here, next to this marker); The British Methodist Episcopal Church circa 1855 (a few steps from this marker); Salem Chapel BME Church - Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Site (a few steps from this marker); Wood-Graham-Bacher Home (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Tribute To Women - October 17, 2000 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); St. Catharines - The "Modern" Automobile City (approx. 0.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Catharines.

Other markers no longer nearby. BME Church (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); St. Catharines (was approx. 0.4 kilometers away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Also see . . .
1. Salem Chapel BME Church Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad NHS Canada.

Photographed by Dale K. Benington, June 11, 2012

3. Harriet Ross Tubman c. 1820-1913 Marker

View of the historical marker, situated in a small park, that honors Harriet Tubman, on the north side of the BME Church.

This is a link to information provided by The Salem Chapel, BME Church's website. (Submitted on June 18, 2013, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.)

2. Harriet Tubman. This is a link to information provided by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Submitted on June 18, 2013, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.)

3. Harriet Tubman timeline. This is a link to information provided by The Circle Association. (Submitted on June 18, 2013, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.)

Marker in context image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, August 10, 2025

4. Marker in context

The marker is a blue plaque (left, under the last church window), behind a spiky black fence, within the church's private garden.

Photographed by Dale K. Benington, June 11, 2012

5. BME Church

The featured historical marker is located on the north (left) side of the BME Church.

Statue at nearby Harriet Ross Tubman Public School image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, August 26, 2025

6. Statue at nearby Harriet Ross Tubman Public School

Credits. This page was last revised on October 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 18, 2013, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,256 times since then and 45 times this year. Last updated on August 10, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 18, 2013, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. 4. submitted on August 10, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. 5. submitted on June 18, 2013, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. 6. submitted on September 23, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.