Mount Pleasant in Jefferson County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Mount Pleasant Historic Underground Railroad District
Historic Underground Railroad Site
Photographed by Jamie Abel, September 25, 2010
1. Mount Pleasant Historic Underground Railroad District Marker
By 1816, Mount Pleasant had earned a reputation among fugitive slaves as a town where they would be welcomed in their quest for freedom. The Quakers who lived in the village helped Mount Pleasant become a center of antislavery activity. Many residents used their homes as Underground Railroad stations, and at least five of these buildings still stand today. These include:
The Free Labor Store/Benjamin Lundy Home was built in 1813. On the left side was the Free Labor Store, where nothing made or raised by slave labor was bought or sold. On the right side was the home where Lundy wrote "Genius of Universal Emancipation," which helped to establish him as one of the first really effective forces in the antislavery movement in the United States. The David Updegraff House, built in 1858, was the home of the noted Quaker minister and abolitionist. The Hogg Mansion, built in 1845, was owned by prominent businessman, John Hogg. Quaker Hill, built in 1807, was the home of educator and abolitionist George Jenkins. The Jonathan Binns House, built in 1858, was the home of the local banker and board member of the Free Produce Company.
Erected by The Friends of Freedom Society and Ohio Underground Railroad Association.
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Location. 40° 10.51′ N, 80° 48.037′ W. Marker is in Mount Pleasant, Ohio, in Jefferson County. It is at the intersection of Union Street (Ohio Route 647) and Concord Street, on the right when traveling east on Union Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 342 Union St, Rayland OH 43943, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest, in the Ohio River Valley, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, 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 of this marker: World Wars I and II Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Mount Pleasant Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Elizabeth House Mansion (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mt. Pleasant High School (about 500 feet away); Samuel Gill House (about 600 feet away); Benjamin Lundy Home / Free Labor Store (approx. 0.2 miles away); Free Labor Store / Benjamin Lundy House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Birthplace of Moses Fleetwood Walker (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Pleasant.
More about this marker. The marker sits in front of the Mount Pleasant
Photographed by Jamie Abel, September 25, 2010
2. Mount Pleasant Historic Underground Railroad District Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on November 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2010, by Jamie Abel of Westerville, Ohio. This page has been viewed 2,670 times since then and 70 times this year. Last updated on November 18, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 1, 2010, by Jamie Abel of Westerville, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
