Rochester in Fulton County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Underground Railroad

1850 - - 1865

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

1. The Underground Railroad Marker

(Click on any of these photos to see the details.)

Inscription. In memory of Fulton County Citizens who harbored fugitive slaves on their way to freedom in Canada. In Indiana, the underground railroad began along the Ohio River in 1850. After the Fugitive Slave Law was passed requiring citizens to help capture runaway enslaved persons. The underground railroad was the creation of those objecting to the law. It continued until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Hoosiers eventually set up a series of stations across the State to hide, to protect, and to pass on the next station these escaping slaves until, through Michigan, they reached Canada, where slavery was forbidden. The route of hideouts became known as the underground railroad. No records were kept of these escapees, but they numbered in the thousands.

Erected 2010 by Class of 2010 from Rochester Community High School.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 41° 3.955′ N, 86° 12.94′ W. Marker is in Rochester, Indiana, in Fulton County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and East 8th Street, on the right when traveling north on Main Street. Located on the North/West corner of the Fulton County Courthouse lawn in Rochester,

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

Indiana. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rochester IN 46975, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. W. W. I War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Revolutionary War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Fulton County Courthouses (within shouting distance of this marker); Ga bgojwébnegéjuk Mural (within shouting distance of this marker); Potawatomi "Trail of Death" (within shouting distance of this marker); History of Rochester College (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Centennial Park (about 300 feet away); Honor Roll - Fulton County Indiana (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rochester.

Also see . . . Underground Railroad. Indiana Historical Bureau entry (Submitted on November 22, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Additional commentary.
1. Two Up-Date E-mails ::
[First - E-mail dated November 6, 2010 to Al Wolf - - from Susan Mae Clark, English Teacher at Rochester (Indiana) High School::]

“”When my students were in English 11 (American Literature class), we read about the Civil War era and the Underground RR; and we became

Long View - - The Underground Railroad Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

2. Long View - - The Underground Railroad Marker

curious about its history in Fulton County. My students started raising funds, and it took two years (their Junior and Senior years) to get enough money for the monument. The County Commissioners did not want us to put our names and the date on the monument... ....So that’s why there is no date or group name on the monument.

We dedicated the monument on Sunday, August 15, 2010, and the group that did the project was the Class of 2010 from Rochester Community High School. Most of them are freshmen in college now, but they left a lasting legacy and a tribute to their ancestors here in Fulton County. The Rochester Sentinel (newspaper) did a full front page spread on the dedication ceremony on Monday, August 16, 2010.”“

[Second - E-mail dated November 7, 2010 to Al Wolf - - from Susan Mae Clark, English Teacher at Rochester (Indiana) High School::]

“”....Just in case anyone else is interested in this kind of project, here are a few thoughts:

The Underground Railroad is now known as the Freedom Trails, and they do have an official organization. A group can register with them and get a sign or a marker, but I think that the group has to have documentation and proof . . . what we had were 7 or 8 suspected sites, and then several others that were rumored to be sites, but because of the nature of the UGRR,

North Side - - Fulton County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

3. North Side - - Fulton County Courthouse

Marker just out of photo to the right - - -> >

because it was against the law, we realized that we would never know all of the names of the people who came through, all of the names of the people who helped them, and all of the exact locations . . . some sites were just haystacks, some old sheds that have long since been torn down, etc.

So our kids felt that by putting up the marker to honor everyone who came through our county and everyone who helped them on the way to freedom, but NOT by putting on some of the names, we were doing a better job of leaving a historical reminder. Our local historian Shirley Willard helped us out quite a bit. But also our newspaper Editor and noted Civil War scholar Mr. Jack K. Overmyer who passed away last spring . . . we had struggled with the wording a bit, and Mr. Overmyer suggested that we first needed to mention the people of Fulton County who risked their lives to help, since the monument was going to go up on the Fulton County Courthouse Square.”“

Sincerely, Susan M. Clark
Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor

— Submitted November 7, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.

North/East Corner - - Fulton County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

4. North/East Corner - - Fulton County Courthouse

South/East Corner - - Fulton County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

5. South/East Corner - - Fulton County Courthouse

South Side - - Fulton County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

6. South Side - - Fulton County Courthouse

West Side - - Fulton County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: Carly C. Kindig, September 5, 2010

7. West Side - - Fulton County Courthouse

Front Page August 16, 2010 - - Photograph and News Item. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Courtesy:: "The Rochester Sentinel" Newspaper

8. Front Page August 16, 2010 - - Photograph and News Item.

Click on the photo to read fully.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 22, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 6, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 2,139 times since then and 31 times this year. Last updated on November 7, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on September 6, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 8. submitted on November 12, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.