Underground Railroad in Kansas
The Underground Railroad was a series of routes and “safe houses” designed to avoid detection. The Underground Railroad was used by slaves in order to get to free-states or to Canada where they could be free. “Safe houses” were houses where slaves on the railroad would stay at on their way to their destination. Many people who would help slaves along the Underground Railroad were called “conductors”. Some conductors included Harriet Tubman and John Brown. Harriet Tubman was a former slave who helped free at least 300 other slaves.
Both being a slave on the Underground Railroad and being a conductor on it had many risks. Risks of the Underground Railroad included if you were caught on the Underground Railroad and were a slave you would be returned to your owner who would more than likely punish you. If you were the host of a safe house and caught extra taxes could be imposed on you, or you could be fined a huge amount of money or even face time in prison.
John Brown, an abolitionist also helped conduct the Underground Railroad as well. In Kansas there was a main path on the Underground Railroad called the “Lane Trail”, the main Underground Railroad path in Kansas. It was originally created for free immigrants to come to Kansas and avoid pro-slave settlements along the way. Over time, this trail started being used more by runaway slaves rather than immigrants. This trail was also used by abolitionist John Brown when he led around 30 people along the trail to a raid in 1859. The Smith Station was a safe house on the Lane Trail. This was a safe house that John Brown and his men stayed at in 1859. Though the Underground Railroad continued on afterwards, the need for an Underground Railroad in Kansas lessened once it became a free-state.
To find out more on the Underground Railroad in Kansas, go to,
Citations
"Freedom Seekers: Stories from the Western Underground Railroad." Lifedocumentariescom. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.
"Underground Railroad in Kansas." Underground Railroad in Kansas. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.
