Q: Is the City of Rochester government involved?

All governments will be invited to provide an official resolution of support. (A representative of the Mayor’s office attended the meeting)

Q:  Will Sodus Bay Point / Lake/ Oswego be included in the route?  It should be included because of significance to the Underground Railroad.

The proposed corridor does not go up to Lake Ontario and Oswego because they are already included as part of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, a National Scenic Byway. However, strategies for recognizing additional sites in counties that the route travels through will be recommended in the corridor management plan.

Q: Will all of the places in Rochester that are of historical significance to the abolitionist movement and people involved be included?

There is a list of sites along the route being investigated and utilized as the foundation for the creation of the corridor management plan(CMP). However, the CMP will also recommend strategies for identifying, verifying, and including additional sites for inclusion and interpretation.

Q: Will Farmington be included on the route? (Specifically, the Quaker meeting house)

Yes.

Q: Where in Rochester will the route go?

It travels along NY-31, which includes Broad Street to South Avenue to Monroe Avenue.

Q: How far off the route will sites be considered for inclusion?

The distance for contributing sites from the main route has not been determined. The CMP Steering Committee will make that determination and share with stakeholders.

Q: Why can’t the traveler determine where to go on the route and how far off it is?

The traveler will ultimately decide what to experience related to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad in New York. However, designated scenic byways are internationally known and respected routes because of the rigorous planning to receive designation and recognition of specific intrinsic qualities.

Q: Will the North to South pathways of the route traveled by Freedom Seekers be included in the route (like Rochester to Pennsylvania)?  

A: This continuous route was mapped to connect to the proposed New Jersey route (Highway 9) with the ultimate goal of a multi-state national byway from Maryland to New York and also to include the “Travel with Tubman” sites recognized by the National Park Service. Therefore, the route does not go north-south to Pennsylvania although a future byway could be proposed designated for this route.

Q: How will the corridor be experienced?  Will there be an app?

The corridor management plan will include a marketing plan and tourism plan to define how the byway will be experienced. An interpretation plan will also define the themes and significant stories to share along the route.

Q: How are agencies being invited to become involved?

The planning team is contacting state and local agencies to request their involvement. However, any person can invite any stakeholder to be a partner in the planning process.

Q: Would signage be up to document the routes?

Yes.

Q: Can we also associate the byway with Frederick Douglas Week?

That’s a great idea.

Q: Will Frederick Douglas School in Rochester be on the Corridor?

It is one of the sites in the original resource inventory recommended for inclusion. However, the Corridor Management Plan will define the criteria for designating official sites that contribute to the byway themes and intrinsic qualities. 

C: Include the Tollman Building – Frederick Douglas’ publishing offices

C: Lake Ontario inclusion, Kingston

C: Identify a way to refer people to sites not included in the corridor

C: Important to understand the research sources

C: It is important to hear from Black voices telling their stories; the stars of the stories (freedom seekers) and relatives seem absent

C: Include Rochester AME Zion Church – Douglas church

C: Include AME Zion church role in Rochester and their administration of the site in Auburn

C: Don’t romanticize what Freedom Seekers went through

C: Route follows Erie Canal and indigenous trails, women’s center connections

C: William Still’s Book on St. Catherine’s – use the edited and unedited version for research

C: The Landmark Society of Western New York would be an important partner – Lots of information about historic sites in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region

C: This meeting is a really interesting example of how white narratives about the Underground Railroad drown out Black voices.  Need to watch out for that going forward! Moderators did a good job but it is really striking to see this play out. I really value those who spoke up for centering the Freedom Seekers’ stories and perspectives.

C: Use signage, QR codes to tell the story