The unveiling of the Freedom Crossing Monument occured on October 14, 2009, at the Lewiston Landing Park along the Lower Niagara River at 7PM.

The purposes of the Freedom Crossing Monument are to:

1) Honor and pay tribute to the enslaved, who against all odds, sought a new life of freedom, and to the local volunteers who protected and helped them on their journey.

2) Highlight and celebrate the historical importance of the Niagara River as a gateway to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Once fugitive slaves crossed the river, they were free forever.

Local author, Margret Goff Clark(deceased), first published her book "Freedom Crossing" in 1969. Since then, thousands of 4th and 5th graders across the United States have read the book to learn about the Underground Railroad. The story takes place in Lewiston and Mrs Clark included detailed descriptions of many notable landmarks, including the Presbyterian Church and Tryon's Folly.

The fictional heroine of the book, Laura Eastman, a young teenage girl, is depicted in the Monument (her outstreched arm pointing the way to Canada across the river) to memorialize the book and the ideals that symbolize the courage of both the freedom seekers and the volunteers who helped them escape.

The Historical Association of Lewiston advanced the concept of the Monument in 2006 and began making plans to have it become a reality

Freedom Crossing Project Director Lee Simonson stated, "when we were planning the Monument, it didn't hurt to have one of the foremost sculptors in America right down the street. Not only were we proud to work with Susan, but we consider ourselves very lucky as well. The community is blessed to have someone so talented as a neighbor and friend."

The Underground Railroad was a secret network of  trails and safe homes that enslaved African-Americans from the southern United States used to escape to Canada in the mid-1800s. The British Empire, including Canada, abolished slavery in 1834.

Lewiston was one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad and, despite breaking the law, many residents volunteered to help the escapees reach freedom in Canada.

This Monument depicts the moment in time when fugitive slaves saw Canada for the first time after traveling hundreds of treacherous miles, avoiding slave catchers who were paid to capture and return them to the South.

Handing the baby to the fugitive mother is Josiah Tryon (1798-1886), Lewiston's volunteer "station master" for the Underground Railroad. A man of simple means, Tryon was quiet, humble and religious. By secretely escorting the slaves to freedom in his rowboat under the cover of darkness, he gave them hope and became a champion of justice and equality. He truly had a rainbow heart, embracing people of all colors and creeds.

With her outstretched arm pointing to Canada, Laura Eastman is the iconic heroine in the historical fiction book, "Freedom Crossing". Laura has become the symbol of the triumph of the human spirit over oppression.

                 Historical Association of Lewiston, Inc.