September is Underground Railroad Month. North Bloomfield is fortunate to have a well-documented history of its residents stepping up to assist escaping slaves find freedom.

Nearly 200 years ago was the first documentation of such an event. It was on a Sunday in September that four slaves came into our community heading toward Canada. A number of our residents banded together to hide, feed, clothe and protect this family until after the slave owners were long gone heading back to Virginia.

These heroic acts by our community were not uncommon. North Bloomfield had a number of very devout abolitionists living here and they were not afraid to stand up for what was right, even if they were the only ones standing. This was also during the time of the Fugitive Slave Act. This law empowered federal marshals to force bystanders to assist in the capture of a fugitive and imposed stiff fines and prison sentences on those who did not cooperate. Yes — these early families put their money where their mouth was.

In November 1857, former slave William Wells Brown noted that he stayed “in the princely mansion of Charles Brown, Esquire of North Bloomfield.” Charles had William Brown come and speak at both of our local churches about the evils of slavery. William Wells Brown is noted as being the first black published author.

Charles’ home is being restored with the intention of being opened regularly to the public. Various living history presentations are planned for the property. This year, over 100 students toured the home and were able to sit inside a concealed space under the steps while learning about the Fugitive Slave Act. These kids learned about slavery while being in a home that assisted the escaping slaves.

For some, it was the first time they experienced that history isn’t dead people, doing dead things in dead places. They were able to learn a real life lesson that hopefully they remember well into adulthood. If we can make this kind of impact on today’s youth who will grow up to be tomorrow’s leaders, they can help prevent such horrific circumstances from occurring again. Living history plants seeds in the fertile soil of kids’ minds.

Charles’ father was Ephraim Brown and his father-in-law was Judge Leicester King. Both were upright men who detested the evils of slavery. Both men have been documented to personally assist escaping families get to Lake Erie and to freedom in Canada.

King has a historical marker next to Courthouse Square commemorating his abolitionist’s actions. King, who was once a United States vice presidential candidate, actually died at Center Brook Manor, Charles’ home in North Bloomfield.

Learning history is important, and if history offends you, that’s fantastic. That means you will work hard to not repeat it! History also grounds us by reminding us of the past struggles and hardships those before us endured.

History inspires us to be better than we were. History humbles us by refreshing our minds and pointing out we really have screwed up in the past and we aren’t as smart as we think. This is why projects such as the restoration work in North Bloomfield are so important because forgotten history is mistakes in our future ready to happen.

For more information on the Center Brook restoration, I would encourage you to visit their website, www.centerbrookmanor.com. Reach out to them if you’re looking for a great place to host a meeting or are interested in helping out. Your assistance and donations are really needed.