From around 1830 to 1860, thousands of freedom seekers used the Underground Railroad to reach sanctuary in Canada, the “promised land.” Many crossed the Niagara River from the United States to Fort Erie, including Josiah Henson and his family, who arrived on October 28, 1830. Harriet Beecher Stowe patterned Uncle Tom’s Cabin after his life. Their journey and struggle reflected a broader quest for freedom remembered by present and future generations.