This historic house was built in 1835 by Dr. Nathan Thomas, the first physician in Kalamazoo County. When asked in 1843 to assist escaping slaves from the south to reach Canada, he quickly agreed. Mrs. Thomas would provide food and arrange for them to sleep on the floor of the doctor's office. Fugitives would hide upstairs under the eaves if it was suspected bounty hunters were in the area. Dr. Thomas would arrange for them to travel after dark to Battle Creek and on to Canada. Dr. Thomas estimated that 1,000 to 1,500 fugitives passed through their station on the Underground Railroad.