Cozad-Bates House greenspace
The preserved front lawn of the Cozad-Bates House is a cultural greenspace with an interpretive walkway that highlights the people and landmarks of Cleveland’s Underground Railroad network, especially those who sought their freedom. The public plaza and Interpretive Walkway connect commuters, visitors, and neighboring residents to that history.
Services: concept development, exhibition design, signage design, sculptural elements, project management
In April 2002, Joan Southgate, a retired Social Worker, Cleveland-area activist, and Founder of Restore Cleveland Hope, stepped off from the small town of Ripley, Ohio, with a simple goal: to highlight the courage and resourcefulness of American Freedom Seekers and conductor families who risked so much for emancipation via the Underground Railroad. She called her journey In Their Path and set out to increase awareness of a moment in history when people came together across color, creed, and class to do freedom’s work. Her journey has taken her on a 519-mile walk across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Canada.
Dedication of the Joan Evelyn Southgate walk. Image: Bob Perkoski
This space was created in partnership with Deru Landscape Architecture. The story of the Freedom Seekers is embedded in the construction of the landscape design, which includes a metal inlay of the Big Dipper. Visitors are led on a sensory trail that provides the opportunity to access a small portion of the Freedom Seeker’s physical journey and a resting space that can accommodate small group conversations.
Many of the plants used in the landscaping are edible or carry medicinal properties that evoke the hope that the land itself might offer support to freedom seekers on their long and dangerous journey. Some plants are gnarled or spiky, reflecting a difficult history.
This map, first published in 1920, shows routes on the Underground Railroad, many of which passed through Ohio. INTERIM ARCHIVES VIA GETTY IMAGES
Typeface & image via Vocal Type Co.
