The Cozad-Bates house is an historic landmark that signifies Cleveland’s role in the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement. Located at 11508 Mayfield Road, the interpretive center offers insight into the people, places and ideas that shaped the city before and after the Civil War.
Signal Cleveland took a private tour with co-founder of Restore Cleveland Hope (RCH), Fran Stewart, and with RCH Board Chair Kathryn Puckett. The house was given new life in 2006, when University Hospital donated the house to University Circle Inc. (UCI).
“You couldn’t even walk in here,” Puckett said of the house in 2006.
“The house had been empty for 20 years or so. Animals had gotten into it, but it was in surprisingly good shape considering how long it had been empty,”Stewart said. “Still, it needed a lot of work.”
UCI, in partnership with RCH, Western Reserve Historical Society, and other key stakeholders were able to fundraise and eventually get the center up and running in late 2021.
A place in Cleveland’s pre-civil war history
Andrew Cozad built the home in 1853 for his son, Justus Cozad. He made additions to the home in the 1860’s and 1870s. Justus eventually moved, leaving the home vacant. It is the only remaining pre-civil war structure in University Circle.
“At the time the house was built, Justus was a bachelor,” Stewart said. “He eventually got married, and he and his wife moved west for about 10 years.”
There is little evidence to confidently say the Cozad-Bates house was used as a safe home for the enslaved, but there are plenty of context clues that historians believe can support that theory.
“We can’t say for certain that fugitives were hiding in the basement here,” Puckett said. “People didn’t write that down because it was against the law to house fugitives and you could face a significant fine and/or jail time. From reading some of Cozad’s diaries, they do talk about sharing meals with fugitives,” she said.
“We know that Andrew Cozad was an ardent abolitionist. It wasn’t that the slaves were necessarily ‘safe’ when they got to Ohio, especially after 1850, but they were much ‘safer’ and had more opportunities,” Stewart said. The goal for many was to make it through Cleveland, not to stay in Cleveland, because while slavery wasn’t recognized in Ohio, racism was still very much alive and well.
Known by the code name “hope,” Cleveland became a prime destination for those making their way north to seek freedom in Canada. There was a prominent abolitionist presence in what is now the University Circle area. Those looking to escape slavery found refuge with both Black and white communities throughout Ohio.
Following The Path To Freedom
The Cozad Bates House is free and open to the public on Saturdays from 12 to 4 p.m. Private tours are available during the week by appointment. (Get a look inside with our short video on Instagram.)
RCH has created an app called Ohio Freedom Path. With a mission of “bringing to life the stories of freedom seekers and those who helped them,” this interactive app allows users to discover significant people and points of interest in the Ohio Underground Railroad. Users can search by county to see all the connections to the work of the Underground Railroad. The tour includes 50 stops and can be accessed on foot or by bike. A pre-recorded guided tour is available for download.
RCH is currently looking for volunteers.
“We would love for the community to get involved in whatever way they can,” Puckett said.“We currently have some programming going on in the schools, but there are some activities we have planned for the spring/summer coming up.
“Feel free to donate as well!”
This article has been updated to reflect a correction. UCI was donated the house by University Hospitals in 2006. Cozad-Bates is the oldest building in University Circle, not Cleveland.