UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: Historic first steps taken

Commission members hold inaugural meeting, discuss tasks

<!--Rick Forgione--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Rick Forgione</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:rick.forgione@niagara-gazette.com">rick.forgione@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>

Bill Bradberry remembers someone telling him it would be “a cold day in hell” before the city began capitalizing on its ties to the Underground Railroad.

“Well, it’s a cold day,” he said Thursday afternoon.

Bradberry and the 12 other community members and officials making up the new Underground Railroad Heritage Commission conducted an inaugural meeting at the Earl W. Brydges Library. The commission, created through a partnership with the city and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, is tasked with creating a master strategy plan to promote cultural heritage and oversee related projects.

The commission is in place until April 30, 2013, but members have until July 2012 to complete the strategic plan and submit it to the city, state parks, legislature and governor for approval and implementation.

“You do have your work cut out for you,” said Marcia Kees of the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation.

According to historians, hundreds of slaves were led to freedom along the Underground Railroad in the mid-1800s from Maryland to Canada, making the last stretch over the former Suspension Bridge, now the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge in the city. Mayor Paul Dyster said the city has the auspicious designation of being the final leg of the slaves’ journey to freedom.

“We get to tell the story of the happy ending,” he said.

The 13 members of the committee have been named by Dyster, Gov. David Paterson and various other local and state officials. In addition to Bradberry, members are Zach Casale, Niagara Falls Senior Planner Tom DeSantis, Denise Easterling, Ken Wagner, Tricia Mezhir, Carol Murphy, Anthony Restaino Sr., Seneca Vaught, City Councilman Charles Walker, Niagara County Legislator Renae Kimble, Percy Abrams and Mark Onesi.

Casale, who holds a degree from the University at Buffalo specializing in community development and urban management, was appointed acting chairman of the committee. A permanent chairperson will be voted on by board members at a future meeting.

Grassroots efforts to promote the city’s ties to the Underground Railroad have grown over the years and evolved into tours, re-enactments and an annual Freedom Trail Festival, but the newly formed commission is the first official state-sponsored initiative.

“We will honor a piece of history in Niagara Falls that has never really been recognized the way it should be,” said Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, who along with state Sen. Antoine Thompson sponsored the state legislation to create the commission.

J. Winthrop Aldrich, the state’s deputy commissioner for historic preservation, opened Thursday’s meeting by congratulating members and noting there are 20 heritage area commissions spread throughout the state. However, he said the local Underground Railroad group has the advantage of a designated funding source. The commission is set to receive an annual allocation of $350,000 from the local share of casino funds over the next five years.

“There’s 19 other commissions that are looking on with envy,” Winthrop said.

Each member was given a binder full of background information and Kees walked them through the process of becoming incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, establishing by-laws and procuring legal representation. Future meetings will include discussion on potential heritage-related projects and starting the management plan.

“For almost 20 years, I’ve been promoting Underground Railroad activity in Niagara Falls,” Easterling said. “It’s just beautiful to be sitting here today and seeing the respect the Underground Railroad has finally gotten here in the City of Niagara Falls.”

Last year, the city and state parks signed an agreement to appoint parks employee Kevin Cottrell to serve as project coordinator of the North Star initiative, created to establish a heritage tourism district along North Main Street and near the Whirlpool Bridge. Cottrell also is the founder of an Underground Railroad touring company called Motherland Connextions.

Among the major projects being overseen by North Star, which will now be folded into the new heritage commission, is the renovation of the first floor of the old U.S. Customhouse on Whirlpool Street into an Underground Railroad interpretive center, which will complement the planned International Train Station.

Dyster announced Thursday that U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have secured an additional $800,000 in federal funds for the Customhouse renovation. In addition, a right of way clearance certificate and temporary easement allowing work to begin on the building’s exterior is expected to come through in the upcoming days.

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