The Freedom Crossing Monument on the Niagara River in Lewiston, New York. Dedicated on Oct. 14, 2009, the monument honors the bravery of fugitive slaves seeking freedom in Canada and the local volunteers who assisted them. It highlights the historical significance of the Niagara River as a critical escape route on the Underground Railroad during the mid-19th century.
It was the first project the Niagara River Greenway Commission endorsed, with planning and fundraising conducted entirely by volunteers from the Historical Association of Lewiston, Inc., which conceived the project in 2006. The town of Lewiston helped fund the $230,000 via the New York Power Authority’s Niagara River Greenway Plan, supplemented by the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation and the KeyBank Foundation.