The stately Greek revival home known as the Lathrop House was the residence of Lucian Lathrop, an ordained minister of the Universalist Church, a denomination which maintained a strong anti-slavery stance. A proud descendant of generations of abolitionists, Lathrop was a supporter of the Free Soil Party and protested against the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. While Lucian Lathrop served as an elected
State Representative in the Ohio Legislature, he also engaged in the outlawed activities of the Underground Railroad. The Lathrop House was one of many locations that were scattered throughout the state of Ohio where men, women and children fleeing slavery found shelter and safety. Harboring runaway slaves was illegal in America after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. Despite the consequences, abolitionists around the state continued to assist fleeing slaves in their journey to freedom. "Conductors" directed the escapees to the next safe house, barn, or business as they ventured ever northward. Several major routes of escape developed during this period. One of those began near Cincinnati and followed the Miami & Erie Canal north towards the western end of Lake Erie and towns of Maumee, Perrysburg, Toledo and Sylvania. From there, the former slaves journeyed to Adrian or Detroit and then across the water to Canada. As a stop on the Underground Railroad, the Lathrop House represents the brightest of lights in the darkest of times.
