This image is the cover for the book The Underground Railroad in the Adirondack Town of Chester

The Underground Railroad in the Adirondack Town of Chester

The Town of Chester in upstate Warren County, New York, was a secret haven for runaway slaves escaping to Canada along the Underground Railroad. The small Adirondack town holds as many as nine confirmed or suspected sites where fugitives once found shelter. Stories abound of residents discovering secret rooms containing beds and other artifacts within their homes. The first abolitionist pastor of the Darrowsville Wesleyan Church, Reverend Thomas Baker, reportedly hid fugitive slaves in the parsonage. Color photographs and interviews with current residents illuminate the region's hidden history with the Underground Railroad movement. With the support of the Historical Society of the Town of Chester, Donna Lagoy and Laura Seldman reveal these courageous stories of local families who risked everything in the pursuit of freedom for all.

Donna Lagoy, Laura Seldman

Donna Lagoy has a BA from SUNY-Plattsburgh and a postgraduate teacher certification. In 2006 she was appointed chief historian of the Town of Chester. Lagoy is on the board of trustees of the historical society and is the editor of the quarterly newsletter.

Laura Seldman has a BS from Cornell University, an MFA from George Washington University and is a photographer, master serigrapher, gallery manager and workshop director. She was appointed photohistorian of the historical society in 2014.

The History Press