NATIONAL ABOLITION HALL of Fame & Museum
Walk the
FIFTH ANNUAL ABOLITION ROAD Walk
RETRACE THE ROUTE OF REFORM
Friday, October 9
Oneida County Freedom Trail
Guided Walking Tour Through
Downtown Utica
Meet at: Utica Coffee, 92 Genesee St, Utica, NY 13502
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5:00-5:30 pm Lingo Family
Singers perform as the historic
abolitionist Hutchinson Singers
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5:30-6:30 pm Guided Walking
Tour: walk begins at the
Mechanic Hall sign and ends at
the Utica Rescue sign
Free and open to the community -
no registration needed (Rain or
Shine)
Saturday, October 10
Abolition Road Walk
Trace the footsteps of abolitionists who escaped a pro-slavery mob in Utica, took a barge to Canastota, climbed the hills to Peterboro, and formed the New York State
Antislavery Society.
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8:00-9:00 am: Registration with
Lingo Family Singers performing
as the historic abolitionist
Hutchinson Singers
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9:00-9:30 am Walk Program
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9:30 am Walk Start to Clockville
Limited bus seats available for folks
who need a lift all or along the way.
Ride reservations must be made by
September 15th
Register Here to Walk or Ride*
Saturday, October 10, 2026
$40/PARTICIPANT (INCLUDES SHIRT)
$25/PARTICIPANT (NO SHIRT INCLUDED)
A bus will be available for those who prefer to ride. Seating is limited. Ride reservations must be made by September 15.​ First 104 students register for free.
Route Of Reform
Walk with us and trace a portion of the footsteps of 104 abolitionists who escaped an angry pro-slavery mob in Utica in October 1835, embarked on a barge to Canastota, and climbed the hills to Peterboro, where they formed the New York State Antislavery Society.
The Lingo Family singers will perform 19th C. reform songs. Buses are provided for folks who need a lift all or part of the way.
Route Of Reform is funded in part with support from the
NYS Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
Why we walk
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When a group convened in Utica to form the New York State Antislavery Society in 1835, they were disrupted by an angry mob of anti-abolitionists. Gerrit Smith stepped forward and invited the delegates to "Come to Peterboro" to resume the meeting.
​
This historic event motivated Gerrit Smith to devote himself to the abolitionist cause, making Central New York the heart of the abolitionist movement in America, a safe haven for persons escaping slavery, and a respite for influential reformers in our region during the decades leading up to the civil war.
Abolition Walk
Route & Schedule
Saturday, October 10
Walk or ride the bus from Canastota to Clockville and back (5.4 miles - 2 hrs).
Check back here for the latest news and updates to the schedule.
Transportation
A bus will be available for those who prefer to ride all the way - and back. The bus registrations must be made by September 15.
The bus is also available for those who need a short rest from walking.
Mission
Our goal is to celebrate unity in Central New York and shine a light on a largely unrecognized, pivotal moment in the history of the abolitionist movement. We seek broad participation to make this dramatic local history a source of pride and inspiration for freedom-loving people everywhere.
Proceeds from the Abolition Walk will benefit