Tucked away on a quiet street in Cleveland鈥檚 Ohio City neighborhood lies a piece of Underground Railroad history.
There鈥檚 evidence that St. John鈥檚 Episcopal Church 鈥� specifically, its bell tower 鈥� was a stop on the Underground Railroad, said the Rev. Kelly Aughenbaugh.
鈥淲e have a primary source of a parishioner here at St. John's,鈥� Aughenbaugh said. 鈥淸They] wrote something down that said something about the freedom seekers hiding in the bell tower.鈥�
Aughenbaugh is the former vicar, a leadership role in the Episcopal Church, of St. John鈥檚. She鈥檚 now the rector 鈥� the priest 鈥� of St. Paul鈥檚 Episcopal Church in Medina.
While serving at St. John鈥檚 from 2016 to 2019, she learned about the church鈥檚 history, including its ties to 鈥�Station Hope鈥� 鈥� what Cleveland was called during the Underground Railroad because it was a final stop on the way to Canada, she said.
鈥淪t. John鈥檚 has a very interesting and long history,鈥� Aughenbaugh said.
Constructed in 1838, St. John鈥檚 is the oldest consecrated church building in Cuyahoga County, she said, adding that its bell tower was one of the tallest structures in Cleveland at that time. It鈥檚 believed freedom seekers would hide inside and look for light signals on the Cuyahoga River or Lake Erie.
鈥淭here was some communication with lights that, when it was clear, people would come down from the tower and then make their way either to a boat on the river or a boat at the lake,鈥� Aughenbaugh said.
Not much is known about how the bell tower became a hiding spot, or how many parishioners may have been aware of it, because of the clandestine nature of Underground Railroad history, she added.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 maybe also part of the intrigue and also the mystery, but also the bigger connection: it's not just St. John's,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here could have been other sites right in this community and neighborhood that we don't even know about that are just lost to history, or will remain with those who used them.鈥�
People are no longer permitted inside the bell tower for safety reasons, due to the church鈥檚 aging infrastructure, Aughenbaugh said. Years ago, she went inside it and noticed tally marks on a wall.
鈥淪omeone, perhaps, was keeping track of time,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen people have gone up, I've heard them say, 鈥極h my gosh, I can feel the weight of it,' or they feel a connection to ancestors or to history.鈥�
Over the years, St. John鈥檚 congregation gradually declined as the surrounding neighborhood changed, Aughenbaugh said. In the 20th century, experienced periods of disinvestment, neglect and eventual gentrification.
There has not been an active congregation for about 20 years. However, the building has remained a community space, Aughenbaugh said.
鈥淥ne of the pieces of keeping this space and this building and this story alive is that because it was part of a greater movement, a part of people seeking freedom and being part of that even against what others were standing for,鈥� she said.
The building is now undergoing structural repairs as the diocese starts to plan its next chapter, she said.
鈥淚t has had this sense in the community, I think, of being a place and space and people who have been welcoming to the 鈥榦ther,鈥� whoever the 鈥榦ther鈥� was at a time, and so I think that also pervades,鈥� Aughenbaugh said. 鈥淸We鈥檒l] kind of see now, where is the spirit leading? What might this space and place in this community be among a changing neighborhood again.鈥�
The church has partnered with Cleveland Public Theatre and other arts organizations for events honoring Station Hope, including musical and dance performances. The annual event is currently on pause due to the ongoing repairs at the church.
