NEWSLETTER
Auburn, NY — The first and only official byway honoring the underground railroad in New York State will celebrate an important milestone this week. The first phase of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway (HTURB) will be celebrated with a free community Welcome Party.
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Welcome Party:
- Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026
- Time: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
- Location: Melody’s (The Hadley Building, 128 Genesee Street, Suite 100, Auburn, NY)
The gathering marks the completion and official New York State designation of Phase 1 of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a scenic route that, at full build-out, will span more than 550 miles from Manhattan to Niagara Falls across 22 counties and more than 160 municipal jurisdictions, connecting communities, historic sites, and stories associated with Harriet Tubman, freedom seekers, and the Underground Railroad.
Phase 1, designating 176.76 miles from Auburn to Niagara Falls across 8 counties and 22 heritage sites, was signed into law by Governor Hochul on June 13, 2026, at the Buffalo Juneteenth Parade — the milestone the September 10 Welcome Party will celebrate.
The HTURB Organization, in partnership with Tour Cayuga, will host the celebration.
“Reaching this milestone is the result of an extraordinary grassroots effort across New York State. It is especially meaningful to celebrate in Harriet Tubman’s chosen home town of Auburn at the heart of this 550-mile route,” said Ally Spongr DeGon, Executive Director, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Organization. “This designation gives us an incredible foundation to continue connecting communities and stories, inviting people to travel New York and experience this history of freedom and resilience right where it happened.”
Fittingly, the first celebration of the new scenic Byway will take place in Tubman’s chosen hometown and final resting place. Auburn serves as the central point for the route, which extends westward to Niagara Falls and connects places throughout New York that help tell the broader story of the Underground Railroad and the pursuit of freedom.
For Auburn and Cayuga County, the Byway builds upon a history that remains deeply connected to the community today. Harriet Tubman made Auburn her home for more than five decades, and the area continues to welcome visitors from around the world who come to learn about her life, her work, and the people and places connected to the Underground Railroad and the wider struggle for freedom.
The September 10 gathering will bring together historians, community leaders, descendants, tourism professionals, and partners who have contributed to the Byway’s development. The evening will include remarks recognizing the completion of Phase 1 and the significance of reaching this stage in the larger Byway initiative.
With Phase 1 complete, work is now underway on Phase 2, which will extend the Byway from Auburn to Manhattan. HTURB is finalizing the Corridor Management Plan for submission to the New York State Department of Transportation.
Members of the community are invited to attend and celebrate the milestone alongside those who helped bring the project forward.
Members of the media are encouraged to attend. The event will offer opportunities to photograph and speak with community leaders, historians, tourism professionals, Tubman descendants, and partners involved in the Byway collaboration, as well as hear remarks about the project and the significance of the Phase 1 designation, plus the status of the resolutions of support needed to complete Phase 2 of the project route from Auburn to New York City.
For more information about the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, contact Nikita Jankowski at 315-706-4443, email nikita@belesai.com, or visit tubmanbywayny.org.
ABOUT THE HARRIET TUBMAN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD BYWAY
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway (HTURB) is now a New York State Scenic Byway spanning 550+ miles from Manhattan to Niagara Falls across 22 counties and more than 160 municipal jurisdictions. Phase 1, signed into law by Governor Hochul on June 13, 2026, designates 176.76 miles from Auburn to Niagara Falls across 8 counties and 22 heritage sites. The byway was initiated by the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State (URCNYS) — a non-profit volunteer coalition of historians, tourism officials, heritage attractions, and descendants of Freedom Seekers, founded in 2015 — and has grown into its own independent organization, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Organization, supported by URCNYS and administered by the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. For more information, visit tubmanbywayny.org or follow @tubmanbywayny.
ABOUT CAYUGA COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The Cayuga County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCCVB) is Cayuga County’s tourism promotion agency. We increase tourism and related revenues through promotion and research-based targeted marketing, and we improve the visitor experience by providing data and training to local hospitality industry providers. We continuously work to increase tourism and improve the visitor experience, which in turn stimulates economic growth and sustains recreational and cultural opportunities in the County.
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