Reconstruction of Lathrop House in Sylvania

The next phase is the entire basement needs to be reconstructed.

The first phase of restoration for the Lathrop House in Sylvania is complete. Now it's on to phase 2. It was moved 5 years after St. Joseph's parish bought the property. Now it's located in Harroun Park.

The Lathrop House is a piece of history. In the 1830's, the Lathrop House served as a haven for runaway slaves. Scott Carpenter, spokesman for the Toledo Area Metroparks, says, "It's one thing to read about the underground railroad, but to really understand that it was here, to think it wasn't all that long ago and then to see how far we've come is really a great lesson for students."

The Toledo Area Metroparks, along with friends of the Lathrop House, have been raising money to make this house look the way it did nearly 180 years ago. President of Friends of the Lathrop House Sue McHugh says, "When we are complete with it, it will be the only underground railroad station in northwest Ohio open to the public."

Phase one, which was restoring the exterior, was completed last year. "We stripped its aluminum siding, restored windows, removed shingles, and put what would have been the original cedar shake shingles on the roof." The next task is even more difficult, the entire basement needs to be reconstructed

Phase two won't be complete until next fall. Once it is, the house will be open to the public providing us with a new way to learn about our country's past. Right now, Friends of the Lathrop House is fundraising for phase 3 of the project, which is renovating the first floor of the house where the Lathrop's lived.

| Visit us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter |

Get more Local »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•