Orson Ames House

Orson Ames House in Mexico, a village in Oswego County, is a stop on the Underground Railroad. In 1851, abolitionist Orson Ames hid fugitive William “Jerry” Henry at his home as Henry made his escape to Canada. The story is one of the area’s quiet but powerful chapters of local history.

The house stands on Main Street in the village of Mexico and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a quiet reminder that the push toward freedom ran through small Central New York communities as well as the bigger cities.

What to Know

• Orson Ames sheltered William “Jerry” Henry in 1851 as Henry fled to Canada.
• The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• It is counted among the Underground Railroad sites in Oswego County.
• Henry’s story is tied to the 1851 Jerry Rescue in Syracuse.