Starr Clark Tin Shop And Underground Railroad Museum

The Starr Clark Tin Shop and Underground Railroad Museum in Mexico, Oswego County, tells a local chapter of the fight against slavery. In its day the tin shop was a place where neighbors gathered to talk over the news and politics of the moment, and it became a busy hub on the Underground Railroad.

Starr Clark sheltered people seeking freedom in his own home or in the homes of other families, and he arranged transportation for the next stage of their journey to Canada. In October 1851, William “Jerry” Henry, a freedom seeker from Missouri who had lived in Syracuse, found refuge here while fleeing arrest under the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.

What to Know

• The building was once a gathering place where neighbors talked over local news and politics.
• It served as an Underground Railroad stop for people on their way to Canada.
• The story of William “Jerry” Henry, who found refuge here in October 1851, is part of its history.
• The museum is featured by Visit Oswego County.