Charles Mitchell escape site in Olympia added to National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
Last month, the National Park Service added the Charles Mitchell Escape Site at Olympia’s Percival Landing Park to its National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom—the first-ever listing from Washington State.
In 1855, 12-year-old Charles Mitchell was brought to Olympia, Washington Territory, by his enslaver James Tilton. Five years later, he escaped from Percival Landing by stowing away on a steamship bound for Victoria, British Columbia, on a maritime underground railroad. Although discovered and apprehended by a ship captain determined to return him to slavery under the Fugitive Slave Act, Mitchell was rescued on the docks of Victoria by a fierce anti-slavery crowd. The next day, Mitchell was declared legally free by the Canadian courts and was adopted by the city’s African-Canadian community.
This year, the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area was thrilled to support the recognition of Mitchell’s story through listing of what is now Percival Landing Park to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Created by Congress in 1998, the Network to Freedom recognizes the diverse experiences of freedom seekers who bravely escaped slavery and the allies who assisted them. It includes more than 800 sites with a verifiable connection to the underground railroad, with listings in 41 states; Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Canada.
Sites listed in the Network to Freedom receive prestigious national recognition and are added to a national database of underground railroad history. Listing can support local preservation efforts, provide opportunities for networking, help promote tourism, and contribute to public education about significant sites. This non-regulatory listing also provides eligibility for funding and technical assistance from the National Park Service.
The Charles Mitchell Escape Site was one of 14 new listings added to the Network to Freedom in October 2024. “These new listings, including the first in the Pacific Northwest, illustrate coast-to-coast efforts of freedom seekers and their allies to secure self-determination, liberty, and justice for themselves and others,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “Their brave and tenacious pursuit of freedom from oppression reflects the foundation upon which our nation was built and serves as a reminder that our country’s journey to form a more perfect union is ongoing.”
The nomination of the Charles Mitchell Escape Site to the Network to Freedom was prepared by historian Lorraine McConaghy, co-author of Free Boy, a book about Charles Mitchell. McConaghy’s work was generously supported by funding from the National Park Service.
As the owners of Percival Landing Park, the City of Olympia was also integral in the site’s addition to the Network to Freedom. “We believe that by recognizing Percival Landing Park, the inspiring story of Charles Mitchell…will receive the national attention and respect it deserves,” wrote Mayor Dontae Payne in a letter of support. “This nomination represents an opportunity to highlight the stories of resilience, bravery, and the unyielding pursuit of freedom, all of which are fundamental to our collective human journey.”
The Maritime Washington National Heritage Area was honored to collaborate with McConaghy, the City of Olympia, and the National Park Service on the nomination to ensure that Charles Mitchell’s story receives the national attention and recognition that it deserves. We look forward to continuing to help share this important story—and other narratives of freedom seeking from Washington’s shorelines—through continued partnership efforts.
