He and retired State University College at Oswego professor
Judith Wellman discovered black and white abolitionists prayed
together there 170 years ago, when it was called First
Congregational Church of Volney. Wellman's research enabled
Bristol Hill Congregational Church to become one of 14 New York
sites on the National Parks Service's Underground Railroad
Network to Freedom and one of 24 sites designated by New York as
part of its Underground Railroad Heritage Trail. That has piqued
a bit of interest in the old wooden house of worship, which has
sat on Route 3 since 1832. Seven busloads of people interested
in the Underground Railroad have visited, said the Rev. Jim
Hinman. He said, "People want to know where they hid the slaves.
They want to look in the cellar." It's unknown if a single
freedom-seeker was hidden there, Hinman said. But it's clear
church members supported the Underground Railroad. In 1843, the
congregation adopted a resolution vowing to "use all proper
means in our power" to free slaves. A