DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Historians are gathering in Des Moines this weekend to talk about the Underground Railroad and the Iowa Freedom Trail, which passed through southwest Iowa, and included a safe haven at Hitchcock House near Lewis.

John Brown Freedom Trail in 1859 (Map from the State Historical Society of Iowa at www.iowahistory.org)

This year’s Iowa Statewide Underground Railroad Gathering will take place today (Saturday) at the State Historical Building in Des Moines. The event is free. Historians are expected to discuss topics including the Underground Railroad sites and museums in Iowa, as well as some historical legal issues behind the trail. The state Department of Cultural Affairs and others are sponsoring the event.