Belt-Gaskin House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Belt-Gaskin House
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House in 2022
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 77 Chapman Avenue, Auburn, New York |
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1868 |
| Architectural style | Mid-late 19th Century |
| MPS | Freedom Trail, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Central New York MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001135 |
| Added to NRHP | October 5, 2005 |
The Belt-Gaskin House is a special old home located in Auburn, New York. It's a two-story house built around 1868. This house is important because it was owned by African American families who played a part in the history of freedom and civil rights in the United States.
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The Belt-Gaskin House Story
This historic house was built by Thomas and Rachel Belt (or Bell), an African American couple. They returned to the United States from Canada after the Civil War ended. Their story is a powerful example of people seeking freedom and building new lives.
A Home for Freedom Seekers
Records suggest that the Belt family were "freedom seekers." This means they were people who escaped from slavery. Thomas and Rachel Belt were likely born into slavery in Maryland around 1805. In the 1840s, they moved to New York State. Their son George was born there around 1849.
However, a tough law called the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed. This law made it harder for people who had escaped slavery to be truly free, even in states where slavery was illegal. Because of this law, the Belt family probably left New York and moved to Canada. Another son, Isaiah, was born in Canada around 1854.
After the Civil War ended (between 1865 and 1870), Thomas and Rachel Belt returned to the United States. On November 5, 1868, they bought a house on Cornell Street in Auburn, New York. This street is now called Chapman Avenue. Their neighborhood was close to the home of Harriet Tubman. Many other freedom seekers, as well as Irish and European-American families, also bought homes in this area. The Belt house appeared on a map from 1868, showing it as one of several small homes built on the north side of Cornell Street.
Building a New Life
Thomas Belt bought the property from Horace and Mary Fitch. Horace Fitch was the son of a well-known abolitionist and businessman named Abijah Fitch. An abolitionist is someone who worked to end slavery.
Based on property tax records, it seems the house was built in two main parts. The first part was likely finished by 1868. The second part was added sometime between 1869 and 1874.
Important People Connected to the House
The Belt-Gaskin House was also home to other important figures. Reverend John Thomas, a pastor from the Thomson AME Zion Church, lived there as a boarder. Reverend Thomas was born into slavery in Virginia in 1814. He passed away at the house in 1894.
Later, in 1927, the house was purchased by Philip and Mary Gaskin. The house is named after both the Belt and Gaskin families because of their important connections to its history.
The Belt-Gaskin House was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it is recognized as a place important to the history of the United States.
