UC Partners With Landmark to Preserve Harriet Beecher Stowe's History

The Stowe Garden Project transforms the historic home's landscape in Cincinnati.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 2:31am

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The University of Cincinnati's history department is partnering with the Harriet Beecher Stowe House museum in Cincinnati to preserve the landscape and history of the famed abolitionist's former home. The Stowe Garden Project will bring together art, ecology, and local history to transform the historic property, which served as a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.

Why it matters

The Harriet Beecher Stowe House is a National Historic Landmark that preserves the legacy of the author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and an influential figure in the abolitionist movement. By revitalizing the home's landscape, the Stowe Garden Project aims to educate the public about Stowe's life and work while creating an environmentally sensitive green space for the local community.

The details

The project is a collaboration between UC's history department, the Stowe House museum, and UC's College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning. It will transform the grounds around the historic home, which has changed significantly since Stowe lived there from 1832 to 1850. The goal is to create an educational and visually appealing outdoor space that reflects the home's history and Stowe's role as an abolitionist and women's rights advocate.

  • The Harriet Beecher Stowe House museum was established to preserve the history and home of the ground-breaking abolitionist when she lived in Cincinnati from 1832 until 1850.
  • The Stowe Garden Project will begin in the spring of 2026 as the landscape emerges from winter.

The players

Harriet Beecher Stowe

An American abolitionist and author, best known for her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which is credited with helping to fuel the abolitionist movement and paving the way for the Civil War.

Katherine Sorrels

A professor of history in UC's College of Arts and Sciences and the director of the Stowe Garden Project.

Harriet Beecher Stowe House

A National Historic Landmark in Cincinnati that preserves the home where Harriet Beecher Stowe lived from 1832 to 1850, and which served as a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.

University of Cincinnati

The public research university partnering with the Harriet Beecher Stowe House to preserve the history and landscape of the landmark.

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What they’re saying

“The Stowe Garden Project brings together art, ecology, and local history to transform the historic Stowe house in Walnut Hills.”

— Katherine Sorrels, Project director and professor of history, University of Cincinnati

What’s next

The Stowe Garden Project will begin in the spring of 2026 as the landscape emerges from winter, with the goal of creating an educational and visually appealing outdoor space that reflects the home's history and Stowe's legacy.

The takeaway

By revitalizing the grounds of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, a National Historic Landmark, the Stowe Garden Project aims to preserve the legacy of this influential abolitionist and author while providing the local community with a beautiful and educational green space.