Cozad–Bates House

After the opening of the Ohio and Erie Canal in the 1830s, Cleveland became a destination for fugitive slaves and the bondsmen who tracked them. Before the Civil War, slaves moved through Ohio's Underground Railroad network that extended two hundred and fifty miles from Ripley to Cleveland. Known by the secret code name "Hope," Cleveland became a destination for freedom seekers making their way north to Canada. Persons seeking freedom were often aided by abolitionists in University Circle, formerly a part of East Cleveland Township. The Cozad family owned a large portion of the land which is now occupied by University Circle.

The nonprofit "Restore Cleveland Hope" spearheaded efforts to restore the house. On April 7, 2006, University Hospitals donated the house to University Circle, Inc. In 2007 a historical marker was erected by University Circle, Inc. and the Ohio Historical Society. The marker is located at 41° 30.512′ N, 81° 36.185′ W.

The Cozad–Bates House's rehabilitation was performed as a multi-phased endeavor. The initial steps included the replacement of the slate roof, guttering systems and construction repairs to the belvedere and chimneys. These repairs also included foundation and front porch restoration, and interior improvements. It was a four-month-long process costing $200,000, (~$246,168 in 2021) which was completed in August 2010. Funding was aided by state capital appropriation of $100,000 and donations by private donors.[2] UCI and private donations helped cover the remaining funds needed to full renovate the structure, totaling $2 million.[3]

In 2021, portions of the house were fully restored and opened as the Cozad–Bates House Interpretive Center, to highlight this area's history as a center of anti-slavery activism.[4]