outside back

Tabor Historical Society

The Tabor Historical Society can trace its roots to 1894 when aging town mothers and fathers realized a permanent record of Tabor's founding should be preserved for future generations. Testimonies and reminiscences by John Todd, Samuel Adams, and other pioneers were recorded and are held by the society. Other artifacts include a comprehensive collection of outsideTabor Collegeback records, over three hundred family histories, and a photographic record of the town, Inside fold-in includingoutside back rare Ambrotypes of the Todd family outside Taborback Historical Society outside front taken in 1862. Tabor Historical Society Historic Tabor The TaborTabor Historical Historical Society can Society trace its roots to 1894 when aging town mothers and fathers The Todd House The Tabor Historical Society can trace its roots Home of Tabor College realizedThe Tabor a permanent Historical recordSociety of canTabor's trace founding its roots shouldto 1894 be when preserved aging townfor futuremothers generations. and fathers realizedto 1894 awhen permanent aging townrecord mothers of Tabor's and founding fathers Underground Railroad Station Testimoniesrealized a permanent and reminiscences record of Tabor'sby John founding Todd, Samuelshould beAdams, preserved and forother future pioneers generations. were outside front Tabor, Iowa Testimoniesshould be preservedand reminiscences for future by generations.John Todd, recordedTestimonies and andare reminiscencesheld by the society.by John Other Todd, artifactsSamuel includeAdams, a comprehensiveand other pioneers collection were of recordedSamuel Adams,and are andheld byother the pioneerssociety. Otherwere Taborrecorded College and records, are held over by three the hundred society. family Other The Todd House histories,artifacts andinclude a photographic a comprehensive record ofcollection the town, of Taborartifacts College include records, a comprehensive over three hundred collection family of includingTabor College rare records,Ambrotypes over threeof the hundred Todd family family Underground Railroad Station takenhistories, in 1862. and a photographic record of the town, includinghistories, andrare a Ambrotypesphotographic of record the Toddof the familytown, Tabor, Iowa takenincluding in 1862. rare Ambrotypes of the Todd family taken in 1862.

Two buildings remain: Adams Hall, completed in 1902 (above), and the Music Hall, built in 1870.

National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Network to Freedom Site Tabor Anti-Slavery District

Owned and maintained by the Tabor Historical Society, Owned P.O. Box and 584, maintained Tabor, Iowa 51653 by the Tabor Historical Society Research and Records Room located in the Music Hall NationalOpen Register by appointment of Historic Places NationalP.O. Park Box Service 584,712-629-3164 Tabor Network Iowa to Freedom 51653 Site TaborGroup Anti-Slavery rates available District

The Tabor Historical Society is totally self- email:Owned [email protected] maintained by by appointment the Tabor Historical Society, sustaining and receives no regular funding from P.O. Box712-629-3164 584, Tabor, Iowa 51653 The Congregational Church, dedicated in 1875, state or federal agencies. We are recognized by Open by appointment is on the National Register of Historic Places. It the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so Group rates available 712-629-3164 was designed by architect J.K. Nutting, known your gifts are tax deductible. Thanks for your Group rates available for the "Little Brown Church" in Nashua, Iowa. support! email: Other Points of Interest also on Historic Register: email:[email protected] [email protected] Research and Records Room located in the Music Hall Tabor Park: Ten acres donated by town founder Research and Records Room located in the Music Hall George B. Gaston, used by John Brown and Research and RecordsThe Todd Room House located in 1902 in the Music Hall followers as camp and drill site. Tabor Historical Society: Lighting the Way! The Tabor Historical Society is totally self- Tabor Cemetery: Over 20 conductors of the sustaining and receives no regular funding from The Tabor Historical Society is totally self- Underground Railroad are buried here, as well stateThe orTabor federal Historical agencies. Society We are isrecognized totally self-by as numerous Civil War veterans. sustaining and receives no regular funding from the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so statesustaining or federal and receivesagencies. no We regular are recognizedfunding from by your gifts are tax deductible. Thanks for your Hunter School: one-room school house located thestate IRS or asfederal a 501(c)(3) agencies. nonprofit We are organization, recognized byso support! Tabor Historical Society: Lighting the Way! just south of Tabor, built in 1901. yourthe IRS gifts as area 501(c)(3) tax deductible. nonprofit Thanks organization, for your so support!your gifts are tax deductible. Thanks for your support!

The Todd House in 1902 Inside middle inside right Inside left inside right Reverend John Todd inside right inside right

John Todd was born into a Presbyterian Pennsylvania family with deep roots in the American experience—his grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War. Todd was ordained in 1844 at , Ohio, one of the few colleges in the nation that admitted all regardless of gender and race. The school was known for its strong anti-slavery stand. John met his future wife, Martha Atkins, at Oberlin where she was studying music.

Todd was pastor in Clarksfield, Ohio, when George Belcher Gaston, a young man who had Many items in the home donated by Todd descendants worked as a 'farming missionary' with the Many items in the home donated by Todd descendants Many items in the home donated by Todd descendants Many items in the home donated by Todd descendants Pawnee Indians in Nebraska, convinced Reverend Todd that an 'Oberlin of the West' John Todd in 1862 could be established in sparsely populated Southwest Iowa. Todd agreed, and in 1848 joined the families of Gaston, Samuel Adams The Todd House was the third home constructed and others on the trek to Civil Bend (present in Tabor, completed in August of 1853. At the day Percival) near the Missouri River. Several time of its founding, Tabor was located in a years of flooding and sickness drove the group prairie and wood was scarce. With no milled to found the town of Tabor in 1852 as a lumber available, Todd built his house with permanent home and Christian colony. locally cut oak and cottonwood, using stone for the foundation and adobe walls in the cellar. As As a staunch abolitionist, Todd worked with Todd's family grew, additions in 1868 and 1890 his neighbors in organizing a station of the added windows, a front porch, kitchen, and Underground Railroad, helping runaway slaves moving north from Missouri before the bedrooms. Like most early settlers, the Todd Todd House dining room and display Todd House dining room and display Civil War. John Brown visited Tabor several family constructed a barn west of the house, ToddTodd HouseHouse diningdining roomroom and display times and became friends with Todd and the maintained a large garden, and kept pigs, a milk people of Tabor—Brown drilled his men in cow, and a horse and buggy. Tabor's park and stored 200 Sharps rifles in the basement of the Todd home.

John Todd was a leader in the founding of Tabor, its schools, government, church, and Tabor College, which operated between 1866- 1927. He served as pastor of the Congregational Church for over 30 years, retiring in 1883. Todd was the father of eight children and was remembered as a loving father and good neighbor, known and respected by all. He remained active in his community until his death in 1894, his 75th year. Original log joist supporting ground floor Students touring the Todd House Students touring the Todd House StudentsStudents touringtouring thethe Todd House