♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Explorers in the Loess Hills Scenic Byway hunting for history can find plenty in the town of Tabor.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] In the late 1840s, a group of families traveled to southwest Iowa to establish a town and Christian college.

Leaders in the quaint community would soon become pivotal figures in national events.

[Harry Wilkins] Well, Tabor, Iowa was founded in 1852 by congregationalist families that came from Ohio and the town was caught up in events leading up to the Civil War, which included supporting the underground railroad.

Tabor was a small village at that time and the people who moved here thought that slavery was immoral and they would do anything they could to fight it.

[Kohlsdorf] One of the town's founders, John Todd, was a Presbyterian pastor and staunch abolitionist.

Todd gathered community members to establish a station for the Underground Railroad.

This got the attention of John Brown, an abolitionist fighting against slavery in the burgeoning state of Kansas.

♪♪ [Harry Wilkins] Reverend Todd and his wife Martha lived in this house and they became friends with John Brown.

John Brown used Tabor as a base of operations for his fighting in Kansas territory.

He stored weapons in this house.

He kept his men in the park.

He brought his wounded men here from Kansas to recuperate.

[Kohlsdorf] Today, the Todd House enjoys a more quiet time, appearing on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Tours of the Todd House are offered by appointment through the Tabor Historical Society.

[Harry Wilkins] Probably the biggest thing I hear most often is they just didn't know this was here and they were really excited about learning about the history.

♪♪ [Harry Wilkins] There aren't very many of these around.

In Iowa there are only four documented structures left that were used in the Underground Railroad.

And this is one of the best preserved we think.

So, if you're looking for an authentic place to visit that reflects the history of the time, this is it.