A Des Moines cemetery that was recognized as part of the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom received a special honor Saturday morning that organizers hope will educate others and share a piece of history.

Back in 2021, the Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines was formally accepted into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

On Saturday, a special grave marker was dedicated to memoralize that. It says "At rest in Woodland Cemetery are 15 escaped slaves and conductors--all part of the Underground Railroad. They risked everything to claim their liberty or so others could do so".

Ricki King, a genealogist historian, worked with two students back in 2019 on the project that led to the cemetery being accepted into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. She says since then, they've been able to connect with some families of those buried at the cemetery. However, she would like to continue connecting with more.

"We found the history. We have to find living heirs to we can recgnize them and let them know what their family history is," said King. "They might not even know their family is even buried here or...it's slavery, you know. People don't want to talk about it. They might not even know that they were runaway slaves to begin with."

King and others involved in the project hope the marker and the site will provide an educational experience for anyone who passes by.

"If you go to their headstones, you can scan a QR code and get their full story or you go to the National Park Services online and get the actual paperwork we filled out with the full story on the enslaved here," said King