At 15, Liam Mortimer is trying to make sure a largely invisible chapter of local history is no longer overlooked.
The Mahopac resident and Kennedy Catholic freshman, a member of Boy Scouts Troop 1, is working toward the rank of Eagle Scout with a project that will highlight the role Northern Westchester and Putnam County played in the Underground Railroad. His effort, titled “The Hudson River Valley and the Civil War: Tracing Hidden Courage,” aims to install plaques at key sites connected to the abolitionist movement—places that, for now, often pass unnoticed.
“I went to some of these locations and realized they were just buildings with no marker,” Mortimer said.
Mortimer’s research goes beyond physical stops along the Underground Railroad. He learned about a network of churches, families, and businesses that quietly supported enslaved people seeking freedom. Among them were parishes whose clergy spoke out against slavery and residents who offered safe haven despite the dangers.
He has identified more than 20 locations across the region, though his project will initially focus on five. The plaques, which will describe each site’s historical significance, are expected to cost about $12,000 to produce and install.
The idea took shape when Mortimer was in seventh grade. Assigned to watch the film “Harriet,” about abolitionist Harriet Tubman, he learned that Tubman had passed through nearby Peekskill. Curious, he began researching local connections to the Underground Railroad and eventually wrote an article for his school newspaper.
“When I went to see some of the places I had written about, there was nothing there explaining what happened,” he said.
His work has since expanded with guidance from a minister in Cornwall who helped him better understand how churches in the Hudson Valley formed a loose network aiding freedom seekers. Mortimer said the Hudson River itself sometimes became part of the route—freezing over in winter and allowing crossings to safe houses on the other side.
He has also researched local figures such as a Civil War-era pastor at Gilead Presbyterian Church in Carmel who served as a chaplain and supported abolitionist efforts.
Mortimer hopes his project will leave a lasting impact beyond his own advancement in scouting. He is seeking “legacy” designation through the Greater Hudson Valley Council, which would allow future scouts or community groups to expand on his work by adding more markers.
So far, he has raised about $7,000 through donations and community events. Fundraisers have included a table at a local winter event and an Italian-style dinner at the American Legion Hall, where donated food helped boost proceeds. He has also reached out to civic organizations for support.
Town Councilman Rob Kearns has assisted with planning additional fundraising efforts, Mortimer said, and local groups have contributed to the cause.
Mortimer’s interest in service and leadership grew steadily after he joined scouting in sixth grade, encouraged by a friend. Though he started slowly, he quickly took on responsibility, serving as a patrol leader early on despite being one of the youngest in his troop. Today, he is the senior patrol leader.
“I saw what the older scouts were doing, especially with their Eagle projects, and I wanted to do that,” he said. “That’s when it really clicked for me.”
Outside of scouting, Mortimer is already thinking ahead. He hopes to study nuclear engineering—potentially at Texas A&M or the University of Notre Dame—and eventually serve in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion program. He said an early visit to a mobile nuclear power plant sparked his interest in energy innovation.
“My goal is to help our country and work on cleaner, stronger energy,” he said.
For now, however, his focus remains on bringing the past to light—ensuring that the courage of those who aided the Underground Railroad in the Hudson Valley is recognized in the communities where it happened.
Liam Mortimer can be contacted through the troop website at Scouting America Troop 1 of Mahopac NY | Home Page and people can click on contact. People can donate through the Troop 1 Mahopac Venmo and reference Liam Mortimer Eagle Project, Checks can be made out to Troop 1 Mahopac with Liam Mortimer in the reference and mailed to: Lake Mahopac Rotary, Beneficiary of Liam Mortimer, PO Box 157, Mahopac, NY 10541 Cash can be accepted at any fundraising events, and troop meetings
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