Built around 1833, the Dr. Isaac Fiske House, located at 263 Pine Street in Fall River, Massachusetts, served as a station on the Underground Railroad.
Dr. Fiske, a homeopathic surgeon and Quaker, was a known abolitionist in the city. He used his residence as his doctor’s office and also as a refuge for freedom seekers from the South on their way to New England and Canada.
Escaped enslaved people arriving by ship in New Bedford or Cape Cod often passed through Fall River on their way northward. It’s suggested that famed freedom seeker Henry “Box” Brown may have even been one of the guests at the Fiske House.
The Preservation Society acquired the Dr. Isaac Fiske House in September 2018 and immediately got to work improving conditions at its first historic property. The home is currently a multi-tenant residence and not open to the public, but their are plans for a future exhibit.
“We hope it’s just the first of many preservation projects we can use as a catalyst for Fall River’s economic revival.”
James Soule
Preservation Society of Fall River, President
Fall 2018 – The Preservation Society of Fall River purchases the Dr. Isaac Fiske House at 263 Pine Street
April 2023 – The Dr. Isaac Fiske House is added to the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
The Preservation Society of Fall River 