The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad or a physical route, but rather a network of secret routes and safe houses that helped enslaved African Americans escape from slavery in the South to freedom in the North and Canada. The routes and safe houses used by the Underground Railroad varied and were kept secret to avoid detection by slave catchers and other authorities. The term "stations" was used to describe the safe houses where escaped slaves could find shelter, food, and assistance on their journey to freedom. Some of the most well-known stations on the Underground Railroad include the Levi Coffin House in Indiana, the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, New York, and the John Rankin House in Ohio. However, many of the safe houses used by the Underground Railroad were private homes, churches, and other buildings that were not widely known or documented.