The Northup Trail traces the journey of Solomon Northup, a free-born African American musician from New York who, in 1841, was deceived into traveling to Washington, D.C. where he was abducted, shipped to New Orleans, renamed Platt and enslaved for twelve years. During this time, he confided in Canadian carpenter Samuel Bass, who risked his safety to send letters on Northup’s behalf. These letters eventually reached Northup’s wife and attorney Henry Northup, setting in motion efforts to locate and free him.

In early 1853, Henry Northup and local attorney John P. Waddill traveled to Louisiana, securing Northup’s freedom through legal proceedings in Marksville. Northup later recounted his harrowing experience in Twelve Years a Slave, a memoir that inspired the Oscar-winning 2013 film of the same name. The Northup Trail marks key locations in his journey, including the Red River Landing, the Epps House, and the Avoyelles Parish Courthouse, offering a historical route that commemorates his story.