How Batavia Built a Habit of Justice (And How We Can Keep It)

What makes Batavia "Batavia"? We often talk about our town’s identity as if it’s a permanent fixture—a "vibe" we inherited. But a closer look at our history reveals that our reputation for being on the "right side of history" wasn't an accident or a guarantee. It was a series of individual and cultural habits.

In this episode, I sit down with Kate Garrett, Director of the Batavia Depot Museum, to trace the lineage of Batavia’s civic character. From the radical abolitionist roots of the 1840s to the fair housing battles of the 1960s, we explore how Batavia has chosen a path of belonging (and where Batavia wavered)—and why that choice is more fragile than we think.

Pictured in the cover art is B. C. Yates, the anti-slavery Kane County Sheriff who won election in 1848 with support of the Liberty Party, James Stewart, whose father was the first Black person to own property in Batavia and who was a Civil War veteran of the USCT 29th, and the Congregational Church, where the original Kane County Anti-Slavery Society was formed.

Our next live show: Cozy in Community will be February 21st at 5pm at Sturdy Shelter. Join us for a chill, warm, inviting get together as part of Sturdy Shelter's Cozy Fest. Save the date and set aside your favorite PJs! 630 Members get free entry for themselves and a guest. For all others, tickets are available for $10 at the door via cash or Venmo.

Have a hot take, a story we should know, or a question? Simply click this link to leave us a voice message. You can record right from your phone - no need to download a special app or anything like that. And you don’t need to be polished. Just keep it under a minute or so.

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Join The 630 to support this podcast and our mission to create a stronger sense of belonging in our community. Members will receive:

• Free access to quarterly live shows.
• Off-week episodes of our bonus podcast, “The Batavia Insider”.
• Influence future Area Code: Batavia content. Your voice will help guide future topics and interviews.
• Regular opportunities to meet up in person with fellow Batavians who share your passion for our town and want to build stronger bonds.

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Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Our associate producer and co-host is Alexa Swidenbank. Edited and mixed by Cray Allred. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.