In 1846, abolitionist Gerrit Smith deeded roughly 120,000 acres of Adirondack land in 40-acre parcels to about 3,000 free Black New Yorkers, aiming to help them meet the state's $250 property requirement for Black male suffrage. The resulting settlement, known as Timbuctoo, drew abolitionist John Brown to North Elba in 1849, where he farmed alongside Black settlers and taught them subsistence agriculture until harsh conditions caused most families to leave by 1855. Brown was buried on the farm after his 1859 execution following the raid on Harpers Ferry. The site now includes a permanent "Dreaming of Timbuctoo" exhibit telling the story of the settlement.