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For much of its early history, the United States was a divided nation with free states to the north and slave states to the south. The Underground Railroad began in the 17th century and continued in the middle of the 19th century. It was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses - so it was not a single route nor was it an "Underground" or a "Railroad". The Underground Railroad is an often forgotten part of American history and is a great option when planning a historic road trip.
Today organizations like the NPS seek to preserve this moving chapter of American history. One can also learn about another dark time in American history with the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Also, learn about how people became active, and rose above the societal challenges - like in the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park in Georgia.
What The Underground Railroad Was
During the years of enslavement, a network developed of escaped slaves fleeing to the North and onwards to Canada. The network was assisted by abolitionists and people sympathetic to escapees.
In addition, to escape routes leading to the North, there were also other routes that led south into Mexico (where slavery had been abolished). Still, other routes led to free islands of the Caribbean and an earlier route to Florida - when it was still a Spanish possession in the 1700s.
- When: 17th Century To Mid-19th Century
- Type: Network Of Clandestine Routes And Safe Houses
- Number Of Escapees: Approx. 100,000 By 1850
The Underground Railroad of the North is best known and grew steadily until the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln.
NPS' National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program
Today the National Park Service and the Network to Freedom seek to educate about the Underground Railroad and its role as a cornerstone of the national civil rights movement.
The National Park Service runs the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program. It is dedicated to the education and preservation of this heritage and is made up of historical places, museums, and interpretive programs associated with the Underground Railroad.
With this program, visitors learn a mosaic of community, regional, and national stories. They see sites and locations with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad. One can explore the NPS listings of the Underground Railroad on their website.
Places Of The NPS Underground Railroad Program:
- Locations: Over 695 Locations
- States: 39 States (Plus Washington D.C. and The U.S. Virgin Islands)
Its mission is to honor, preserve, and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape. It fosters the belief that all people have the right to self-determination and freedom.
Examples Of Attractions Of The Underground Railway
There are far too many locations of the Underground Railway to list out here, but there are examples of a couple of them.
The Black Heritage Trail
The Black Heritage Trail is a 1.6-mile walk through Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood and showcases the community buildings and more that are associated with a Black community there before, during, and after the American Civil War.
Learn how members of the community campaigned to end slavery and housed escapees in their houses as they made their way along the Underground Railroad.
Most of the sites are private residences, but the Museum of African American History is open to the public.
African American Heritage, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
The African American Historical Society offers walking tours of the historic Downtown Lancaster. The tours focus on African American heritage and provide insight ingot the roots of civil rights activism. On the tour, visitors explore sites of the Underground Railroad and visit one of the largest National Historic Districts in the country.
The tours are guided by volunteers and the tours last around two hours. No reservations are needed and the proceeds to African American Historical Society programs and expenses.
- Tour Dates: May 7 / June 4 / July 2 / August 6 / September 3 / October 1 / November 5
- Duration: Around Two Hours
- Location: Depart From Lancaster City Visitor Center, 38 Penn Square, Lancaster, PA 17603
- Cost: Adults $15.00
The bulk of the sites is in the historic north - particularly around the greater D.C / Maryland area. But they are found all through the country as far away as California and there is even a site in the state of Hawaii.