Today, only a few Underground Railroad sites in Indiana are open to the public, including the Catherine and Levi Coffin home (called the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad”) in Wayne County and Eleutherian College in Jefferson County.
Underground Railroad in Indiana – Wikipedia
- Today, only a few Underground Railroad sites in Indiana are open to the public, including the Catherine and Levi Coffin home (called the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad”) in Wayne County and Eleutherian College in Jefferson County. Other sites have been identified with state historic markers, an ongoing effort.
Where did the Underground Railroad go through Indiana?
Indiana’s Underground Railroad The routes in Indiana went from Posey to South Bend; from Corydon to Porter; and from Madison to DeKalb County, with many stops in between.
Were there slaves in Indiana?
Even with statehood, there was still slavery in Indiana. Despite slavery and indentures becoming illegal in 1816 due to the state constitution, the 1820 federal census listed 190 slaves in Indiana.
What cities did the Underground Railroad go through?
In the decades leading up to the American Civil War, settlements along the Detroit and Niagara Rivers were important terminals of the Underground Railroad. By 1861, some 30,000 freedom seekers resided in what is now Ontario, having escaped slave states like Kentucky and Virginia.
Was Indiana part of the Underground Railroad?
The Underground Railroad in Indiana was part of a larger, unofficial, and loosely-connected network of groups and individuals who aided and facilitated the escape of runaway slaves from the southern United States. It is not known how many fugitive slaves escaped through Indiana on their journey to Michigan and Canada.
Did the Underground Railroad go through Kentucky?
Kentucky was the last state enslaved peoples needed to pass through on the Underground Railroad’s northern route to freedom. One of the hidden “stations” on the Underground Railroad was located at Lexington’s St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on North Upper Street.
When did Indiana outlaw slavery?
less equal Hoosiers For the most part, hoosiers were grateful that their Constitution of 1816 prohibited slavery. Most felt slavery was the South’s problem, not indiana’s. Many believed, too, that blacks, slave or free, were inferior to whites.
When were slaves freed in Indiana?
1820: The Indiana Supreme Court freed all remaining slaves, numbered at 190 in the U.S. Census, after ruling in Polly vs. Lasselle. 1821: The Indiana Supreme Court put an end to indentured servitude, used as an end run around the slavery ban, in a case involving Mary Bateman Clark.
Was Kentucky a free state?
Civil War. Kentucky did not abolish slavery during the Civil War, as did the border states of Maryland and Missouri. However, during the war, more than 70% of slaves in Kentucky were freed or escaped to Union lines. The war undermined the institution of slavery.
Did the Underground Railroad go through Georgia?
The famous escape of slaves William and Ellen Craft in 1848 from Macon was an exception to the nearly impossible task of escaping slavery in a Deep South state like Georgia. The two developed an ingenious plan for escape.
Which state has the most Underground Railroad routes?
It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. The network was assisted by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees. The enslaved who risked escape and those who aided them are also collectively referred to as the “Underground Railroad”.
What states was the Underground Railroad in?
Most of the enslaved people helped by the Underground Railroad escaped border states such as Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland. In the deep South, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 made capturing escaped enslaved people a lucrative business, and there were fewer hiding places for them.
How did Indiana participate in the Underground Railroad?
Indiana played a large role in the Underground Railroad, helping thousands of escaped slaves safely travel through the Hoosier state. A stone tunnel was built to lead slaves to Carpenter’s basement, where they could hide until they were ready to be moved farther north.
Where is the Underground Railroad in Ohio?
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – “The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a museum of conscience, an education center, a convener of dialogue, and a beacon of light for inclusive freedom around the globe. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio.”
Underground Railroad Sites in Indiana
The Underground Railroad is a term used to describe a system of transportation that allows people to flee their homes. Image courtesy of the National Park Service “The Underground Railroad” is depicted on the cover. Indiana has a long and illustrious history of involvement in the Underground Railroad. During the years leading up to and during the Civil War, a large number of runaway slaves journeyed across the state of Indiana. These fleeing men and women changed their routes and the places of their stops on a regular basis in order to reduce their chances of being apprehended and maybe recaptured by authorities.
Historians have been successful in locating various places that supported fleeing slaves in their journey to freedom, utilizing a broad variety of primary and secondary sources.
Indiana has hundreds of sites that have been identified.
Check back regularly to check if any new things have been added.
- Decatur County, Elkhart County, Floyd County, Fremont, Fort Wayne, Gibson County, Grant County, Hamilton County, Harrison County, Henry County, Jackson County, Knox County, Lake County, Lancaster, Madison, Madison County, Marion County, Michigan City, New Albany, Orland, Parke County, Ripley County, South Bend, Warrick County, and Wayne County are among the counties in Indiana.
The Underground Railroad in Indiana
Mary Schons contributed to this article. The 20th of June, 2019 is a Thursday. For 30 years before to the American Civil War, enslaved African Americans utilized the Underground Railroad to gain their freedom, a network known as the Underground Railroad (1861-1865). The “railroad” employed a variety of routes to transport people from slave-supporting states in the South to “free” states in the North and Canada. Sometimes abolitionists, or persons who were opposed to slavery, were responsible for organizing routes for the Underground Railroad.
- There was a great deal of activity on the Underground Railroad in the states that bordered the Ohio River, which served as a boundary between slave and free states.
- Not everyone in Indiana supported the emancipation of enslaved people.
- Because Indiana was a part of the Underground Railroad, its narrative is the tale of all states that had a role in it.
- However, while some people did have secret chambers in their homes or carriages, the great bulk of the Underground Railroad consisted of individuals surreptitiously assisting slaves who were attempting to flee slavery in whatever manner they were able to.
- The persons that were enslaved were referred to as “passengers.” “Stations” were private residences or commercial establishments where passengers and conductors seeking freedom might take refuge.
- If a new owner supported slavery, or if the residence was revealed to be a station on the Underground Railroad, passengers and conductors were obliged to locate a new station or move on somewhere.
- Only a small number of people kept records of this hidden activity in order to protect homeowners and others seeking freedom who required assistance.
People who were found assisting those who had fled slavery faced arrest and imprisonment.
No one knows exactly how the Underground Railroad received its name, nor does anybody care.
Another version of the story assigns the name to a freedom-seeker who was apprehended in Washington, D.C., in the year 1839.
A third narrative connects the name to an enslaved man called Tice Davids, who made the decision to pursue his freedom in 1831, according to the legend.
Unfortunately, there was no boat available to take us over the river.
His enslaver returned to Kentucky without him, claiming that Davids had vanished while traveling on a “underground railroad.” To put it another way, the name “Underground Railroad” had been widely accepted by the mid-1840s.
According to Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance, slavery was prohibited north of the Ohio River; however, the rule did not apply to enslaved persons who were already residing in the region.
Slavery was a common feature of life in the Northwest Territories at the time.
Indiana was established as a territory in 1800, with future United States PresidentWilliam Henry Harrison serving as the area’s first territorial governor.
Harrison and his followers also believed that permitting slavery in Indiana would increase the state’s population.
Their petition was refused by Congress.
The “contract holder” has the authority to determine how long the victim must be held in slavery.
When Indiana became a state in 1816, its stateConstitutioncontained wording that was comparable to Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance—new enslaved persons were not permitted, but existing enslaved people were allowed to continue in their current state of enslavement.
The term “slave” was still used to describe some Hoosiers as late as the 1820 census.
(White people were exempt from this requirement.) Indiana’s 1851 Constitution prohibited blacks from voting, serving in the military, or testifying in any trial in which a white person was accused of a crime.
All three pathways eventually went to Michigan and subsequently to Canada, although they took different routes.
Lewis Harding said in a 1915 history of Decatur County, Indiana, that the county was a spot where three roads came together after crossing the Ohio River at separate points in the county.
assisted the escaped slaves in every way imaginable,” he adds, using the injunction as an example.
As Harding says, “the sympathies of the majority of the residents of this nation were with the escaped slave and his rescuer.” Historians now feel that the path to independence resembled a spider’s web rather than three independent pathways to freedom.
While traveling, they had to avoid organized networks of patrolmen who grabbed freedom-seekers and held them hostage for ransom money.
Known as the “President of the Underground Railroad,” Coffin is credited for bringing slavery to Indiana in 1826.
In his memoir, Reminiscences, Coffin tells the story of two girls who escaped Tennessee and sought refuge with their grandparents in the Indiana county of Randolph.
They were not, however, destined to live in safety.
When the alarm went off, it attracted the majority of the settlement’s black people together in a single location.
Unknown to them, an uncle of the two girls rode up on his horse at the same time the enslaver was being held at bay by the grandmother’scorn knife.
They were not given any authorization to enter the premises or search for items, according to him.” The uncle remained at the doorway for as long as he could to continue the dispute with the enslaver.
According to the account, the girls were disguised as guys and sneaked past the crowd to where two horses were waiting for them.
The girls were able to make it to Coffin’s residence without incident.
Eliza Harris’s Indefatigable Escape Indiana is the scene of one of the most famous slave escapes in history, which took place in the state of Indiana.
Harris made the snap decision to flee to Canada with her infant son in tow.
There were no bridges, and there was no way for a raft to get through the thick ice.
Moving from one ice floe to another while carrying her child, she eventually made it to the other end.
Eliza, in fact, is the name of the character who travels across the frigid Ohio.
In order to recover from their ordeal, Harris and her child traveled to Levi Coffin’s Fountain City residence.
In 1854, Levi and Catherine Coffin were on a visit to Canada with their daughter when a woman approached Catherine and introduced herself.
God’s blessings on you!” It was Eliza Harris, who had safely migrated to Chatham, Ontario, Canada, when the call came through.
Illustration provided courtesy of The Library of Congress is a federal government institution that collects and organizes information.
Examine the list of locations to determine if any are in your immediate vicinity.
But it was carried out according to a completely other set of rules.
.
Levi Coffin’s Reminiscences, published in 1880abet Help is a verb that refers to assisting in the committing of a crime.
abolitionist A person who is opposed to slavery as a noun.
authority Making decisions is the responsibility of a nounperson or organization.
The payment of a fine or the performance of a contract under the terms of an agreement constitutes a bond, which is an unenforceable agreement.
cattle Andoxen are nouncows.
The American Civil War The American Civil War was fought between the Union (north) and the Confederacy between 1860 and 1865.
conductor A person who escorted slaves to safety and freedom on the Underground Railroad was known as a guide.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are the two chambers of the United States Congress.
convictVerb to find someone guilty of committing a criminal offense.
Municipality is a type of political entity that is smaller than a state or province, but often larger than a city, town, or other municipality.
defendantNounperson or entity who has been accused of committing a crime or engaging in other misconduct.
economy The production, distribution, and consumption of commodities and services are all referred to as a system.
enslave acquainted with the verbto completely control Adjectivewell-known.
forbidVerb to ban or prohibit something.
fugitive a noun or an adjective that has gotten away from the law or another restriction a system or order established by a country, a state, or any other political body; government Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American writer and abolitionist activist who lived from 1811 to 1896.
Nouna huge, flat sheet of ice that is floating on the surface of a body of water.
labor is a noun that refers to work or employment.
Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the term negronoun was frequently used to refer to persons of African descent.
During the American Civil War, the North was comprised of states that backed the United States (Union).
A portion of the modern-day states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota belonged to the Northwest Territory at the time of its creation.
The Ohio River is the greatest tributary of the Mississippi River, with a length of 1,580 kilometers (981 miles).
passenger A runaway slave seeking freedom on the Underground Railroad is referred to as a noun.
Requests are made verbally, and are frequently accompanied by a document signed by the respondents.
prominentAdjectivethat is significant or stands out.
recover from an accident or strenuous activityVerb to recover from an injury or rigorous activity repeal a verb that means to reverse or reject anything that was previously guaranteed rouse a verb that means to awaken or make active.
Slavery is a noun that refers to the act of owning another human being or being owned by another human being (also known as servitude).
South During the American Civil War, the Confederate States of America (Confederacy) was backed or sympathized with by a huge number of states.
Supreme CourtNounin the United States, the highest judicial authority on questions of national or constitutional significance.
terminology A noungroup of terms that are used in a specialized subject area.
Nounland that is protected from intruders by an animal, a human, or the government.
the southern hemisphere Geographic and political territory in the south-eastern and south-central sections of the United States that includes all of the states that sided with the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
unconstitutional Adjective that refers to a violation of the laws of the United States Constitution.
9th President of the United States of America, William Henry HarrisonNoun (1773-1841). (1841). word-of-mouth Informal communication, also known as rumor or rumor mill. NounA formal order issued by a government or other authoritative body.
Media Credits
Mary Schons contributed to this report. on the 20th of June in the year of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ When enslaved black Americans attempted to gain their freedom in the 30 years preceding the American Civil War, they turned to the Underground Railroad for assistance (1861-1865). Slavery-supporting states in the South were served by a network of “railroads” that connected them to “free” states in the North and Canada. Sometimes abolitionists, people who were opposed to slavery, organized routes for the Underground Railroad.
- There was a great deal of activity on the Underground Railroad in the states that bordered the Ohio River, which served as a border between slave and free states.
- Despite widespread support for emancipation, not all Hoosiers were on board with it.
- Because Indiana was a part of the Underground Railroad, its history is the story of all states that participated in it.
- To the dismay of many, the Underground Railroad did not consist of a network of underground passageways.
- People who traveled south to find enslaved people who were looking for freedom were referred to as “pilots” in railroad jargon.
- “Passengers” were the term used to describe the enslaved.
- With each change in ownership of the house, additional or fewer stations were added to the Underground Railroad network.
It was done in a quiet manner, by word of mouth, that the stations were being established.
Liberation seekers would be forced to return to slavery if they were apprehended and brought to justice.
Slavery was supported by both states that supported slavery and free states, and this applied to both groups.
According to one account, the term was coined by failed Pennsylvania patrolmen who attempted to kidnap freedom seekers.
He claimed that he collaborated with others to flee to the North, where “the railroad ran underground all the way to Boston,” after being tortured by his captors.
Eventually, Davids managed to get away from his Kentucky enslaver and make it to the Ohio River in time.
When Davids realized he was about to be captured, he swam across the river to the other side and slipped out of sight.
To put it another way, the term “Underground Railroad” had become widely used by the mid-1840s.
When the new United States government established the Northwest Territory in 1787, it included the land that would eventually become Indiana as part of that territory.
Even though no one else was allowed to be enslaved in 1787, people who were enslaved in 1787 remained so.
Vincennes and FloydCountyin the south, and as far north as La Porte, are two places where evidence of slavery has been found.
Because Harrison believed that slavery would help the economy grow, he encouraged its use.
For a period of ten years, the politicians and business leaders of Indiana petitioned Congress to repeal Article 6.
Indiana Territory House of Representatives passed a new law in 1805 that allowed people to keep enslaved people who had been acquired in the United States after they were brought to the country.
Property was extended to the enslaved person’s children, as well.
Indiana was a free state by 1816, but it was not a welcoming state for African-Americans.
) (This was not required of white people.
Indiana’s Underground Railroad (also known as the Indiana Underground Railroad System) There were three main routes of the Underground Railroad in Indiana, according to popular belief at the time of the discovery.
The slavery trade in Canada was abolished in 1833.
Decatur County, Indiana, was described by Lewis Harding in his history of the county published in 1915 as a place where three routes came together after crossing the Ohio River at various points.
assisted the fugitive slaves in every way possible,” he writes, citing the injunction as his source.
As Harding writes, “the sympathies of the vast majority of the citizens of this country were with the fugitive slave and his aid.” Rather than three distinct routes to freedom, historians now believe the path to freedom resembled a spider’s web.
While traveling, they had to avoid organized networks of patrolmen who kidnapped freedom-seekers and held them hostage in exchange for ransom payments.
Levi Coffin of Newport, Indiana, was the most well-known Underground Railroad “station master” in the state (now called Fountain City).
The couple claimed to have housed approximately 2,000 people over the course of two decades, spreading bedrolls on their kitchen floor to accommodate as many people as they could fit in.
“It was there that the girls stayed after their long and perilous journey of enjoying their newly gained independence and hoping that their master would never find out where they had gone.” They had no intention of remaining in safety, however.
Their captor, as well as a band of men from Richmond and Winchester, were awakened by this event.
Around the grandparents’ cabin, more than 200 people gathered to surround and protect them from harm.
“He demanded to see the writ, which was handed to him by the officer,” Levi explains.
He denied that they were given any authority to enter the house and search for property.” The uncle remained at the doorway as long as he could to continue the debate with the enslaver.
According to the story, the girls were disguised as boys and smuggled through the crowd to a location where two horses awaited for them.
To Coffin’s house, the girls were able to make it without incident.
One of Eliza Harris’ children was sold for money in the winter of 1830, according to her enslaver, who she overheard saying he was planning to sell another of her children for money.
Eventually, she managed to slip away and flee to the Ohio River.
Harris jumped onto a chunk of ice floating in the river after hearing her enslaver’s horse approaching.
It was in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, that Harris’ daring escape was recounted.
It went on to become one of the most influential novels in history, causing many Americans to sympathize with enslaved people and abolitionists as a result of reading it.
They then reportedly spent some time in the nearby town of Pennville, Indiana, before continuing their journey northwards.
“How are you, Aunt Katie?” the woman exclaimed as she snatched Catherine’s hand in her own.
God bless you!” It was Eliza Harris, who had safely relocated to Chatham, Ontario, Canada, from her previous residence in the United Kingdom.
Thank you for using this illustration National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) (also known as the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)) The Underground Railroad Has Arrived.
Analyze the list of locations to determine if any are in your immediate vicinity.
A completely different approach was taken in its execution.
.
1880abet, Levi Coffin wrote his reminiscences.
abolish is a verb that means to eliminate or eliminate something.
accommodate Provide or satisfy is a verb.
presumptive or presumptiveAdjectives that are alleged Roughly Adjective that refers to a figure that is either general or close to exact.
baffle verb to be perplexed and annoyed The payment of a fine or the performance of a contract under the terms of an agreement is referred to as a bond.
cattle ‘Nouncows’ are a type of adverb.
In the American Civil War (also known as the American Revolutionary War), The American conflict between the Union (north) and the Confederacy between 1860 and 1865 is referred to as the American Civil War (south).
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate comprise the United States Congress.
Someone is found guilty of an illegal act when they are found guilty by a jury.
An administrative unit that is smaller than a state or province but typically larger than a city, town, or other municipality.
DefendantNounperson or organization who has been accused of engaging in criminal activity or another type of misconduct dwell To reside in a certain location is the verb to reside.
encourage Verb to motivate or encourage someone or something.
well-known Adjectivewell-known.
forbidVerb to forbid or prohibit something from happening.
fugitive a noun or an adjective that has gotten away from a law or other constraint a system or order established by a nation, a state, or some other political unit Noun Abolitionist leader and author Harriet Beecher StoweNoun(1811-1896) was an American writer and activist who was active in the abolitionist movement.
- ice floe influential Important in terms of having the ability to influence the opinions or attitudes of others; influential in terms of being influential in terms of being influential.
- Nounwork or employment is defined as: labor.
- A network is a series of interconnected links that allows for movement and communication.
- a region of the United States that stretched between the Mississippi River and Pennsylvania’s western border, and north of the Ohio River (from 1787 to 1803).
- novelNounA fictional narrative or story that is told in a fictional manner.
- ostensibly It is a noun that means to pretend or show up.
- perilousAdjectivedangerous.
pilot Person who traveled to slave states in search of slaves desiring freedom and willing to risk their lives in order to obtain it was known as an informer on the Underground Railroad.
adjective important or distinguishing itself from the rest of the crowd ransom Property release or return fees are referred to as nounfees.
repeal Something that was previously guaranteed is being overturned or rejected.
slave hunter Uncountable person who goes in search of fugitive slaves with the intention of forcing them back into slavery.
smuggle Take something secretly or steal it is the definition of the word “steal.” South An ill-defined geographic region primarily composed of states that either supported or were sympathetic to the Confederate States of America (Confederacy) during the American Civil War.
Those who sympathize with the Supreme CourtNounthe highest judicial authority in the United States on issues of national or constitutional significance To understand or share a feeling or emotion is to use the verb understand.
terrain Topographic features of a particular area are denoted by the noun.
a region in the southeastern United States a geological and political region in the south-eastern and south-central regions of the United States that includes all of the states that supported the Confederacy during the American civil war In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote an anti-slavery novel in 1852, which became known as the Uncle Tom’s Cabin Noun.
9th President of the United States, William Henry HarrisonNoun (1773-1841). (1841). word-of-mouth Informal communication, also known as rumor, NounA formal order issued by a government or other authoritative authority.
Writer
Mary Schons is a writer who lives in New York City.
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Kara West, Emdash Editing, Jeannie Evers, Emdash Editing
Producer
Kara West, Emdash Editing, Jeannie Evers, and Emdash Publishing
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7 Fascinating Places Around Indiana That Were Once Part Of The Underground Railroad
Published on February 20, 2018 in IndianaAttractions. A significant part in the Underground Railroad was performed by Indiana, which assisted thousands of fugitive slaves in their journeys across the Hoosier state. It is true that there are hundreds of locations around Indiana that sheltered persons fleeing slavery, but there are a few buildings that stand out as some of the most significant structures in the state. These 7 magnificent locations in Indiana were once key points on the Underground Railroad’s route across the state.
- The Carpenter House is located in Evansville, Indiana.
- It was previously owned by Willard Carpenter, a railroad entrepreneur who became well-known in this southern Indiana community after establishing himself there.
- To transport slaves to Carpenter’s basement, a stone tunnel was constructed, allowing them to remain hidden until they were ready to be sent farther north.
- 2.
- Several historians believe that Erastus purposefully designed his home with the Underground Railroad in mind, including the construction of a cupola at the top of the structure to serve as a watch point and an inside cistern to collect rainwater for slaves concealed within his walls.
- Eleutherian College – Madison is located on the campus of Eleutherian College – Madison.
- It was established in the early 1800s and is currently owned and operated by the Hoyt-Whipple family.
Its address is 6927 IN-250, which puts it in the city of Madison, Indiana.
Slippery Noodle Inn, located in Indianapolis This historic inn is the oldest tavern in the state, and it was here that escaped slaves were able to find safe passage through the Underground Railroad.
This historic tavern can be found at 372 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225, and it is open daily.
Westfield Shopping Center The city of Westfield was a major station on the Underground Railroad’s route across the United States.
While these residences are privately held, you may learn more about them at the Westfield Washington Historical Society Museum in Westfield, Massachusetts.
New Albany’s Town Clock Church is number six on the list.
This chapel, which was constructed in 1852, was seen as a beacon of hope for those traveling the Underground Railroad through the area.
The Levi and Catharine Coffin House is located near Fountain City, Missouri.
The mansion was owned by Catharine and Levi Coffin, and it is believed that over the twenty years that they lived there, they assisted nearly 2,000 slaves in escaping to freedom.
A fictitious version of the Coffins appears in the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” where they are depicted as the pair who assist runaway slave Eliza Harris.
Have you ever been to any of the important stops on the Underground Railroad in Indiana? If not, you should. Check out these magnificent National Landmarks in Indiana for additional information on the history of the Hoosier state.
‘This mysterious road’: Indiana’s role in the Underground Railroad
The state of Indiana was a participant in an extensive system that transported escaped slaves from Southern states to freedom prior to and during the Civil War. The Underground Railroad was a network of paths connecting safe homes and hiding places that was established when someone crossed the Ohio River into Canada. A group of individuals sought to shield runaways from slave hunters and assist them in their journey to Michigan or Canada. It wasn’t a railroad or even a road; it was simply a collection of people.
- If you are apprehended, you might face a trial and be deported back to the South, where you could face harsh punishment.
- When Indiana was first discovered, it was believed that there were three routes running across the state: from Posey to South Bend; from Corydon to Porter; and from Madison to DeKalb County, with other stops in between.
- We were glad when we could go away to get a hot meal, some sleep, some clean clothes, or medical treatment.
- It was termed “stations” or “depots” where people might get food and shelter during World War I.
- Morton: The ‘War Governor’ with the large monument Passengers were slaves who had escaped from their masters, while those who directed them were known as “conductors.” The proprietor of the safe house was referred to as the “station master.”
‘Grand Central Station’
Levi Coffin is referred to as the “president” of the Underground Railroad by several historians. It is believed that he and his wife, Catherine, were responsible for transporting 2,000 fugitive slaves via their Fountain City residence with the assistance of a farm cart with a false bottom for hiding captives. After being designated as a National Historic Landmark, the house that was formerly known as the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad” is now a museum. The presence of a secret attic room, where runaways might take refuge while slave catchers were around, is noteworthy.
Station masters Elijah Anderson and George DeBaptiste were active in Madison, as were James Washington and Matthew Sawyer, as well as the Bartlett family in South Bend, who all worked as station masters.
People who practiced the Quaker faith in large numbers, both white abolitionists and African-American communities across the state, such as Lyles Station in southwest Indiana and Roberts Settlement in Atlanta, Hamilton County, were major stations on the Underground Railroad.
Eleutherian College, which was founded in Jefferson County by anti-slavery Baptists, was created in the same way.
The stations’ locations would shift often, perhaps on a daily basis, if neighbors got suspicious or slave trackers kept an eye on them. But the tourists were aware of the places as if there were also a subterranean communication system in place to keep them informed.
Indiana Underground Railroad locations
Despite the fact that there are few remaining residences or safe havens, the following structures serve as memories of Indiana’s role in the underground railroad:
- Dr. Samuel Tibbets Home(Lancaster)
- Georgetown District(Madison)
- Historic Eleutherian College(Madison)
- Isaiah Walton Home(Lancaster)
- John Gill and Martha Wilson Craven Home(Lancaster)
- Levi Coffin House State Historic Site(Fountain City)
- Lyman Hoyt House(Madison)
- Margaret and William Hicklin Home(North Vernon)
- Seymour Train Station(Seymour)
- And
- To keep up with Dawn Mitchell, IndyStar Visuals Manager and Retro Indy writer, follow her on Twitter: @dawn mitchell61.
Map: Documenting Indiana’s Underground Railroad Locations
In the words of Erin [email protected] Because Indiana is located just north of the slave-owning state of Kentucky, it was an unorthodox route for slaves seeking freedom in Canada during the 1860s. Stations were spread out over the state and were mostly only known to locals through word of mouth. The Underground Railroad sites in Indiana are depicted on the map below, which includes only a fraction of the locations. However, organizations such as Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources and the National Park Service seek to preserve a running list of confirmed Underground Railroad sites despite the lack of documentation due to the need for secrecy in the name of protection.
- The following is a list of Underground Railroad sites in Indiana: Alexander T.
- Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church This church, known as the “Indianapolis Station,” was established in 1836 and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
- It was sold to a private equity group in 2016.
- Daniel Low & Sons, Inc.
the classroom and chapel facilities of Eleutherian College Eleutherian College, which was symbolically built on top of a hill to demonstrate its commitment to “individual equality, education, and equal opportunity without regard to race or gender,” was a well-known stop on the Underground Railroad for fugitive slaves traveling from Madison to Indianapolis during the American Civil War.
Farnhamhid fugitives in his home and maintained watch for slave hunters from the cupola on his roof, where he was one of the leaders of the Underground Railroad operation in Fremont, Indiana.
As the owner of Levi Coffin House, Levi Coffin has been dubbed the “president” of the Underground Railroad for his role in aiding nearly 2,000 slaves to freedom as well as sponsoring other Underground Railroad stations throughout the northern United States and Canada.
In the years 1830-1856, Lyman and Asenath Hoyt, together with their seven children, donated their house and property as a stop on the Underground Railroad, concealing fugitives in their barn or a cave on their property.
House Owner Thomas Bulla and his family opened their house to escaped slaves who were in need of assistance. Located on the grounds of the University of Notre Dame, the residence is a haven for students.
Levi & Catharine Coffin House
The weekdays between Wednesday and Sunday are off. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Closed on Mondays* and Tuesdays, as well as on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (if applicable). We are open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (FREE), President’s Day (FREE), Memorial Day (FREE), Labor Day (FREE). On New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, the facility is only open for pre-registered programs. The COVID-19 and social distancing criteria have necessitated the providing of specific scheduled, inside tours for a restricted number of persons on a daily basis, Wednesday through Sunday, beginning at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm and lasting around 30 minutes each time.
Tickets may be purchased here.
Walk up tour tickets are subject to availability. Purchasing online or by calling the site is recommended to ensure tour registration.
- Fountain City was officially recognized as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. There are a variety of structures and dwellings in this town, which was established in the early 1800s and reflects a diverse spectrum of architectural styles. As a family, participate in a fun and fascinating treasure hunt as you attempt to locate and identify significant historical features. Your responses should be returned to the Levi and Catharine Coffin Interpretive Center in order to get a souvenir. Beginning in July 2020, families will be able to participate in this scavenger quest. Simply visit the Levi and Catharine Coffin Interpretive Center gift store and inquire about how to take part in the program. The cost per household is $2.
Group Rate
- When you bring a group of 15 or more people, you will receive $1 off normal entry. Booking a time and date for your group’s visit in advance is highly recommended. To make a reservation, please contact 765.847.1691 or send an email to [email protected].
Discounts
- Special discounts are offered for educators and education organizations, as well as for military personnel and Access Pass users, among other things. See all of the available deals.
School Groups
- Schools and homeschool organizations of at least ten Indiana K-12 students that book a field trip in advance and are accredited are eligible for free entry. Call (765) 847.1691 to make an appointment for your visit. Admission for non-Indiana school groups is $2 per person if they arrive with a pre-arranged appointment. Abolitionism, the Underground Railroad in Indiana, slavery, and the law are just a few of the academic themes explored. See the PreK-12 Education Program Guide for more information on field trip and school program opportunities. Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites PreK-12 Education Program Guide Check out the guide.
Commercial Photography And Videography
- If you are a photographer interested in scheduling a shoot at the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site, please check our commercial photography policy and application process before proceeding. Find out more
Hoosier National Forest – Underground Railroad: Indiana State Laws
| Indiana State Laws and the State Register for BlacksAs escaped slaves made their difficult journeyed toward freedom, Indiana seemed like a promised land – a free border state along the Ohio River. However, many already free African Americans and those who escaped via the Underground Railroad faced harsh discrimination in the so-called “free” state. Those who lived and passed through today’s Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana during the 19th century did not always get the freedoms they had hoped for.The Indiana state constitutions of 1816 and 1851 both demonstrated racial prejudices and forced even more hardships on African Americans who lived or passed through the state. When Indiana became a state in 1816, the constitution prohibited slavery but nothing was done to protect the civil rights of the Black population. The 1816 laws prohibited African Americans from voting, serving in the militia, and other basic civil rights.In 1831, Indiana legislature required all African American residents and newcomers to register with their local authorities and pay a $500 bond as a guarantee of good behavior. The laws not only racially discriminated against Blacks and half black individuals, but since the bond required a White witness and the register required the Black person’s physical description, the laws publically reinforced racial superiority.As tensions over slavery grew nationally, racial hostilities rapidly increased in Indiana. The state’s Constitution of 1851 prohibited any Black or half black individual from entering, passing through, or settling into the state of Indiana. Those who entered were fined between $5-10. However, African Americans already in the state were allowed to stay.With Indiana being an important place for freedom seekers, the Underground Railroad in the region became even more crucial after 1851.Sources:Earl E. McDonald, “The Negro in Indiana Before 1881”, Indiana Magazine of History (1931) 27,PBS, “Race-Based legislation in the North,”Indiana Historical Bureau, “Constitution of 1816,”Indiana Historical Bureau, “Being Black in Indiana,”Stephen Middleton,The Black Laws in the Old Northwest, 197-204.This information about the Underground Railroad is part of a geo-located multi-forest interpretive program. Please contact the U.S. Forest Service Washington Office Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources program leadership with any questions or to make changes.SGV – Recreation Data and Information Coordinator. |
At a Glance
| Information Center: | The U.S. Forest Service has created this multi-Forest interpretive program to highlight people and places along the historic Underground Railroad. Some of these sites are “virtual” locations and are intended to provoke thoughts and conversation but may not have anything physical present on the ground.These locations are generally relevant to the topics presented on the webpage.Please use caution when traveling to these remote locations and consult your local Forest Service office for more details.All of the sites highlighted in this program can be seen by visitingand searching within the magnifying glass for “Underground Railroad.” |
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Historic Indiana home known as hidden gem of Underground Railroad
Posted:/Recently updated: FOUNTAIN CITY, Ind. (WISH) – The city of Fountain City, Indiana, is preparing to host the World Cup. The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is inviting families to see a hidden gem: the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad, which is located on the grounds of the Indiana State Museum. It depicts a historical residence once held by Levi and Catharine Coffin, who were instrumental in assisting fugitive slaves in their quest for freedom in the 1800s. After marrying in the slave state of North Carolina, the pair relocated to Newport (now Fountain City), in the free state of Indiana, where they had been nurtured as Quakers from childhood.
- According to Levi Coffin’s memoirs, up to 2,000 individuals received assistance from him, according to Joanna Hahn, central region director of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
- The ability to take self-guided tours allows families to learn about slavery in the United States.
- Fountain City is located in Wayne County, about north of Richmond.
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Indiana County and the Underground Railroad
When Scottish-Irish Presbyterians first settled in Indiana County, they brought with them a long history of persecution, which established the groundwork for a burgeoning anti-slavery movement in the decades leading up to the Civil War. There were also at least two African Methodist Episcopal Zion congregations in the mid-1840s whose aim was to “assist refugees,” according to historical records. Other religious groups, such as the Wesleyan Methodists and the Baptists, were vocal in their opposition to slavery.
A free person might be grabbed from the street and sold into slavery based only on the word of a white person.
Indiana County became regarded as a “hotbed of abolition” and a “welcoming refuge” for runaway slaves fleeing the Confederacy. Clashes between slavecatchers and townspeople were reported in newspapers all around the country at the time of writing.
Popular Sovereignty and The Fight for a Free Kansas
The 1850 Compromise also established the notion of popular sovereignty, which was later developed further. People in the territories would vote on whether they wanted to be free or slaves, and they would select how to enter the Union “democratically.” One of the most significant tests of this idea occurred during the settling of Kansas. The settlers, both pro- and anti-slavery, loaded their wagons and started out for the West. The Pennsylvania-Kansas Liberty Society, which was sponsored by the Plumville Baptist Church, gathered funds and supplies to transport local immigrants to Kansas in order to establish a free state.
A pacifist son of Dr.
After pro-slavery Border Ruffians stormed Lawrence, John Mitchell offered to accompany them in search of supplies.
He was apprehended, tortured, and imprisoned, where he succumbed to pneumonia and died as a result.
Indiana and the Election of 1860
It was in the state of Kansas that the Republican Party was born, with its fundamental principle being to block the growth of slavery and, by doing so, to put an end to it. Among the Republican platform’s key points were the promotion of industry, growth, free soil, free labor, and social change. In Indiana County, slavery was the subject of four-fifths of the Republican platform. Democrats were staunch supporters of the status quo and opposed any movement on the subject of slavery. With 3910 votes in the 1860 election, Republican Abraham Lincoln defeated all other candidates in Indiana County, garnering 1369 votes overall.
The roles Kentucky and Indiana played in the Underground Railroad
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The city of Louisville is preparing to host the World Cup. During the years leading up to the American Civil War, the Underground Railroad was built on the foundations of trust and cooperation among those involved. Kentucky was the final state that slaves needed to pass through on their way to freedom via the Underground Railroad’s northern path. To go to freedom, all they had to do was cross the Ohio River and meet those on the other side who could assist them in their escape.
- “As you can imagine, the Ohio formed the Mason Dixon Line,” said Al Gorman, Coordinator of Public Programs and Engagement at the Carnegie Center for Art and History in New Albany.
- “It was a very, very stressful environment, even for people of color who were free,” Gorman recalled of the situation.
- The bustling beaches of the Ohio River in the slave state of Kentucky were teeming with the movement of commodities up and down the river from one point to another.
- Center, was one of the two locations.
- Mathew Garrison, a Kentucky slave trader, would keep captives in a prison before shipping them to slave markets in the southern United States of America.
- We didn’t require an enslaved workforce in agriculture, unlike other parts of the southern United States where crops that required more labor, such as sugar cane and cotton, were grown.
- It implied a difficult existence till death.
- Those fleeing from their masters to safe havens were transported by the railroad, which was made up of individuals and places known as stations.
- “They had access to vehicles that allowed individuals to vanish in a variety of ways,” he said, bursting into laughter.
- A smirk appeared on Gorman’s face as he explained that the incident was “very much an open secret” in New Albany.
Slaves maneuvered their way through a maze of safe havens and a network of safe persons in order to escape capture. WAVE 3 News has ownership of the copyright until 2021. All intellectual property rights are retained.
Aboard the Underground Railroad- Bethel AME Church, Indiana
| Bethel AME ChurchPhotograph by Suzanne Rollins. Courtesy of theIndiana Dept. of Natural Resources. |
Blairsville Area Underground Railroad
With its strategic location along the Conemaugh River at the southern end of Indiana County, Blairsville has several prospects for development. From its inception in the early 1800s, the town benefitted from the movement of people and goods by road, canal, and train. Because many of the individuals who arrived in the region had strong religious views, many of them became active participants and leaders in the Underground Railroad effort. During those days, bounty hunters on the trail of the runaways frequently made remarks about how quickly the freedom seekers moved and were able to hide.
The Underground Railroad is the term used to describe the numerous ways employed by abolitionists to hide and relocate freedom seekers while evading the attention of their pursuers.
A slave striving to gain freedom in Canada was prohibited under Canadian law at the time of his emancipation.
The Underground Railroad in Indiana
Rick Hinton contributed to this article. Do many of us have a thorough understanding of the Underground Railroad system, particularly as it pertained to frontier Indiana in the early 1800s? Although we aren’t talking about trains here, the metaphor is still applicable. Instead of transporting goods over gleaming tracks, we are talking about transporting individuals to a moment of freedom that had been years in the making for some of those involved. Some interesting insights were gained from this difficult period in Indiana history at the Perry Township/Southport Historical Society meeting on March 29.
He was absolutely accurate!
“I’m here to put your tax money to work,” she said as she opened with a smile.
“I only have a limited amount of time to speak about 300 years of history,” she explained.
The Perry Township/Southport Historical Society meeting is full with people who are listening intently.
“It wasn’t simply a Southern thing; it was a worldwide phenomenon!” Indiana, like so many other northern states, had a role in the events of the day.
It was also anything from straight lines, according to Regan-Dinius, when it came to charts prescribing refuge routes; rather, it was a spider web of passageways that may vary on a daily basis, according to the author.
or south?
In order to reach Michigan and Canada, one must constantly head north.
If you were a slave in a southern state, it could make more sense for you to go south to the safe havens of Florida or Mexico rather than the other way around.
However, that was only the beginning of their adventure together.
Other disclosures about their arrival on the mainland include: “They were purchased and sold like livestock, just like we do.” They were considered to be personal property.
The experience was analogous to “obtaining a mortgage and then insurance.” Jeannie Regan-Dinius from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources delivers her lecture on the Underground Railroad in Indiana.
The slaves were never compensated for the tasks they performed.
“When you fled and were apprehended, you were humiliated in front of everyone.” After all, they were a significant financial investment and a desirable piece of real estate.
They were quite concerned about their property!
During this time period, the majority of Hoosiers believed that slavery was bad.
To track down the fugitives, bounty hunters were aided by federal and state laws in their pursuit of them.
A long period of legal uncertainty resulted in an unpleasant relationship with our immediate neighbor to the south, Kentucky, and its army of hunters — the Kentucky mob—during which time the law was unclear.
It is regarded as the official beginning of the Underground Railroad in Indiana.
It served as a safe haven.
They passed via Marion, Orland, New Albany, Evansville, Wabash, and South Bend on their route to Cass County, Michigan, and eventual freedom.
There were some Hoosier citizens who were willing to do something about the horror that slavery had become.
However, it began far before than that day.
There is a difference between this and the Underground Railroad, which you should not misunderstand.
Baker; “Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad, America’s First Civil Rights Movement,” by Fergus M.
You crossed the boundary with the Underground Railroad, which was against the law.
The life of an abolitionist was not one of comfort.
The Underground Railroad, on the other hand, was an unofficial network of persons who assisted and facilitated the escape of fugitive slaves as they approached the southern Indiana border.
‘The Subterranean Railroad,’ according to Regan-Dinius, “is not underground.
it is not a subway system.'” It’s essentially a case of people assisting other people!
“That’s exactly what it was.” The meeting came to a close, and Jeannie answered any questions.
Regan-Dinius cracked a grin.
It is not known whether the Hannah House was connected to the Underground Railroad through source evidence.
A tale may be found in any possible Underground Railroad connections to not just the state, but also the city of Indianapolis, and it is worth investigating.
It doesn’t become associated with a specific home or area, but rather with the individuals who lived and worked in that location.
What is the lineage of the family?
Was there something particularly weird going on there, based on the records available to us?
That is exactly what Jeannie and her colleagues do.
Alexander Hannah was a devoted Republican, a successful businessman, and a beloved symbol and pillar in his hometown.
He was an abolitionist who opposed slavery; nevertheless, just because you are an abolitionist does not imply that you supported and assisted the Underground Railroad.
I don’t believe that he did anything wrong.
All that was ruined was his reputation, and that was all.
The ghosts of Hannah and his wife Elizabeth, who are still roaming the earth, may, on the other hand, represent something altogether else.
“Oral traditions are difficult. they’re a difficult one,” Regan-Dinius said. In part, this is due to the fact that individuals make stuff up. and lie. People tend to exaggerate. “At the time, they didn’t think it was a big thing.”