Which Town In Indiana Has Become Known As Grand Central Station Of The Underground Railroad? (Solution)

FOUNTAIN CITY, Ind. (WISH) — The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is encouraging families to tour a hidden gem: The “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad. It’s of a historical home owned by Levi and Catharine Coffin, who helped runaway slaves find freedom in the 1800s.

What was the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad?

Levi and Catharine Coffin’s home became known as “The Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad.” Being a Quaker home, the Coffin house would not have had many of the era’s decorative features such as narrow columns, delicate beading or dentil trim.

Where was Grand Central Station for the Underground Railroad?

With it’s sophisticated network of conductors, proximity north of the Ohio River and defiant free African Americans, Cincinnati was the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad.

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.

What was named as the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad and why?

The Coffin home became known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad because of its location where three of the escape routes to the North converged and the number of fleeing slaves who passed through it.

Whose home became known as the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad and what unofficial title was he given?

In 1838 Coffin built a two-story, Federal-style brick home as his family’s residence in Newport. Because the Levi Coffin House, its present-day name, had so many fugitives passing through it, the home became known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad.

Did the Underground Railroad go through Indiana?

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. An eastern route from southeastern Indiana counties followed stations along the Indiana-Ohio border.

Was Levi Coffin a part of the Underground Railroad?

Levi Coffin, (born October 28, 1798, New Garden [now in Greensboro], North Carolina, U.S.—died September 16, 1877, Cincinnati, Ohio), American abolitionist, called the “President of the Underground Railroad,” who assisted thousands of runaway slaves on their flight to freedom.

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.

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.

When was the Levi Coffin House built?

During the 20 years they lived in Newport (now Fountain City), the Coffins worked to provide transportation, shelter, food and clothing to more than 1,000 freedom seekers.

How many slaves did Levi Coffin help escape?

In 1826, he moved to Indiana and over the next 20 years he assisted more than 2,000 enslaved persons escape bondage, so many that his home was known as the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad.”

Where was Levi Coffin from?

Coffin’s active participation in the Underground Railroad caused his fellow abolitionists to nickname him the ” president of the Underground Railroad. ”

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

Pre-scheduled, accredited schools and homeschool groups of 10 or more Indiana K-12 students that arrive on the day of their field trip will get complimentary entry. To make an appointment, call 765.847.1691. Non-Indiana school groups who pre-register for a visit pay a $2 per person entry fee. Abolitionism, the Underground Railroad in Indiana, slavery, and the law are just a few of the issues explored in the academic setting. The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites PreK-12 Education Program Guide has further information on field trip and school program options. a look at the manual

Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad: the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site

The Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, Indiana, is known as the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad” because it served as the Underground Railroad’s “Grand Central Station.” If you didn’t know it, you’d never guess that theLevi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, Indiana, is a significant National Historic Landmark from the outside.

Despite this, this Wayne County attraction is a basic brick cottage with eight rooms that was erected in 1839.

So, what exactly is it about this house that makes it so special?

Levi and Catharine Coffin House in Fountain City, Indiana

The Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, Indiana, was unusual in that it had a kitchen on the lower floor, contrary to the way most homes are designed. In this manner, when independence comes, it will be more meaningful. In New Lawn, North Carolina, on October 28, 1798, Levi Coffin was born, and he died on September 16, 1877, in a region that was not hostile to slavery at the time. As early as 1826, Coffin relocated to the town of Newport, in what is now known as Fountain City, Indiana.

The Coffins, who are newcomers to the area, open a general retail store.

Whatever the case, things didn’t always go as planned.

“Coffin did not feel obligated to observe human laws when they came into direct conflict with the law of God,” according to the author.

Levi Coffin and his wife both agreed that something needed to be done about the situation. And that is exactly what they did. They constructed a new residence specifically for the purpose of concealing these fugitives from federal law.

Abolitionists in Newport

Even if hunters came looking for freedom seekers, there were safe havens to take refuge. It turned out that this mattress was not the best hiding place for two giggling girls. They had to be separated or they would run the risk of being found! Despite being urged to abandon his abolitionist efforts by other Quakers who were concerned for the couple’s safety as well as by slave hunters, he refused to give up. According to the Coffins, their store’s sales dropped significantly as pro-slavery customers went elsewhere to purchase.

Everywhere they looked, more settlers were arriving.

Coffin writes, “As time went on, the number of people who were kind to the fugitives rose in our area.” Many people were eager to assist in dressing them and assisting them on their journey, and a few people were willing to assist in concealing them, but the depot appeared to have been formed at my house.

They wished to contribute to anti-slavery initiatives, but they were unsure of how to go about it.
The Levi Coffin House served as the Underground Railroad’s Grand Central Station for many years.
His freshly constructed home, which was conveniently located in the heart of town on Highway 27, was the ideal location.
Bounty hunters, perhaps?
People fleeing to freedom were protected by the Coffin family, and it all began with the construction of the Levi and Catharine Coffin mansion in the heart of the Underground Railroad’s route to freedom.
The ceiling is extremely low in order to conceal the presence of the space.
There’s more: there’s a spacious attic that’s ideal for accommodating larger families or groups of individuals.

No one had to take the chance of being apprehended just to obtain a glass of water.

The majority of rooms have two means to get out.

The number of fugitives increased as the word circulated.

There was a valid cause for that.

For example, he said in his autobiography: “Three major lines from the South intersected at my house: one coming from Cincinnati, one coming from Madison and one coming from Jeffersonville, Indiana.

It was rare that a week went by without us receiving travelers over the unknown path.” The following were the three additional routes that were used to transport these runaways to Canada: The city of Visit Richmond reports that there were “three”: “one from Greenville, Ohio to Sandusky, across Lake Erie to Ontario, Canada; one from Fort Wayne to Adrian, Michigan, and then to Canada; and one from Cabin Creek in southwestern Randolph County to Grant County and to Battle Creek, Michigan, and then to Ontario, Canada, across the Detroit River.” This made it easy to relocate fugitives from one route to another, which caused the slave hunters to become extremely perplexed.”

New Underground Railroad Arrivals

The Levi and Catharine Coffin House was designed with several exits in mind, and most rooms featured more than one. Most of the time, the individuals arrived alone or in small groups, occasionally with a Caucasian guide, but most of the time without one. They may have walked 25 or 30 miles that night, in all types of weather conditions, to reach their destination. They lacked footwear on a regular basis. In his book, Levi Coffin describes a woman and her two children as follows: “When she learned that her children were to be auctioned away from her, she made the decision to take them with her and attempt to reach Canada.” She had heard that Canada was a country where everyone was free, and that she could get there by walking toward the north star, which she did.

In order to avoid being seen by anyone on the road, even at night, she made her way through the woods and through fields, surviving on fruits and green corn when she could get her hands on them and suffering from a severe shortage of food on occasion.
She made her way to a cabin where several colored folks were staying after spotting it.
In fact, she was so fatigued from the challenges of her lengthy journey, and so weakened from hunger from having refused to feed her children, that she got ill quite quickly.
They had no shoes or clothes other than what they were now wearing, which was in tatters.
Henry H.
The little group was then outfitted with appropriate clothes and other amenities before being dispatched to Canada.” Levi Coffin and his wife not only provided these folks with a safe haven, but they also gave them with medical care, clothes, and food, among other things.
Some of the freedom seekers were able to go through very fast.

During their twenty-year residence in Newport, they were responsible for assisting at least 2,000 former slaves on their journey north.

The most of the time, they were unaware of the identities of the people they were assisting, let alone where they were originally from.

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The Coffins stayed in this location until 1847, when they relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they created a new store that solely sold things produced with free labor.

“Abolitionists were ready to pay high sums for these products, which were known as “Free Labor Goods,” according to the author of Visit Richmond again.

He fought till the day he died, and he was victorious.

Visit the Levi and Catharine Coffin House

The Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, Indiana, features a secret chamber where former slaves could be hidden from the authorities. The Levi Coffin House, which was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1965, remains in outstanding shape today. A visit to the Wayne County attraction will aid in the process of assimilating the information. Visit the Coffin House to learn more about the family’s history, hear additional anecdotes, and view authentic items of furniture that belonged to the Coffins.

Kid1 was enthralled by this historical site in Wayne County, Michigan.
Even now, some weeks later, he brings up the Levi Coffin House again and again.
Despite the fact that the objects within are intriguing, she did not just walk us through them.
It was all quite intriguing to see.
With the recent purchase of the building next door, they want to establish an interpretative center and to further the story of Levi and Catharine Coffin in this little Indiana town by incorporating new information.
On Facebook, you may learn more about the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site.
Small towns are places to visit, not places to stop for gas.

Just don’t forget to inform them that you were referred by Little Indiana.

We would like to express our gratitude to Visit Wayne County Tourism for hosting us throughout our visit.

Targeted.

Affordable!

‘Little Indiana.com’ is owned and operated by Jessica Nunemaker.

Additionally, Little Indiana appears as a bi-monthly newspaper column in a local newspaper and on PBS’s “The Weekly Special,” which was previously nominated for an Emmy award.

Levi Coffin House – Wikipedia

Significant dates

Levi Coffin House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark


Location	Fountain City, Indiana
Coordinates	39°57′22.5″N84°55′2.5″W / 39.956250°N 84.917361°WCoordinates:39°57′22.5″N84°55′2.5″W / 39.956250°N 84.917361°W
Area	less than one acre
Architectural style	Federal
NRHP referenceNo.	66000009
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	June 23, 1965

This National Historic Landmark is located in the present-day community of Fountain Cityin Wayne County, Indiana, and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Federal style was used in the construction of the two-story, eight-room brick house, which was built about 1838–39. Because of its location at the intersection of three major slave escape routes to the North, as well as the large number of fleeing slaves who passed through it, the Coffin residence became known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad system.

While the Coffins resided in Indiana for twenty years (1826-1847), it is estimated that they assisted as many as 2,000 slaves in their escape to freedom in the northern United States and Canada.

The Levi Coffin House Association manages the site in accordance with an agreement with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is the current owner of the historic structure.

From June through October, the site is available to the public for guided tours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Visitors over the age of six will be required to pay admission.

History

Catharine and Levi Coffin, the home’s original owners, moved from Guilford County, North Carolina, to Wayne County, Indiana, with the first of their six children in order to join other relatives of the Coffin family who had already settled in the area. In 1826, the Coffins moved to Newport (the present-day town of Fountain City) in Wayne County and built a house there. Levi Coffin (1798–1877) was a Quaker abolitionist, merchant, and humanitarian who rose to prominence as a pioneer in the Underground Railroad in Indiana and Ohio during the late nineteenth century.

Catharine White Coffin was born in 1879.
When the Underground Railroad was established, their home became one of numerous stations in a broader network of places that gave assistance to fugitive slaves as they headed north to freedom in Canada.
Many of the runaway slaves were escorted to the Coffin House when they made it across the river.
Coffin subsequently estimated that they were responsible for the emancipation of one hundred slaves every year on average.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a fictitious novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, recounts the lives of slaves who managed to escape on the Underground Railroad.
Stowe was born in Cincinnati and raised in Cincinnati.
Harris resumed her path to freedom in Canada after receiving assistance from the Hallidays, including food, clothes, new shoes, and housing.
Coffin sold the firm in 1857 after concluding that it would be difficult to maintain a profit, but the Coffins continued to serve as local leaders in the Underground Railroad until their deaths in the Civil War.

The Western Freedman’s Aid Society hired Coffin as an agent, and the Freedmen’s Bureau was established as a result of his efforts. Coffin later served as a delegate to the International Anti-Slavery Conference in Paris, and he retired from public life after that.

Residence and Underground Railroad stop

The Coffin family’s house, which was subsequently designated as a state historic monument, was initially constructed between 1838 and 1839. A combination of the home’s geographic location at the confluence of three different escape routes leading to freedom in the North, as well as the large number of runaway slaves that went through it, led to it being referred to as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad. Because Coffin would insist on seeing a search warrant and slave-ownership papers before authorizing entrance for suspected runaway slaves, the house was never examined.

After the Coffins relocated to Ohio in 1847, the Coffin house in Indiana continued to serve as a stopover for the Underground Railroad to the present day.

Hotel and apartment building

A hotel operated in the house for a period of time in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. As a result of the conversion, it became an apartment building that went through a number of owners until being restored in the 1960s. Fortunately, the home has been maintained in good shape, with some of its original windowpanes and woodwork still there.

Historic site

This home was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and it was the first property in the state to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, making it the state’s first historic landmark. The home was purchased by the state of Indiana in 1967 and leased to the Wayne County Historical Society until it was demolished in 2008. The house has been meticulously restored to its original appearance from the 1840s, when the Coffins resided there. Himelick Construction, based in Fountain City, was responsible for the repair.

The historic home is under the management of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.

to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, weather permitting.

Description

In present-day Fountain City, Indiana, the house is located at 113 U.S. Route 27 in the heart of town. The two-story, modified Federal-stylebrick house is painted red, and it has a two-story rear wing on the northwest corner of the main structure. The house was built in the early 1900s. The house is oriented eastward, with its main entrance located on Main Cross Street (U.S. Route 27). A second door on Mill Street offers access to the back wing of the building. Throughout the eight-room interior, furniture are in the manner of an Indiana Quaker family that lived there in the 1840s.

The main entry enters onto a central corridor with a room on either side and a staircase leading to the second story, which is accessible from either side.
North room on main floor was used as the home’s parlor and connects to a dining room in the rear wing of the house.
Fresh water was given via a spring-fed well in the basement, which served the entire house.
The interior of the Coffin residence featured many alterations that may have been utilized as hiding places for fugitive slaves in the event that the house was examined by the authorities.
In the maids’ quarters on the second floor, a secret entrance placed in the rear extension allowed for as many as fourteen escaped slaves to hide in a tight tunnel between the walls of the house.

Extra guests might be accommodated in the rooms on the second and third floors. A huge attic and storage garrets are also included in the property.

The Levi Coffin House in Fountain City
The front and southern sides of the Levi Coffin House
The Levi Coffin House in Fountain City

References

Ray E. Boomhower is the author of this work (2000). Destination Indiana: A Journey Into the Heart of Indiana’s History Page numbers 5–13 are from the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis. ISBN0871951479
Conn, Earl L. ISBN0871951479
Conn, Earl L. (2006). My Indiana: 101 Things to Do and See. Indianapolis:Indiana Historical Society Press, pp. 70–71.ISBN9780871951953
Dunn Jr., Jacob P. Indianapolis:Indiana Historical Society Press, pp. 70–71.ISBN9780871951953
Dunn Jr., Jacob P. (September 1911). “Indiana’s Role in the Creation of Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is a short story about the state of Indiana’s involvement in the creation of the story. Indiana Magazine of History is a publication dedicated to the study of Indiana history. 7(3): 112–18. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Gugin, Linda C., and James E. St. Clair, eds., retrieved on September 6, 2016. (2015). In Indiana’s 200, we look at the people who have shaped the state of Indiana. Indiana Historical Society Press, Indianapolis, Indiana, ISBN 978-0-87195-387-2. CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) author list (link)
“Levi Coffin House” CS1 maint: additional text: authors list (link)
“Levi Coffin House” The National Historic Landmark Summary Listing is a list of national historic landmarks. The National Park Service is part of the United States Department of the Interior. The original version of this article was published on June 5, 2011. “Levi Coffin House” was retrieved on 2008-07-23. WayNet. Mendinghall, Joseph S.
S. Sydney Bradford (2014-06-02)
Mendinghall, Joseph S.
S. Sydney Bradford (1975-09-26). A nomination for the Levi Coffin Home has been submitted to the National Register of Historic Places Inventory. The National Park Service is part of the United States Department of the Interior. “Notable Hoosiers: Levi and Catharine Coffin,” which was published on September 6, 2016, was retrieved on September 6, 2016. Indiana Historical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Indiana’s history. The original version of this article was published on August 30, 2016. Price, Nelson (2016-08-29)
Price, Nelson (1997). Indiana Legends: From Johnny Appleseed to David Letterman, famous Hoosiers have come out of the state. Guild Press of Indiana, Inc., Carmel, IN, pp. 37–39. Nelson Price’s ISBN number is 1-5786-006-5. (2001). Legendary Hoosiers are well-known individuals who hail from the state of Indiana. Emmis Books, published in Zionsville, Indiana, pp. 20–22. 978-1-57860-097-9
“National Register Information System” (National Register Information System). The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service published “The Story of the Levi Coffin House” on January 23, 2007. (PDF). The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is a state agency. Yannessa, Mary Ann (2016-02-12)
Retrieved from (2001). Levi Coffin, Quaker: Breaking the Bonds of Slavery in Ohio and Indiana, published by the Ohio Historical Society. Friends United Press, ISBN 0-944350-54-2
Friends United Press, ISBN 0-944350-54-2

External links

Levi Coffin State Historic Site, official website
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. IN-79, ” Levi Coffin House, Main CrossMill Streets, Fountain City, Wayne County, IN “, 10 measured drawings
Levi Coffin State Historic Site, official website
Levi Co

Levi Coffin House – Underground Railroad’s “Grand Central Station”

As a component of the famed Underground Railroad for fleeing slaves in pre-Civil War days, this listed National Historic Landmark is a Federal style brick residence erected in 1839 in the Federal style of architecture. Escaped slaves might be sheltered in this little upstairs chamber, which could be concealed by moving the mattresses in front of the door to conceal its presence. Levi and Catharine Coffin were well-known for assisting a large number of former slaves in their escape to freedom in the North.

The voyage to freedom consisted of only a few kilometers of walking at night, using the North Star as a map, and attempting to avoid being discovered by search teams.
Because they resembled the stops that a train would make between destinations, these stops on the way to liberation were dubbed Underground Railroad stations.
A safe haven for the thousands of runaway slaves on their trek to Canada was an eight-room Federal style brick residence in Newport (Fountain City), Indiana, built in the Federal style.
This was the residence of runaway slaves who were carefully hidden for their journey in this wagon.
During their 20-year residence in Newport, the Coffins were responsible for assisting more than 2,000 slaves to find safety.
The fugitives were apprehended and transported to Newport from these locations.
The Coffin shelter was so successful that not a single slave failed to achieve freedom while it was in operation in Newport.
After relocating to Cincinnati in 1847, Levi Coffin was able to establish a wholesale warehouse that supplied items to free labor businesses.
In 1970, the home was repaired and made available to the public for viewing.

Prior until 2016, the Levi Coffin House Association was in charge of running the facility. The Indiana State Historic Site is presently maintained by the Indiana State Museum, following the construction of an Interpretive Center in 2016.

Locate the Levi Coffin House

View the Levi Coffin House on a bigger map by clicking here.

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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All Rights Reserved

Levi Coffin and the Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad has remained cloaked in mystery till this very day. After all, those who housed or escorted runaway southern slaves to freedom were breaching the law, not to mention the danger they were putting themselves and their families in. It was, by its very nature, a covert network that was guarded by secrecy. Today, it’s much simpler to tell what is and isn’t a location associated with the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad would not consider a house built in the 1880s with an odd concealed room beneath the eaves or in the basement as suitable for usage.

It was constructed after that year and is only an unusual chamber, not a slave-holding facility.
It was really more of a network of people who were dedicated to assisting slaves in their “conduct” to safety in the northern hemisphere.
Between 1827 and 1842, Quakers Levi and Catherine Coffin provided sanctuary to at least 2,000 heroic escapees on their route to freedom in what is now Fountain City, in eastern Indiana.
Levi Coffin’s autobiography, Reminiscences, has detailed accounts of his abolitionist actions.
In fact, experts believe that the Coffins were involved in the network before they constructed their Federal-style brick home in 1839, leading them to suspect that they included specific elements to aid in their efforts when they built their home.
When the house was being restored in the late 1960s, workmen uncovered a spring-fed well in the basement, which they believe may have provided runaway travelers with water.

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Underground Railroad Month spotlights efforts of Fountain City’s Coffins

THE CITY OF FOUNTAIN CITY, INDIANA — September has been designated as Underground Railroad Month by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb in recognition of the role that abolitionists such as Levi and Catharine Coffin played in assisting more than 1,000 freedom seekers escape slavery during the period 1826-1847 by providing them with transportation, shelter, food, and clothing in their Fountain City home. The position of the house, on U.S. 27, in the heart of an abolitionist Quaker village, enabled the entire neighborhood to act as lookouts for the Coffins and provide them with enough notice when bounty hunters arrived into town, allowing the Coffins to escape. It has been a state historic site since 1967, when the Coffins’ home, which became known as “the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad,” was designated as such. Wednesday through Sunday, visitors can take a tour of the Coffin House at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. 765-847-1691 is the number to contact for further information. History: Coffin relatives pay a visit to a memorial place in Fountain City dedicated to their ancestors. A blind tour guide tells the tale of Levi Coffin House – and her own family – throughout her tour. As Holcomb stated in his proclamation, “Underground Railroad Month gives a chance for international open discourse to expose the awful history of slavery in the United States while also commemorating the significant individuals and institutions that worked to put a stop to it.” In recognition of “the amazing efforts of the people of the United States and all those from across the world who have devoted themselves to documenting and sharing the history of the Underground Railroad,” the president issued the proclamation. It is part of a countrywide movement to honor the Underground Railroad, and the governor’s proclamation is a part of that effort. It was Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan who established September as International Underground Railroad Month in 2019, marking the first anniversary of the Underground Railroad’s founding. KEEP UP WITH NEWS AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Subscribe to the newsletter now by clicking on the link at the top of this page. When it comes to expanding the scope of this celebration in 2020, Maryland and Michigan will be trailblazers. They will collaborate with the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom to establish connections with verified Underground Railroad sites, facilities, and programs from across the United States in the year 2020. More information may be found at the following link: Hahn, the central regional director and site manager of the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site, expressed her delight that Holcomb and other governors are bringing attention to the Underground Railroad. “It’s great to see the governors bringing attention to the Underground Railroad,” Hahn said. According to her, “Indiana played a vital role as a gateway for thousands of freedom seekers who were seeking escape from slavery.” “Underground Railroad Month encourages everyone to pay attention to all of the locations in the state of Indiana that contribute to telling that narrative.” The Coffin House was named “one of the nation’s Top 25 Historical Sites” by The History Channel in a television special. The Levi Coffin House Interpretive Center was designated “one of 12 new museums across the globe to visit” by the Smithsonian Institution in 2016, and the Indiana Office of Tourism Development called it “one of the finest museums in the state of Indiana.” Marc Allen works as the director of communication at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

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.

Shelby County Historical Society – Black History

The Underground Railroad is a term used to describe a system of transportation that allows people to flee their homes. All men, particularly the young and strong, who are subjected to the shackles of human bondage, have a deep desire to be free of their enslavement. It was the Underground Railroad that transformed the basic pathways to freedom into a huge network of routes and stations (safe homes with agents) that became recognized across the world. Note: According to the National Park Service, the Underground Railroad’s chronology begins in 1817 with Andrew Jackson’s struggle with the Seminoles and runaways in Florida and ends in 1865 with the conclusion of the Civil War in the United States.

Its one-of-a-kind character, national in scope but with action pathways that were distinct from one another, expressed goals that were shared by all of its participants.

Advice, food, clothes, and a personal sensitivity to the needs of its guests were all freely available.

It was these individuals, who shared a moral devotion to the cause of freedom, who were referred to as investors in the railroad.

Despite the Civil War, routes were maintained to the northern states, Canada, the Caribbean (after Great Britain abolished slavery in 1833), and Mexico, with the most popular routes being through Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The pursuit of fugitives into the free states by slave catchers looking for the prizes provided by individuals and Southern governments was a continual source of peril for the runaways and those who worked on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.

Thousands of runaway slaves were transported north under the supervision and skill of train conductors, but many individuals and groups chose to free themselves from the bonds of slavery and set off on their own, with just the North Star as their lone beacon of hope.

The likelihood of being apprehended increases as a result of a delayed or longer voyage.

May, and Robert Purvis share comparable distinctions.

He was commonly referred to as the “President of the Railroad” by his colleagues.

Several further stations, separated by approximately one night’s journey time and located northward across Ohio, completed the route to freedom from these stations.

requests for the surrender of slaves in the United States.

Shelby County was reached from the south by two pathways, with one of them branching off to follow the Miami-Erie Canal, and the other continuing north, paralleling the other route, to the Sidney region.

A third trail ran through Sidney, connecting the city to the east and west.

Bennet, Davis Edgar, Pharaoh A.

Roberts, and Quakers Stephen Jefferson and Stephen Blanchard were all known Underground Railroad station operators in Shelby County, as were Pharaoh A.

Roberts.

He hid some escaped slaves in a field of corn one night, and they were never found.

Stephen, being a Quaker, was unable to utter a lie, but he also refused to claim that they were there in the room.

He offered to accompany the search group.

The Old Hathaway property, located just north of Port Jefferson, was also believed to have a station.

It is said that the gang was not able to bring a young Negro girl across the field to the barn before the police arrived.

Then she tucked the girl in between two featherbeds and climbed into bed with her, claiming to be unwell herself.

Barbara Adams of the Shelby County Genealogical Society has been investigating this residence for some years; but, due to the building’s severely deteriorated state, it was demolished during the summer of 1998, according to the Shelby County Genealogical Society.

Abolitionist sentiment pervaded the whole town, which essentially functioned as one massive railroad stop.

“National Geographic” writer Charles Blockson writes about David Hoard and eight other black Oberlin College students who, in 1980, rebuilt the flight of runaway slaves from Kentucky to Oberlin in an article published in the July 1984 issue of National Geographic.

As they made their way through a starlit field in Kentucky, the students received a glimpse of the harsh reality that the fugitives must deal with.

“You won’t be able to sleep here tonight,” the sheriff declared.

However, the young people objected, stating that it was a 35-mile trek.

A little farther down the road, the students came upon a welcoming family who allowed them to stay in their barn.

They were formed in order to affirm the relevance of the Underground Railroad as a pivotal component of American history, as well as to investigate, gather, record, and annotate historical locations and monuments.

The “National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act,” which was passed by the United States Senate in June 1998, permits the National Park Service to organize and assist government and non-federal programs that celebrate and educate people about the Underground Railroads.

This map of selected Underground Railroad routes was prepared by the National Park Service and is available online. David Lodge wrote the ‘Black History’ part for the show in June of 1998.