Help Us Discover More About the Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was not a traditional railroad; rather, it was an intricate network of secret routes, churches, institutions, and privately-owned homes that assisted runaway slaves on their perilous journey northward. Notably, Pennsylvania, the first free state above the Mason-Dixon line, offered many entry points to freedom (Traveling Pennsylvania’s Underground Railroad | #PAGetaway).

We know some key destinations associated with the Underground Railroad, but many remain unknown. We believe that numerous lesser-known locations exist without any historical record. This lack of documentation is largely due to the deliberate secrecy surrounding the entire operation.

We hope to uncover stories that families have passed down through generations. We aim to find letters and other communications among members that may still exist, as well as gather additional information about the locations and individuals involved in the Underground Railroad. To achieve this, we are creating a location-based dataset designed to help us visualize the extent of the network, understand its operations better, and identify previously unknown historic sites.

If you, a family member, friend, or acquaintance have local knowledge about any locations that were part of the Underground Railroad, we kindly ask you to take a few minutes to complete our brief survey. Additionally, if you possess any pictures, newspaper clippings, or other artifacts, please upload a photo using the survey form.

The more feedback we gather, the deeper our understanding will become. Furthermore, feel free to share this survey with anyone you think may have valuable information. Together, we can shine a light on this important part of history!