Hello stephenh~
Unfortunately, not only are many underground railroad sites currently
not recognized (some, even, lost forever in history), but, as Frank
Fargasso (historian for the National Park Service National Capitol
Parks-East) says: ?The problem we have in Washington, D.C., is that we
don't have anything physical left to interpret?Washington has torn
down and built over many of its older structures, and there are very
few tangible sites.? (?State-to-State Survey of Underground Railroad
Activities,? LookSmart,
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1546/1_14/53930055/p3/article.jhtml?term=
)
I was frankly surprised how little information is available about
underground railroad sites in D.C. But after some extensive research,
I have come up with a number of interesting locations:
* Georgetown University: Played a major role in the underground
railroad. There are both general university public tours (see ?Spring
2004,? http://www.tourdc.com/schedule.html ) and private (see ?Walks
for Organized Groups,?
http://www.tourdc.com/Group%20walking%20tours.html ) To read about
Georgetown?s underground railroad, visit ?Underground Railroad in
Georgetown? http://www.tourdc.com/Underground%20Railroad%20in%20Washington%20DC.html
) You can also see Georgetown?s ?train? via a tour with the
African-American History and Cultural Group Tour of Washington, DC.
and other tours (See ?Neighborhood Tours,?
http://www.washington.org/bluesanddreams/Tours.html )
* Fredrick Douglas? House: This site was not physically used in the
underground railroad; however, Douglas was an important figure in the
movement. (See ?Frederick Douglas NHS,? Aboard The Underground
Railroad, http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/dc1.htm )
* Mary Ann Shadd Cary House: Again, this house was not a function part
of the railroad; it?s the home of a ?conductor,? however. (See ?Mary
Ann Shadd Cary House,? Aboard the Underground Railroad,
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/dc2.htm )
* Mt. Zion United Methodist Church: Served as an important stop on the
underground railroad. The connecting cemetery was also a hiding place
for runaway slaves. Located 1334 29th St. NW.; 202-234-0148. (See ?Mt.
Zion United Methodist Church,?
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/mz_umc.htm )
* Metropolitan AME Church: Served as a stop for the underground
railroad. Located at 1518 M St., NW. (See ?History of Metropolitan AME
Church,? http://www.metropolitanamec.org/history_of_mamec.htm )
* District of Columbia Wharf: Sit of the single largest escape attempt
in D.C. Located at 7th St. NW. (See this Google cache for a limited
time: ://www.google.com/search?q=cache:RtJOhJrHrXsJ:www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/env/cbi/images/newsletters/Feb_Mar02.pdf+%22District+of+Columbia+Wharf%22+%22underground+railroad%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
)
* Anthony Bowen Home: Present site of L'Enfant Plaza, but served as an
underground railway station. Located at 85 E St., SW.
* Sojourner Truth House: Serves as a stop in the underground railroad.
Located at 2007 Vermont Ave., NW.
The following websites may also interest you:
* ?Underground Railroad Connections in the Washington, D.C. Area,?
National Park Service, http://www.cr.nps.gov/ugrr/learn_amdc.htm
* ?JOIN THE FIRST NATION-WIDE NETWORK LINKING UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
SITES AND PROGRAMS,? press release by the National Park Service,
http://data2.itc.nps.gov/release/Detail.cfm?ID=107
* ?List of Sites,? Aboard the Underground Railroad,
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/states.htm
Enjoy!
Kriswrite
KEYWORDS USED:
"underground railroad" D.C.
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"National Park Service" D.C. "underground railroad"
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"underground railroad" "in D.C."
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"underground railroad" "in District of Columbia"
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"Mt. Zion United Methodist Church" "underground railroad"
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"Metropolitan AME Church" "underground railroad"
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"District of Columbia Wharf" "underground railroad"
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"Anthony Bowen Home" "underground railroad"
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"Sojourner Truth House" "underground railroad"
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