Welcome Location & Hours
The Underground Railroad Museum 803 Smithville Road operated in the City of Burlington for several years as a private enterprise by Louise Eastampton, NJ 08060 MUSEUMMUSEUM Calloway at a site directly behind a station on Hours: the Underground Railroad. Following the Museum’s closure in the spring of 2013, the Thursday-Saturday 10am-4pm PREVIEW EXHIBIT Burlington County Freeholders announced Sunday 12pm-4pm that a special exhibit of the Museum’s possessions would be housed at Smithville No admission fee.
Questions?
Please contact us! John Woolman Phone: (609) 265-5858 Email: [email protected] www.co.burlington.nj.us/parks William Lambert
Persons in need of special accom- Visitor’s Center, Smithville Park—UGRR Preview Exhibit modation should give a two-week under the auspices of the Burlington County notice by calling 609-265-5858, or Parks System. Consideration is also being e-mail [email protected]. Harriett Tubman given to moving the museum to Smithville permanently. This preview exhibit offers visitors a visual presentation of the Underground Railroad experience in
America, with emphasis on New Jersey and UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Thomas Garrett
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Burlington County where the Underground Railroad flourished before the Civil War.
We hope you enjoy your visit to this Preview Exhibit of the future Burlington
County Underground Railroad Museum. We THE
THE William Still are especially proud of the role Burlington County played in this major freedom movement in the annals of American History. Funding is made possible in part by We ardently hope that you will leave the the New Jersey State Council on the exhibit with a better understanding of why Arts/Department of State, a Partner Sponsored by Agency of the National Endowment for the The Burlington County Burlington County merits the honored title of Arts from a grant to the Burlington County “the Cradle of Emancipation.” Board of Chosen Freeholders, Department of Board of Chosen Freeholders Resource Conservation, Division of Parks.
BURLINGTON COUNTY: slavery, not only among his fellow Quakers, but to ground Railroad. Visitors learn about Levin and THE CRADLE OF EMANCIPATION the public at large, and wrote some of the most con- Charity Still, who migrated from Eastern Mary- As a central part of the greater Del- vincing treatises against the practice of slavery, raising land and eventually settled in Indian Mills, Bur- aware Valley region, Burlington Coun- public awareness of its evils through personal exam- lington County. Charity raised eleven children, ty is honored ple and lifestyle. His image is among those on dis- three of whom achieved unparalleled greatness to hold the play in the museum collection of “Personalities of despite many obstacles. The exhibit features Wil- title of “the the Abolition Movement,” a highlight of the preview liam Still, who earned the Cradle of exhibit. Other images in this collection include Har- title “Father of the Un- Emancipa- riet Tubman, whose name is synonymous with the derground Railroad” tion,“ as it was Underground Railroad movement, Thomas Garrett, through his work with the here that a prominent Quaker and friend of Tubman, who Philadelphia Vigilance slaves were openly operated the last stop of the UGRR in Dela- Committee and author- first given their ware, and William Lambert, who served as a conduc- ship of the definitive freedom in tor on the Underground Railroad for twenty-five work on the subject. The large numbers. years in Detroit, helping thousands of fugitives es- unique stories of his old- This can be cape the institution of slavery. er brothers, James, the attributed to the sizeable presence and “Black Doctor of the influence of Quakers, America’s first EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION Pines,” and Peter, a for- organized group to speak out against ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT mer slave whose story the evils of black bondage, making this This Preview Exhibit features a section on Abra- was related in “The Kid- region a leading light in the emancipa- ham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, napped and the Ransomed,” are also presented. tion movement. It is most fitting, which is being celebrated as a part of the Sesquicen- The dramatic reuniting of the Still Family through therefore, that Burlington County, in tennial of the Civil War from 2012 through 2015. the efforts of William Still vividly illustrates the sponsoring venues that celebrate its On display is a large rendering of methods and effects of the Underground Railroad rich and enduring history, officially the official wording of the Emanci- movement. include this exhibit from the Museum pation Proclamation signed by of the Underground Railroad. Lincoln on January 1, 1863. In conjunction with this exhibit, there JOHN WOOLMAN are also several panel displays deal- The most famous Quaker Aboli- ing with the participation of Afri- tionist in America in the 18th century can Americans in the Civil War. was a son of This section will be of special in- Burlington terest to Burlington Countians County. Born because of the numerous local burial grounds where in Rancocas, he Civil War Veterans of the United States Colored spent much of Troops are buried. Interpretative panels and maps illustrate the location of these historic sites. his adult life just a few miles THE ARTWORK OF THE
from Smithville WILLIAM STILL: STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MUSEUM ~ PREVIEW EXHIBIT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MUSEUM ~ PREVIEW EXHIBIT working as a FATHER OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Mingled throughout the Preview Exhibit are tailor in nearby The exhibit includes the unique story of selected works of art from the extensive collection Mount Holly. Shamong Township’s Still Family, a Burlington of Louise Calloway. As the complete museum He preached County story of survival and accomplishment mir- becomes a reality, many other similar works will strongly against rored in William Still’s success with the Under- be on display.