7 Sites Associated with The Underground Railroad In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania APPLICATION (Excerpts) Submitted to and Accepted by THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/ U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Prepared by Randolph J. Harris Consulting Historian* Lancaster, PA. 2003 through 2012 R* Responsible for lead writing, research, photography, graphic design and coordination with NPS Staff. Eighth NTF site in Lancaster County documented by Harris as of January 2017 – Thaddeus Stevens Home and Office – not included here. Bethel AME application co-author Leroy T. Hopkins, Jr, Ph.D., Millersville University, Retired. Zercher’s Hotel application co-author Darlene Colon, historian, genealogist, historical re-enactor and descendant of one of those accused in The Resistance at Chrisitiana, September 11, 1851. Then & now... Figure 1 Columbia & Philadelphia Railroad Corridor From History of the Pennsylvania RR, 1846-1896 by J. Elfreth Watkins, PE, 1896, page 123. Amtrak Train No. 943 westbound, Bird-In-Hand Station, Lancaster County, PA, January, 2010 Photograph by RandolphHarris Application to National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program Railroad Corridor from Philadelphia to Lancaster, PA, originally part of the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, opened 1834, Currently owned and operated by National Railroad Passenger Corporation – Amtrak On behalf of Amtrak, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania/Department of Community and Economic Development & PA Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau Prepared by Randolph J. Harris, consulting historian, 314 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 [email protected] July, 2010 NATIONAL RAILROAD "ASSENG~R CORPORATION fiO MaHilr.hll5em AVl"nlle, NC, WRshinqtoli, DC 20007 \('1 702 !.!06.3%O fur 707 'lOb.2IlliO Joseph H. Boardman Pfcsident and Chi",f EXilcutive Officer March 3, 2010 Ms. Sheri Jackson . Northeast Region Coordinator National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Nationa.l Park Service 200 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 RE: Underground RaUroad Site Research ftlJd Documentation For Amtrak Ranroad Corridor - Philadelphia to Lancaster, PA Dear Ms. Jackson: Amtrak, as owner/manager for the property that constitutes the r.ailroad corridor between Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pf;Il1)sylvania, oonsents to its jnclusion in the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad NetWork to Freedom as iii. designated Site. The historical significance of what is now known as Amtrak's Keystone Corridor has been long established. With its contributions to tbe commercial and industrial development ofthe eastern United States dating back to the early Nineteenth. Century, the Main Line ofPublic Works, an enterprise that included the Pennsylvania Canal Commission and one of Amerioa' s earliest railroad litlcg -~ the Philadelphia to Columbia RaUwad which later became a key building block ofthe Pennsylvania Railroad - was instrumental in the creation and growth of what would be known as the Underground Railroad. Research conducted prior to the 1970' s proved inconclusive in documenting the tlTl1'ortance of the Philadelphia to Columbia Railroad in the original creation and subsequent support ofthe Underground Rallroad system. Recently, through further in.vestigation, discovery and interpretation of the historical record, the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania and the National Park Service have determined the historical significance of various segments of the Pennsylvania Railroad and its predecessor lines, as wen as the significance of associated pieces ofro11ing stock and individual structures, to the railroad's use -- as early as circa 1835 -- to secretly transport fOImerly enslaved people to freedom. These properties and assets have either been listed in, or been determi.tled as eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places. These determinations have been based on the railroad's significance to industrial, cornmercial and social h.istory. Amtrak believes that the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Dtyclopment's application to desigo.ate the Keystone Corridor a "Site" within the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom '.¥ill lay the groundwork for a better understanding of tbe hI.~SheriJackso" March 3, 2010 PI2g(! 2 origins and operation ofthe Underground Railroad, and will create opportunities for the National Park Service, the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania and Amtrak to more widely inform the public about this compelling story and present a vibrant new nation,al heritage attraction. , Amtrak understands that the Keystone Corridor's Underground Railroad history would be an integrallpart ofthe National Park Service's National Unde,rground Railroad Network to Freedom website, an,d we look forward to being permitted to display the Network to' Freedom logo when promoting this important history through various media. J0 eph H, Boardman President and ChiefExecutive Officer cc: Lenwood O. Sloan, Director ofCultural and Heritage Tourism, Pennsylvania Tourism. Office, Department of Community and Economic Development United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Midwest Region 601 Riverfroot Drive Omaha. Nebraska 68102-4226 H22(MWR-CRlUR) Septem ber 9, 20 I 0 Mr. Randolph 1. Harris 314 West Chestnut Street Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603 Dear Mr. Harris: Congratulations! The National Park Service (NPS) evaluated the application for the Amtrak to be included in the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom (Network to Freedom). We found that it makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the Underground Railroad in American history and that it meets the requirements for inclusion as a site. We commend you on your dedication to this important aspect of our history and expect that you will join with us in continuing to exemplify the values expressed in the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act. We notified the owner or manager of the site and are sending them a Certificate of Acceptance that they may display. As a site included in the Network to Freedom, they may use the Network to Freedom logo under certain conditions, such.as in plaques or publications. The NPS Regional Program Manager will be pleased to share further information and guidelines on the use of the logo. We will a;lso include the site on the NPS Network to Freedom Web site at www.nps.gov/ugrr. Please know that we are aware of your commitment to be stewards of all that the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act embraces. To ensure accurate interpretation of the Underground Railroad to the public, we wish to emphasize that the association with the Network to Freedom may only be represented as it has been approved in the application. We know that you are as committed to quality and high standards as we are and will realize the need for periodic review. Any site in the Network to Freedom is subject to periodic review and may be removed from the Network to Freedom if there is evidence that it no longer meets the criteria for inclusion or if the steward's activities are inconsistent with the goals ofthe National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act. In order to help us stay up-to-date, we rely on you to send us news and examples of flyers, newsletters, programs, brochures, etc. Additionally, you may post news ofyour upcoming events on the NPS Network to Freedom Web site. Congratulations again on your extraordinary site, which we welcome into the Net\¥ork to Freedom. We wish you continued success. Please do not hesitate to contact your Regional Program Manager at any time to seek assistance, advice, information, or to let them know about your current activities. For your Regional Program Manger's contact information, please visit http://www.nps.govlhistory/ugrr/contact.htm. Sincerely, Ernest Quintana Regional Director TAKE PRIDE·~ INAMERICA~ Leroy Hopkins To "[email protected]· <[email protected]> <Leroy.Hopkins@miliersville. edu> CC "[email protected]" <[email protected]> 08/04/20 1004:46 PM bee Subject Randolph J. Hanis Application for NPS designation Ql This message has been replied to. Dear Ms Jackson, Let me first introduce myself so you can judge with what qualifications I can endorse an application for an historical designation. Although I am a professor of German here at Millersville University, I currently serve on the Board of the Lancaster County Historical Society and am a past president of that board. Additionally, from 1979-1995 I served on the Black History Advisory Committee ofthe Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Since 1983 I have published over a dozen articles on local Black history and the interaction of Blacks and Germans in Pen nsylvania and Germany. Now to the appli ca tion at hand. The application as presented has my complete support. During the past 30+ years I have had an opportunity to delve into the Black history of our region where my family has resided since at least 1777. Mr. Harris' application affords an unique opportunity to recognize and promote a facet of local history which has long been relegated to anonymity and neglect. In 1911, the fiftieth anniversary of the resistance at Christiana, the Lancaster County Historical Society organized a conference to discuss not only that historic event but also the activities of the abolitionists on the Underground Railroad that contributed to that resistance. The main focus was on the Quakers who allegedly planned and executed everything. In