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. The network in Indiana gradually evolved in the 1830s and 1840s, reached its peak during the 1850s, and continued until slavery was abolished throughout the United States at the end of the American Civil War in 1865. It is not known how many fugitive slaves escaped through Indiana on their journey to Michigan and Canada. An unknown number of Indiana's abolitionists, anti-slavery advocates, and people of color, as well as Quakers and other religious groups illegally operated stations (safe houses) along the network. Some of the network's operatives have been identified, including Levi Coffin, the best-known of Indiana's Underground Railroad leaders. In addition to shelter, network agents provided food, guidance, and, in some cases, transportation to aid the runaways.
Most of the fugitives who entered Indiana followed one of three general routes after crossing the Ohio River from Kentucky. A western route, which typically began in Indiana's southwestern counties near Evansville, continued north along the Wabash River or through several of the state's western counties toward the Indiana-Michigan border. A central route from Indiana counties began after crossing the Ohio River from the Louisville, Kentucky, area and passed through central and northern Indiana before entering Michigan. An eastern route from southeastern Indiana counties followed stations along the Indiana-Ohio border. A smaller number of fugitive slaves entered Indiana from Cincinnati, Ohio. Today, only a few Underground Railroad sites in Indiana are open to the public, including the Catherine and Levi Coffin home (called the "Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad") in Wayne County and Eleutherian College in Jefferson County. Other sites have been identified with state historic markers, an ongoing effort.
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The UndergroundRailroadinIndiana was part of a larger, unofficial, and loosely-connected network of groups and individuals who aided and facilitated...
Coffin, the unofficial "President of the UndergroundRailroad". The Coffin home in Fountain City, Wayne County, Indiana, has since been turned into a museum...
The UndergroundRailroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early to mid-19th century. It was used...
active leader of the UndergroundRailroadinIndiana and Ohio, some unofficially called Coffin the "President of the UndergroundRailroad," estimating that...
significant figure in the UndergroundRailroadinIndiana, America. Posey was one of the organizers of the Anti-Slavery League of Indiana. A significant source...
The list of UndergroundRailroad sites includes abolitionist locations of sanctuary, support, and transport for former slaves in 19th century North America...
humanitarian who became an active leader in the UndergroundRailroadinIndiana and Ohio. Known for his leadership in aiding fugitive slaves, Coffin opposed...
Indiana, on Indiana State Road 827 and was built in 1847 - 1849 by Erastus Farnham. A staunch abolitionist and one of the local UndergroundRailroad leaders...
African-American abolitionist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a conductor of the UndergroundRailroad and was responsible for aiding and assisting...
Hoyt House is a historic home in Lancaster Township, Jefferson County, Indiana that was a stop on the UndergroundRailroad. It is owned by the non-profit...
August 1844, he joined a group of about fifty utopian settlers in Wayne County, Indiana. In the same month, he was disowned by his Quaker meeting group due...
National Park Service. January 23, 2007. "New Albany UndergroundRailroad site wins restoration prize". Indiana Landmarks. March 22, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2021...
The UndergroundRailroad Bicycle Route is a 2,000-mile bicycle touring route from Mobile, Alabama, to Owen Sound, Ontario. It was developed by Adventure...
Tubman UndergroundRailroad Visitor Center is a visitors' center and history museum located on the grounds of the Harriet Tubman UndergroundRailroad State...
Street, in the village of Newton Corner, in Newton, Massachusetts, is an historic house that served as a station on the UndergroundRailroad before the...
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