Events

Explore new primary source sets illuminating 19th-century Black civil rights from the collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Library of Congress. Showing how ideas and news shaped Black communities across the nation, this two-part workshop helps educators dive into the related records. It also equips participants with research skills to uncover local […]

The Grand Opening of the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy! Join LancasterHistory for a weekend celebration, including a ribbon cutting, Grand Opening Gala, and a family-friendly community block party  Opening on May 1, 2026, in the heart of downtown Lancaster, the restored historic properties once owned by Thaddeus Stevens […]

This Saturday, walking tours will begin of Gettysburg’s most famous authentic Underground Railroad site. First recognized by the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom (UGRR NTF) in 2011, the McAllister’s Mill site, just south of town, is part of a nationwide collection of sites that have a verifiable association to the activities […]

This tour is focused on the Underground Railroad and includes four authenticated Underground Railroad sites. Because the Underground Railroad was by necessity secret, uncovering the details of its existence has required a great deal of detective work. This tour includes the latest research and recent discoveries which further reveal the rich fabric of African American […]

Living the Experience is a spiritual, interactive reenactment of the Underground railroad. Patrons get a chance to step inside the shoes of Africans seeking their freedom in the 1800's in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The production is the first Underground Railroad reenactment in Central Pennsylvania and has been sharing the story for 27 years. Each includes our […]

Our popular, family-friendly bus tours are led by a knowledgeable local guide.  You will visit documented Underground Railroad sites, historic homes and Quaker Meetinghouses while learning about local abolitionists and anti-slavery activity in the Kennett Square area.  The tour also presents the contributions of local African Americans and their faith communities in the quest for […]

Lancaster Live & Learn Series 2026 - The William Whipper Reading Circle Lancaster Public Library, 151 N Queen St, Lancaster, PA 17603, USA About the event The Commonwealth MonIn honor of the late Lenwood “Leni” Sloan of Lancaster, known and revered as an historian, cultural steward and self-described “catalytic agent,” the African American Historical Society […]

The Destination Freedom: Underground Railroad Walking Tour at the Waverly Community House is expanding to the Endless Mountains region! Since 2017, the Destination Freedom program has highlighted the 19th century Underground Railroad, abolition, and anti-slavery movements in Northeastern Pennsylvania with walking tours and events that tell the complex story of the role that local residents […]

#FreedomWalk2026  A major 250th-anniversary commemoration led by the Menare Foundation, this 8-week, 750-mile journey retraces Underground Railroad routes from Maryland to Canada.  The project includes stops in Pennsylvania  (with an overnight "station" in Philadelphia) and will feature community activations such as lectures, tours, service projects, and opportunities for the public to participate. It is positioned […]

Thaddeus Stevens was NOT a blacksmith. He owned the 10,000 acres that comprised Caledonia Ironworks. As a leading abolitionist, he advocated for the end of slavery, and it is suspected his Caledonia Ironworks was used as a conduit for the Underground Railroad. In June, 1863 the Army of Northern Virginia marched north into Chambersburg, and […]