KeyStone Local Guide recently featured Abington in an article titled “Abington Township: A Beacon of Hope on the Underground Railroad”.

According to the article, secret routes and safe houses throughout the township helped over 50,000 slaves find passage to the North. An excerpt:

Abington Township’s role in aiding runaway slaves extended beyond the provision of safe passage. The community’s efforts included helping former slaves to settle, offering essential resources like land, housing, and education. The first A.M.E church in the area, a symbol of this support, still serves as a testament to the township’s commitment to the African-American population.

The Quaker estate “Vernon” at 630 Washington Lane in Rydal and the Peter Wentz Farmstead in Lansdale are mentioned. The farmstead was selected by the National Park Service for recognition as a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site in 2021. Built in 1744, the property still looks today as it did then.

“Vernon” was built in 1736 by Jenkinton founder Stephen Jenkins. Part of the home was used as a secret passageway for the Underground Railroad, a former owner told The Inquirer:

“We were told the old root cellar – the walls of which are still on the property – was the access point for the slaves from which ran a tunnel to the main house basement,” she said. “The tunnel has been since filled in prior to our family’s ownership.”

Destination Freedom and the walking trail map funded by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National State and Heritage Area are also mentioned.

For the full article, you can click here. For tours of the farmstead, you can click here.

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Photo: Redfin.com