Underground Railroad Museum to open Sunday at new home
By Danielle Camilli Staff writer, Burlington County Times
Posted: Friday, June 7, 2013
EASTAMPTON — The shuttered Underground Railroad Educational Center and its collection of artifacts will be surrounded by history when it opens at its new digs Sunday.
The nonprofit center, which closed its Burlington City building adjacent to an Underground Railroad site on East Union Street in December because of financial strain, has found a new home in Burlington County’s Historic Smithville Park. County and center officials will celebrate their partnership and the new location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday at 1:30 p.m. during the Earth Fair at the park.
“This is a significant piece of Burlington County and, quite frankly, national history that will be safeguarded for future generations to explore and learn right here at the county,” said Joseph Donnelly, director of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders.
The county stepped in to help the center after learning it had to close its building. Originally, officials thought the collection could be featured at Burlington County College’s Willingboro Center, but Smithville proved to be a better fit.
However, college, county and center partners are working together to help catalog the museum’s artifacts, create oral histories, and establish educational activities for students who visit the new location, officials said.
The nonprofit’s collection includes books, art, news clippings and relics relating to the Underground Railroad and black history, such as the Emancipation Proclamation and Brown v. the Board of Education, and tributes to luminaries such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The museum works really well with our overall plan for Smithville, a place that is rich in local history,” Donnelly said. “We already have a workers cottage museum, the Smithville Mansion Museum, and now the Underground Railroad Museum. We would like to continue to add more historical and educational attractions to Smithville.”
County historians also are investigating stories about Smithville playing a role in the Underground Railroad. At this point, they are still researching and aren’t sure if the reports are factual or just rumor, officials said.
In recent years, the county has done significant restoration and rehabilitation work at Smithville, a former industrial village. Industrialist Hezekiah B. Smith lived in the 1840 Greek Revival mansion now open to the public. He manufactured high-wheel bicycles at the village during the late 1800s.
For now, the collection will be housed in the oldest worker’s house, which predates 1820, on the property, officials said. The county restored the building in 2011, moving it from one location in the park to another to rebuild its crumbling foundation and collapsed walls so it could be reopened to the public.
The building is home to the visitors’ center and will temporarily house the Underground Railroad exhibit until the restoration of another worker’s house is completed.
The county has used state historic preservation grants for its restoration work at the 312-acre park along the Rancocas Creek. Officials said they did not want to wait for work to be completed on the other worker’s house before unveiling the Underground Railroad Museum.
After the grand opening Sunday, the museum will be open during normal park hours.