NE Illinois / Chicago -- Specific Sites and Projects
For freedom seekers and the UGRR
on the Chicago to Detroit Freedom Trail
Oct 10, 2023
Larry A. McClellan
Significant research is needed on specific sites and projects in northeastern Illinois and Chicago. The two routes of the Freedom Trail start in Bronzeville and on the Sauk Trail at the southern edge of Cook County
(Over time, sites & topics will be added and dropped)
Specific projects:
Develop general historic marker/interpretive sites:
Develop UGRR monument in Chicago
For the Chicago Detroit Freedom Trail:
Initial guidebooks / maps
Phone app / Interactive website
Collecting freedom seeker stories
Interpretation of other Chicago sites
Main Route
Quinn Chapel
Olivet Baptist Church
Kuyper home/store - 103rd & Michigan
Indiana Avenue Bridge
Ton Farm- NPS Network to Freedom site –
has designation and signage
- Interpretation at Pullman NHP
- Interpretation at Gardner/Wilcox House
Connections with related places: Children’s Museum, CSU, Univ of Chicago,
Du Sable Museum, Bronzeville Trail
Sauk Trail Route
Park Forest - sites on Sauk Trail
McCoy Homestead – in Forest Preserves
South Chicago Heights – Brown family home & tavern
Vincennes Trace / Hubbard’s Trail
Crete – Historical Museum Church & Cemetery -
NPS Network to Freedom site
Crete – Bebee’s Grove:
Cushing / Bebee / Beach / Cook / Safford
home sites
Sauk Village – Sauk Trail marker and interpretation
Contact the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad
Project through their Facebook page.
Tom Shepherd tomshepherd2001@yahoo.com
Larry McClellan mcclellan.larry@gmail.com
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