New Jersey History and Sites

Originally founded by Louise Calloway in Burlington City, the Historic Underground Railroad Museum serves as a local museum for the history of slavery and the underground railroad in southern New Jersey. Today, it is located in Historic Smithville Park in Eastampton, the place it has called home since 2015. The Burlington County Underground Railroad Museum traces the history of the Atlantic slave trade, and the fight for freedom by enslaved individuals.

The first room starts with life in Africa and how the slave trade worked. The following rooms show the fight through slavery towards freedom. The final room wraps up with modern day African American accomplishments and struggles. Beyond the surprising history that the museum shares with visitors, the museum holds some shocking artifacts, included a ball and chain, and branding irons, all which were used on slaves.  

There is a lot of local history told throughout the museum, allowing visitors a look into what happened in the region over a century ago, and the contributions of New Jersey citizens towards the Underground Railroad and freedom for slaves. For example, Wheatley’s Pharmacy on High Street in Burlington had tunnels to the Delaware River, where runaway slaves could head north. The museum also pays tribute to William Still, an African-American abolitionist from Burlington County, and a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Like Still, many other New Jersey residents helped fleeing slaves travel further north to find freedom. One shocking fact visitors might learn on their visit is that New Jersey was the last northern state to abolish slavery. This, and many other unique facts allows visitors to the museum to gain an appreciation of these Underground Railroad sites, the history of slavery, and help develop a local connection to the past.

While the downstairs portion is mainly history focused, the upstairs portion of the museum also focuses on political issues that occured throughout our nation’s history, and points out racial injustices over decades. The museum at as a whole can be quite overwhelming for some visitors, but it allows people to develop a deeper recognition for the challenges faced and injustices that existed. Although, it does force people to grapple with the uncomfortable history of United States, and some of the artifacts and rooms can be emotional, it is well-worth the visit.

The museum can be self-guided or free tours are available on Saturdays. If you are in a time crunch with children, the self-guided tour may be preferable. You can walk through the couple rooms in 15-20 minutes and then spend the day at Smithville Park. If you have the time though, a guided tour is highly recommended with one of the museum’s knowledgeable tour guides, who will passionately share the history of the slave trade, the local connections, and some of the museums prized artifacts.

Resources

“Burlington County Underground Railroad Museum.” Rowan College at Burlington County. Accessed on December 9, 2023. https://rcbc.edu/about/diversity-equity-inclusion-rcbc/burlington-county-underground-railroad-museum

Edwards, Tamala. “92-year-old founded free museum to preserve African American history in Burlington Co. NJ.” 6 abc. Published June 16, 2022. https://6abc.com/louise-calloway-juneteenth-underground-railroad-museum-of-burlington-county-african-american-history/11965350/

Murphy, Sean Patrick. “Underground Railroad Museum collection is a lesson in history.” The Burlington County Times. Published December 10, 2015.  https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/news/2015/12/11/underground-railroad-museum-collection-is/17538598007/