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Located 50 miles
northwest of Carbondale and just east of Sparta, this two-story brick
Greek Revival-style house dates to 1849. A. A. Burlingame, a local farm
pump manufacturer, lived here through the 1850s and offered his
residence as a refuge to escaped slaves along what became known as the
Underground Railroad. Burlingame’s efforts to shelter and transport
runaway slaves north as part of his business trips are an integral part
of Illinois' antebellum history.
The house is an
historic resource within the National Park Service’s proposed
Mississippi Delta Region African-American Heritage Corridor. Vacant and
for sale, the residence is in dire need of rehabilitation.
Photo 1: Courtesy of Arthur Insurance &
Realty Services
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HOW CAN I HELP?
Anyone interesting in conducting archival documentation of the site and
researching the Underground Railroad in Randolph County should contact Don
Wiley with the Randolph County Genealogical Society at
dcwiley@egyptian.net. |
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