For the Union: Launching Lincoln’s Quest for the Presidency in Chester County

The book "For the Union" tells the story of how Quaker abolition, a hanging, a slave riot, and a newspaper in West Chester helped launch Abraham Lincoln's presidential campaign in 1860. The first biography of the presidential candidate was published at what is now known as the Lincoln Building in downtown West Chester. It ultimately […]

Abolition and the Underground Railroad (virtual)

Chester County was home to a diverse patchwork of religious communities, antislavery activities and free Black populations, all working to end the blight of slavery during the Civil War era. Kennett Square was known as the "hotbed of abolitionism" and "the hub of the Underground Railroad" with more Underground Railroad stations than anywhere else in […]

Underground Railroad in West Chester (walking tour)

The Underground Railroad was a network of people offering shelter and aid to enslaved men, women and children on their journeys to freedom. This family-friendly walking tour will visit eight locations around downtown West Chester that served as a backdrop for the people involved in this clandestine operation. The tour covers approximately 1.25 miles, lasts […]

Underground Railroad in West Chester (walking tour)

The Underground Railroad was a network of people offering shelter and aid to enslaved men, women and children on their journeys to freedom. This family-friendly walking tour will visit eight locations around downtown West Chester that served as a backdrop for the people involved in this clandestine operation. The tour covers approximately 1.25 miles, lasts […]

Underground Railroad in West Chester (walking tour)

The Underground Railroad was a network of people offering shelter and aid to enslaved men, women and children on their journeys to freedom. This family-friendly walking tour will visit eight locations around downtown West Chester that served as a backdrop for the people involved in this clandestine operation. The tour covers approximately 1.25 miles, lasts […]

Underground Railroad in West Chester (walking tour)

The Underground Railroad was a network of people offering shelter and aid to enslaved men, women and children on their journeys to freedom. This family-friendly walking tour will visit eight locations around downtown West Chester that served as a backdrop for the people involved in this clandestine operation. The tour covers approximately 1.25 miles, lasts […]

Underground Railroad in West Chester (walking tour)

The Underground Railroad was a network of people offering shelter and aid to enslaved men, women and children on their journeys to freedom. This family-friendly walking tour will visit eight locations around downtown West Chester that served as a backdrop for the people involved in this clandestine operation. The tour covers approximately 1.25 miles, lasts […]