Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– "Freedom Seekers on the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois," will be the program of the Park Forest Historical Society on Sunday February 21 at 2:30 p.m. in Park Forest Village Hall. Dr. Larry A. McClellan, local historian, will present his research into evidence of Underground Railroad activity in the Park Forest area and in Northeastern Illinois. Society programs are offered free to the general public. Parents with children and students are welcome to attend.
A major route for freedom seekers was through Will County and South Cook County, then overland through Indiana and Michigan or through Chicago; with the goal of reaching Detroit and then Canada. There are a large number of documented sites of this activity in our local region and in Chicago. The McCoy farm, located in what is now Cook County Forest Preserve District property along Sauk Trail, is known to have been one stop for escaping slaves. The Ton farm in Riverdale was another major stop.
Dr. McClellan has done several presentations on the Underground Railroad for the State Historical Society and will present again at their annual symposium in March. He is currently completing a book on Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois. Dr. McClellan has written extensively on the history of the region south of Chicago.
For information on the program, contact the Society at parkforesthistory1 at yahoo.com. Current information on the Society and a map to Village Hall, located at 350 Victory Drive in Park Forest, can be found on the Society website at www.parkforesthistory.org.
