UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WALKING TOUR

Join us for our Fourth Biennial Underground Railroad Walking Tour Weekend!

Friday, September 26: Guest Lecture (details TBD)
Saturday, September 27: Walking Tour

All tours will start at J&J Spratt Funeral Home, 1612 3rd Avenue, New Brighton, PA 15066

About the Event

We are thrilled to announce that our Fourth Biennial Underground Railroad Walking Tour Weekend is back in 2025!

This year, we will kick the event off on Friday, September 26 with a guest lecture. Please stay tuned as details are still being developed.

The free two-mile walking tour will take place the following morning on Saturday, September 27, where participants will see seven New Brighton sites tied to the Abolitionist Movement and Underground Railroad, with docents sharing their history at each stop.

Schedule of Events


Guest Lecture (TBD)


Underground Railroad Walking Tour

The Fourth Biennial Underground Railroad Walking Tour will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025. The two-mile guided walking tour will allow participants to see seven New Brighton sites that were either part of the Underground Railroad or linked to famed abolitionists.

Few know that tiny New Brighton played a major role in helping guide enslaved people to freedom, but history lovers Odette Lambert and the late Ken Locke, helped unearth New Brighton’s Underground Railroad legacy, the historical figures involved, and the remaining rare locations still in existence.

Historical information and displays will be available for viewing, as well as food, beverages, and merchandise for sale onsite.

When:
Saturday, September 27, 2025

Time:
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Tours will depart every 15 minutes on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where:
All tours will start at J&J Spratt Funeral Home at 1612 Third Avenue, New Brighton, PA 15066

Tickets:
This event is free of charge, though donations are welcomed. Participants are required to sign up for a time slot at registration on the day of the event. Pre-registration is not available.

FAQs

  • We are currently withholding the scheduling of additional private tours for the remainder of 2025.

    With planning for our public biennial Underground Railroad Walking Tour underway, our small volunteer team with limited resources has decided to focus our efforts on making this event the best it can be.

  • The Underground Railroad Walking Tour is about 2.5 miles long and last roughly 2.5 hours. It is recommended that all tour participants wear comfortable walking shoes.

  • Because the tour covers a number of uneven sidewalks, brick paths, and steep hills, the Underground Railroad Walking Tour is not wheelchair accessible.

  • We are currently accepting volunteers for the day of the event. Please complete this form by June 1, 2025.

The Eight Underground Railroad
Sites in New Brighton

  • James Edgar House exterior

    James Edgar House

    1034 5TH AVENUE

  • Merrick Art Gallery's exterior

    Merrick Art Gallery

    1100 5TH AVENUE

  • Dr. David Stanton House

    Dr. David Stanton House

    1300 3RD AVENUE

  • Sarah Jane Lippincott's White Cottage exterior

    Sarah Jane Lippincott’s White Cottage

    1221 3RD AVENUE

  • First Presbyterian Church of New Brighton's exterior

    First Presbyterian Church of New Brighton

    1199 3RD AVENUE

  • Robert Townsend House exterior

    Robert Townsend House

    1612 3RD AVENUE
    Currently J&J Spratt Funeral Home

  • Irish-Townsend House exterior

    Irish-Townsend House

    1229 7TH AVENUE
    Currently owned by the New Brighton Historical Society

  • William P. Townsend House exterior

    William P. Townsend House

    1205 PENN AVENUE
    Currently Dr. Lambert’s Optometry Office