The Land of Lincoln played an important role in the historic Underground Railroad which helped so many slaves find freedom in the North. Illinois' role was so impactful that one of the sites on the Underground Railroad in Illinois is considered the "center for the abolitionist movement" here are the details.

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The travel website called farandwide.com put out a list called Underground Railroad Sites You Should Visit, and Beecher Hall in Jacksonville, Illinois makes the list of sites you should visit. Beecher Hall is on the list with places like the Fredrick Douglass National Historic Site, the Peter Mott House, and the Harriet Tubman Home. Why is Beecher Hall on the list? On the site they say...

"...Beecher Hall is part of Illinois College, which was a center for the abolitionist movement. Before the war, the structure was used to spread anti-slavery ideas to students and provide a space for activists in a mostly pro-slavery community. Many students who attended classes in this hall became part of the railroad. Others openly spoke in favor of emancipation, despite threats, harassment and the murder of one of the town's most prominent abolitionists, Elijah Lovejoy."

I have lived in Quincy now for four years, and have been to Jacksonville a couple of times and never knew that Beecher Hall was this important in the history of abolishing slavery. I wanted to learn more, and according to Wikipedia...

" Beecher Hall is now part of the National Park Service's Network to Freedom, an association of historic sites linked to the Underground Railroad."

If you want more information on visiting the historic Beecher Hall just click here!

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