Tales of the Historic Underground Railroad
Escaping Passage Tour

Experience a journey of adventure and excitement channeling the Chicago Southland nature trails and rivers underground.

The Journey begins in Crete, with a fascinating tour of telling tales of thousands of escaping Slave Freedom Seekers passing through our region prior to the Civil War, along with details of the local abolitionists that provided refuge throughout their journey.  The tour will visit two designated sites on the National Park Service's "Network to Freedom;" both locations have a verified connection to the Underground Railroad. Two major routes came through this region, and we will explore and learn about these two routes and others that were part of the network.

We will explore Crete, and end at the Jan Ton Farm near Riverdale, known as a "safe house" for numerous fugitive slaves on their daring journey to escape slavery. We'll visit other important locations in African-American history throughout the Chicago south suburbs, and into the south side of Chicago along the Little Calumet River and Pullman National Park.

This 5 1/2 hour tour with a stop for lunch will be narrated by Professor Larry McClellan, foremost authority on the Underground Railroad in Northern Illinois, and Tom Shepherd of the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project.

We look forward to welcoming you on this journey.

**Please note: Itinerary may be modified to meet your group’s specific needs. Locations and selections are subject to availability. Please contact Tobie at Tobie@VisitChicagoSouthland.com or 708-895-8200 to obtain current pricing and confirmation of dates and locations.