Delaware's Underground Railroad

      Anyone that has information, research material or anything to add to this exciting chapter in Delaware's history is encouraged to "e-mail me".
      The below sites are related to the URR or slave activity in Delaware. I've noted the below sites in categories based on my research and that of others. As time goes on I'll change the categories of each site as more information becomes available. There are three categories as follows:

Possibly       = Mentioned as a site
Probable      = Likely a site
Confirmed   = Strong evidence or documented confirmation

Delaware's Underground Railroad Sites

Name Location Dates Significance National
Register Tours
Available

Thomas Garrett House 4th & Shipley,
Wilmington
(no longer standing) ? Confirmed:
Garrett assisted Tubman in aiding runaways to escape. No No

Woodburn
Governor's House
( click here for link ) 151 Kings Highway,
Dover Built
ca. 1798 Possibly:
House reportedly contained tunnels that were used to aid escaping slaves. Yes Yes

Lockerman House Delaware State
University,
Dover Built
1742 Possibly:
Site associated with URR activity. No No

Cooper House 15 N. Main Street,
Camden Built
1782 Probably:
Runaway Slaves
were hidden in
a room above
the kitchen No No

Longwood Farm Near,
Camden Built
1833 Confirmed:
Runaway Slaves were hidden in barn No No

Wildcat Manor Near,
Lebanon Built
ca. 1720s Confirmed:
Slaves allowed refuges and transportation provided by boat No No

Appoquinimink Friends Meeting House Main Street,
Odessa Built
1785 Confirmed:
Slaves allowed refuge and shelter. No Yes

John Hunn House Middletown ? Confirmed:
Hunn was the most active figure in URR movement south of Wilmington. No No

Star Hill AME Church Star Hill,
near Dover Built
1863 Possibly:
Slaves reportedly stopped for rest and shelter. No Yes

Old Town Hall 512 Market St.,
Wilmington Built
1798 Possibly:
Used for abolitionist meetings. Yes Yes

Peter Lowbar House Frederica Built
1750 Probably:
Linked to URR in smuggling runaway slaves. No No

Peter Spencer Plaza 800 North French
Wilmington ? Confirmed:
Memorial & Burial Site of Rev. Peter Spencer (escaped from slavery in Md.; founder of first African American Church in Wilmington) Church was haven for runaway slaves. No No

Wilmington Friends Meeting House/Cem. 4th & West Streets
Wilmington ? Confirmed:
Thomas Garrett, Stationmaster of the URR, attended meeting house & is interred here. Yes No

Camden Friends Meeting House/Cem. Camden 1805 Confirmed:
John Hunn, Chief Engineer of Southern Delaware interred here. No No

Corbit-Sharp House Main Street,
Odessa Built
1774 Probable:
Slaves hidden in cabinets on the third floor and possible in cellar. Yes Yes

Daniel Corbit's Clearfield Farm Smyrna 1755 Confirmed:
Shelter and rest provided for escaping slaves. No No

Slave Dwelling Seaford ? Only extant slave dwelling in Delaware. On estate of Gov. William H. Ross (1851-1855) No No

Link of Triangle trade route Smyrna ? Sugar, molasses and slave trade route. No No

Brick Store Landing Northern Bank of Duck Creek, Smyrna ? Probable:
Oral tradition holds that landing was depot for kidnapped free negroes being sold in south. No No

Thomas England House Route 13, Smyrna ? Possible:
Oral tradition holds that it was. No No



Email any questions or comments to:
Russ Pickett
Last update: 7/19/2008