History of NPA

1996 – Small group of residents met about sign at New Philadelphia.

1998 – New sign at New Philadelphia

2001 – U of I Springfield partners with NPA

2002 –  Held Conference with U of I S

2002 –  Oct.& Nov. walk–overs of town site

2003 – Survey by U of MD, U of I, ISU, IC, Hannibal–LaGrange, & IL St. Museum – 7,000 artifacts discovered

2004 – National Science Foundation Field School for students; June Lecture series first held

2005 – Feb: Gov.Blagjovich named I–72 Griggsville–Hannibal, Free Frank Memorial Hwy.

2005 – May: Possession of Burdick House

2005 – June: Named to National Register of Historic Places

2006 – Talking House installation

2006 – Sen. Demuzio & Pres. of Senate Emil Jones present grant to NPA

2007 – New Philadelphia lesson plan available on National Park Service “Teaching with Historic Places” website

2008 – 4 sets of 11 vol. of NP history & documents (ed. Gerald McWorter) given to Barry Library, U of I, Chicago Library & A.Lincoln Presidential Library

2009 – Designated National Historic Landmark

2010 – The Archeological Conservancy bought 9.14 acres of N.P. town site

2013 – Included in NPS National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program Kiosk finished; Walking Trail established

2014 –   U.S. Pres. signed legislation to authorize the NPS to conduct a special Resources study to determine New Philadelphia’s qualifications to become a unit of NPS

2015 –   Story signs (by C. Martin) in Kiosk; Virtual Reality tour available (artists representations of what New Philadelphia may have looked like)

2016 –   National Park Service special resources study at New Philadelphia