Every June the Likes Lectures tell freedom stories that relate to New Philadelphia.  We will gather again this year to hear four stories every Tuesday in June at 7 p.m. In 2023, the dates are as follows; June 6, 13, 20, and 27th. The series began in 2004 as part of the archaeology NSF-REU field […]

Author Christine Ledbetter shares the story of Free Frank. Click here to read the article.

Just over a century after Free Frank founded the town of New Philadelphia, an act passed by the Senate and House, and signed by President Joe Biden, established the New Philadelphia National Historic Site as a unit of the National Park Service. Click here to read more.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Darin LaHood’s legislation to establish the New Philadelphia National Historical Park in Pike County, Illinois, as a unit of the National Park System. The bill passed by a unanimous vote. Click here to read the press release from the Congressman’s office.

The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom began a month-long social media takeover in honor of International Underground Railroad Month. The New Philadelphia Association participated on September 13th.  Take a look at our social activity below. Follow us on Facebook for more!

Every June our Likes Lectures tell freedom stories that relate to New Philadelphia.  We gather online again this year to hear four stories every Tuesday in June at 7 p.m. To attend, write to newphiladelphiail@gmail.com for the Zoom details. June 7: The New Philadelphia and Lincoln University Connection, Brigadier General Donald Scott, retired. The New Philadelphia and Lincoln University […]

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis toured the site of the first town in the U.S. platted and legally registered by an African American, Free Frank McWorter, with members of the New Philadelphia Association.  Click here to read the article from the Herald-Whig.

This Black History Month we’re responding to demand by offering two simple buttons here.  One to donate, another to order our book.  (If you’re in Pike County, send an email to jeffm@adams.net to pick one up.)  Thanks for your interest and support! 1. Make a donation 2. Buy a book for $25, we’ll ship to […]

Good news! A Dec 2021 letter to the Chicago Tribune, subsequently posted on the New Philadelphia Association FB page. Tonia Lorenz December 9, 2021 It was a nice surprise to see a letter to the editor in Wednesday’s Chicago Tribune about New Philadelphia: “After seeing the musical “Paradise Square” at the Nederlander Theatre, I was […]

The Illinois State Archives holds a remarkable document which we reproduce below with their permission.  We are grateful to Justin Blandford, Superintendent of State Historic Sites in Springfield, for calling attention to it in a summer panel discussion hosted by the National Park Service Network to Freedom.  As we wrote in our Fall 2021 newsletter: […]