Nearly two centuries after a formerly enslaved pioneer bought 80 acres of Illinois prairie and founded the first legally registered town in the United States platted by an African American, nearly 20 acres of the historic townsite have officially been transferred to the National Park Service.
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acres → enslave → Service
According to the National Park Service, the land was donated by the nonprofit New Philadelphia Association and is an important addition to the New Philadelphia National Historic Site.
uncertain
land → accord → Site
Located near Barry in Pike County, the site protects the story of Free Frank McWorter, who established an integrated frontier community decades before the American Civil War.
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who → locate → War
The acquisition protects important visitor facilities and historic land, helping preserve the story of self-emancipation, cooperation between Black and white residents, and pioneer determination for future generations.
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acquisition → protect → generations
From bondage to pioneer landownership
According to National Park Service historical information, New Philadelphia began with the determination of Frank McWorter, who was born into slavery in South Carolina in 1777.
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who → accord → 1777
While living in Kentucky, McWorter was allowed to operate saltpetre mining businesses alongside his forced labor.
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McWorter → live → labor
By carefully saving his earnings, he was able to buy the freedom of his wife, Lucy, in 1817.
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he → save → 1817
He purchased his own freedom two years later.
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He → purchase → freedom
In 1830, McWorter moved his family to Illinois.
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McWorter → move → Illinois
According to historical accounts, Illinois allowed free Black people to purchase property under federal land laws, despite strict state limits on their civil rights.
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people → accord → rights
Five years later, in 1835, McWorter paid $100 for an 80-acre piece of federal land in rural Pike County.
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McWorter → pay → County
According to the National Park Service, McWorter saw an opportunity to build a town in the area.
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McWorter → accord → area
In 1836, he set aside 42 acres of his property and divided it into 144 residential and commercial lots.
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he → set → lots
He then formally created the town of New Philadelphia.
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He → create → Philadelphia
This made him the first African American in U.S. history known to legally establish and register a municipality.
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him → make → municipality
A community built on lot sales
McWorter’s plans went beyond buying and selling land.
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plans → build → land
According to the New Philadelphia National Historic Site, he designed the community as an integrated and affordable place where Black and white families could own property, run businesses, and educate their children.
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families → accord → children
Money from the sale of town lots helped fund McWorter’s main goal: buying his family members out of slavery.
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Money → fund → slavery
According to historical records, McWorter used money from his Illinois land transactions to purchase the freedom of 16 relatives, including children, grandchildren, and his mother.
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McWorter → accord → children
During the years before the Civil War, New Philadelphia also became part of the Underground Railroad.
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Philadelphia → become → Railroad
According to the National Park Service, the town’s location between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers allowed local residents to help enslaved people escaping from nearby Missouri as they travelled north toward Canada.
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they → accord → Canada
By the late 1860s, the town had about 160 residents.
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town → have → residents
Historical records show that the community included blacksmith shops, general stores, a wheelwright, and an integrated public school.
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community → show → shops
Railroad bypass, decline, and archaeological rediscovery
The decline of New Philadelphia followed a pattern seen in many Midwestern towns during the late 19th century.
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decline → follow → century
According to the National Park Service, the Hannibal and Naples Railroad bypassed the town in 1869 and instead built its tracks through nearby Barry.
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Railroad → accord → Barry
Without access to the new railroad, businesses and residents slowly moved away.
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businesses → move → railroad
By the 1920s, the town’s original buildings had disappeared, and the land had returned largely to agricultural use.
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land → disappear → use
Although the buildings were gone, much of New Philadelphia’s history remained underground.
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much → go → history
According to information from the New Philadelphia Association and archaeological researchers, local residents formed the association in the late 1990s to protect the historic site from highway construction and damage caused by farming.
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residents → accord → farming
Archaeologists from the University of Illinois and other institutions later carried out major excavations.
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Archaeologists → carry → excavations
They found thousands of household objects, road remains, and building foundations.
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They → find → objects
The discoveries helped lead to New Philadelphia being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
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Philadelphia → lead → 2005
The site was later named a National Historic Landmark in 2009.
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site → name → 2009
According to the National Park Service, Congress officially added New Philadelphia to the National Park System in December 2022, making it the 424th unit of the system.
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it → accord → system
Since then, federal officials have worked with local community groups to acquire important parcels within the park’s 124-acre boundary.
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officials → work → boundary
The recent donation of nearly 20 acres by the New Philadelphia Association transfers ownership of the park’s main public access area.
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donation → transfer → area
According to the National Park Service, the property includes an information kiosk, educational displays, accessible parking, and other cultural features created with help from local volunteers.
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property → accord → volunteers
New Philadelphia National Historic Site Superintendent Chris Collins said the partnership with the local association has been important to the park’s development.
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partnership → say → development
“This donation is an important step in protecting the resources and stories of New Philadelphia for the community and visitors,” Collins said.
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Collins → protect → community
I am excited to continue working alongside our partners as we plan for the future of New Philadelphia National Historic Site.”
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we → continue → Site
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