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Take a Ride on the Underground Railroad
Indiana's African-American Heritage
By Carole Witsken
Operating as a school until 1938, today the building stands vacant. Historic Eleutherian Inc. owns the building and is seeking funds for a long-range plan for the site. In 2000, the group opened an adjacent visitor center and museum, which features historical exhibits related to the college and the Underground Railroad.
Guided tours of the college are available mid-April through October. Tours also are available by appointment. Call 812-273-9434 for tour details.
Indianapolis' first African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church has played an important role in the city's African-American community for more than 160 years. It originated as a small congregation, which held services in a log cabin, then known as the Underground Railroad's "Indianapolis Station."
Church members actively promoted the abolitionist movement, often harboring fugitive slaves en route to Canada. These activities were not always well received by some members of the community and it is believed that slavery supporters caused the fire that destroyed the first church building in 1862. Over the next five years, a determined congregation raised the money needed to rebuild the church in 1867. Today, the church continues to stand on downtown Indianapolis' West Vermont Street.
Bethel AME Church, known as the "mother church" of the African Methodist faith in Indiana, played an important role in the community after the Civil War. It opened schools for African-Americans throughout the city, and established the Indianapolis chapter of the NAACP and the Indiana State Federation of Colored Woman's Clubs.
Visitors are welcome to attend services and tour the building. Call 317-634-7002 for more information.
For a traveler's guide to Indiana's African-American heritage, log on to www.visitIndiana.com.