Underground Railroad Heritage in Lancaster

Located just north of the Mason-Dixon line, Lancaster played a vital role in the Underground Railroad for freedom seekers on their journey north. It was here that a community uprising against slavery – the Christiana Resistance – became a significant catalyst in the nation's steps toward Civil War. Today, visitors can visit the Christiana Underground Railroad Center at Zercher’s Hotel, which commemorates the historic event and preserves important artifacts.

In the 1830s, Pennsylvania was a free state and home to many anti-slavery activists. In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed and forced citizens to assist in the capture of anyone accused of being a fugitive from any state, even a free state. Christiana had become a settlement for people of color, both free and freedom seekers, who were subject to frequent raids hunting for fugitives. The Black community organized for self-protection and William Parker, a formerly enslaved man, was the resistance leader.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 1851, Maryland farmer Edward Gorsuch surrounded Parker’s house in search of fugitives and demanded they return. Parker and the household did not relent and moved to the second floor with guns to defend themselves. Eliza Parker, William’s wife, blew a horn to signal that help was needed. Within minutes, numerous Black men arrived to stand up to Gorsuch and his party. The tension escalated and shooting began. Gorsuch was shot. 

In the aftermath, 38 men were rounded up and indicted for treason, with Thaddeus Stevens serving as the defense counsel. The men were acquitted and all charges dropped. Parker used Underground Railroad connections to reach New York, where Frederick Douglass arranged for him to catch the ferry to the safety of Canada.

While the Parker house did not survive history, the rich story of the successful resistance is retold at the Christiana Underground Railroad Center at Zercher's Hotel. The building was meaningfully named after its function at the time of the event as a hotel owned by Frederick Zercher. Join local historians for a guided tour and peruse the museum's collection of maps, photographs and narratives. It's worth the short drive from After Eight B&B to learn about this important moment in American history