The Underground Railroad Association of Douglas County Kansas

We are a Non-profit organization dedicated to the documentation, preservation, and public awareness of Underground Railroad sites and environments in Douglas County. 
The final goal is to establish an underground railroad museum.


What we do

Our association is in the process of documenting as many as 30 sites in Douglas County,  that were used as the homes of abolitionists and as hideouts for runaway slaves. 

Our Association was formed by Martha Parker of the Clinton Lake Museum, and by member and Vice President Judy Sweets, who is an Archivist at the Dole Institute at the University of Kansas.

More than 1,000 African-American slaves traveled through Douglas County on the Underground Railroad from 1854 to 1861 on their way to freedom.

Our association uses many recourses such as old newspapers, photos, records, and interviews with descendants to uncover valuable information about  places where slaves have hidden in the county.

Many of the Underground Railroad sites that our group have discovered are along the Wakarusa River. Mainly  because, most of the early settlers made land claims on the richer soil and timber found near the water.

It is estimated that between 300 to 1,000 slaves moved through the Wakarusa River valley in our county,  making it a major  escape route in this region. 


Meeting Location

At the Wildcat Studios inside the Art Executive Office Park building
located at Kasold and Peterson Roads in Lawrence, Kansas.

We always encourage new members to join!

For more information or comments, please click here to contact us

Or visit our Contact page for all of the administrative addresses

Thanks for visiting, and hope to hear from you!