BLANCHARD HALL

Inscription

BLANCHARD HALL

BLANCHARD HALL A STOP ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD BEFORE AND DURING THE CIVIL WAR, THOUSANDS OF FREEDOM SEEKERS FLED NORTHWARD TO ESCAPE BONDAGE. AIDED BY ABOLITIONISTS AND OTHER SYMPATHETIC ALLIES, THESE MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN OFTEN TRAVELED BY NIGHT ON FOOT OR BY WAGON, BOAT, OR TRAIN. BY DAY THEY FOUND SHELTER IN BARNS, SHOPS, CHURCHES, AND SCHOOLS. LOCATED IN DUPAGE COUNTY, BLANCHARD HALL WAS SURROUNDED BY AN ACTIVE ANTI-SLAVERY COMMUNITY. IT WAS GEOGRAPHICALLY WELL-SITUATED TO WELCOME FREEDOM SEEKERS WHO ENDED THEIR JOURNEY IN CHICAGO TO JOIN A LARGE POPULATION OF FREE AFRICAN AMERICANS OR TO BOARD A VESSEL TO CANADA VIA LAKE MICHIGAN. WHEN WHEATON COLLEGE WAS FOUNDED IN 1860 AS A CHRISTIAN LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE, THE INSTITUTE’S PARTICIPATION IN THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WAS VALIANTLY CARRIED FORWARD BY THE COLLEGE’S FOUNDING PRESIDENT, ABOLITIONIST JONATHAN BLANCHARD WHO, WITH HIS WIFE, MARY, HARBORED ESCAPED SLAVES IN THEIR HOME. BEFORE HE ENLISTED IN THE 39TH ILLINOIS INFANTRY REGIMENT, COMPANY G (THE “PREACHER’S COMPANY”) IN 1861, EZRA COOK WAS A STUDENT AT WHEATON COLLEGE. LATER, HE WROTE OF HAVING SEEN AND TALKED WITH RUNAWAY SLAVES: “SO STRONG WAS PUBLIC SENTIMENT THAT RUNAWAY SLAVES WERE PERFECTLY SAFE IN THE COLLEGE BUILDING, EVEN WHEN NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONCEAL THEM. OF COURSE, THEY SOON TOOK A NIGHT TRAIN WELL-GUARDED TO THE NEXT STATION ON THE U.G.R.R. [UNDERGROUND RAILROAD].” IN 1866, WHEATON BECAME THE FIRST COLLEGE IN ILLINOIS TO GRADUATE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS.

SPONSORED BY
WHEATON COLLEGE, THE WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION,
AND THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
OCTOBER 2021