Downers Grove Museum celebrates acceptance of Blodgett House into Underground Railroad Network to Freedom

Join the Downers Grove Museum as it celebrates the acceptance of the 1846 Israel and Avis Blodgett’s House into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

The Network to Freedom, a National Park Service program, coordinates preservation and education efforts nationwide associated with the Underground Railroad. Attendees will learn more about the Network to Freedom and about the connection of the Blodgett House and other UGRR sites in DuPage County. The Blodgett House will also be open for tours. Pre-registration is required for this free program.

In 1998, legislation titled the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 was passed, creating the Network to Freedom program. This program honors, preserves and promotes the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, which continues to inspire people worldwide. Through its mission, the Network to Freedom helps to advance the idea that all human beings embrace the right to self-determination and freedom from oppression.

The 1846 Israel Blodgett House was built by Israel and Avis Blodgett in 1846 and is one of the oldest houses in Downers Grove. Israel and Avis came to Downers Grove in February 1836 from Amherst, Mass. The family first settled in a small, one-room log cabin while Israel worked as the town’s blacksmith. The members of the Blodgett family held abolitionist beliefs, and it is believed that the Blodgett’s provided assistance to enslaved people during the Civil War era.