I'm looking for information regarding the Underground Railroad in Indianapolis. My grandmother who lived from 1900-1996 told me that there was a secret room under their house on Merrill Street and that she was told it had been used as part of the Underground Railroad. I'm not sure when the house was built, I only know that her family was living there by 1870 (and possibly as early as the 1850s). Unfortunately the house no longer stands as it was purchased by Eli Lilly in the 1950s and was demolished. Joel www.rafert.org

Hi Joel: Very interesting!! I found the following on the Indianapolis Underground Station at 414 West Vermont. This would have been within about a mile of where our ancestors lived. Look at maps.google.com or Google Earth: Bethel AME Church - 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. Nancy Lee White County Coordinator for Marion and Ohio Counties INGenExchange and County Coordinator for Hardin and Union Counties OHGenExchange http://www.genexchange.org/county.php?state=in&county=marion http://www.genexchange.org/county.php?state=in&county=ohio http://www.genexchange.org/county.php?state=oh&county=hardin http://www.genexchange.org/county.php?state=oh&county=union Volunteers have a warm fuzzy feeling! Keep genealogy free-volunteer today! -----Original Message----- From: Joel S. Russell [mailto:jsruss@mindspring.com] Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 11:52 AM To: INMARION-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [MARION COUNTY, IN] Underground Railroad I'm looking for information regarding the Underground Railroad in Indianapolis. My grandmother who lived from 1900-1996 told me that there was a secret room under their house on Merrill Street and that she was told it had been used as part of the Underground Railroad. I'm not sure when the house was built, I only know that her family was living there by 1870 (and possibly as early as the 1850s). Unfortunately the house no longer stands as it was purchased by Eli Lilly in the 1950s and was demolished. Joel www.rafert.org ==== INMARION Mailing List ==== Post a <a href="http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/USA/In/Marion">Query of your Marion County, Indiana Ancestor</a>