Today was a very long driving day, with only one scheduled destination to break up the miles. Over the course of the day, I crossed from Missouri into Illinois, then back into Missouri, and finally into Iowa.
 |
| A Three-State Day |
About one hour after leaving the St. Louis area, I stopped at New Philadelphia National Historic Site. This is a very new site, and there is no National Park Service presence. The local volunteer organization, which has erected an information kiosk and a walking tour with guideposts, continues to maintain the site.
 |
| The Kiosk at New Philadelphia National Historic Site |
New Philadelphia is the first town in the United States platted and registered by an African American. Free Frank McWorter founded the town in 1836 after purchasing the freedom of his wife and himself. The family soon moved to Illinois, and in 1835, Free Frank purchased a parcel of land and laid out the town of New Philadelphia. He subdivided the property into 144 lots and sold them to both Black and White settlers. He then used his earnings to purchase the freedom of 16 family members. New Philadelphia soon became a stop on the Underground Railroad.
 |
| Free Frank and Lucy McWorter |
 |
| Map of New Philadelphia |
 |
| A Free, Racially Diverse Community |
The population of the town peaked in 1865 but began to decline after the railroad bypassed the town. Although the physical elements of New Philadelphia disappeared, descendants and neighboring communities kept its memory alive. Like the group at New Springs Battlefield, a local nonprofit organization has preserved the town and its history.
There has been quite a debate about New Philadelphia becoming a unit of the National Park Service. Although no one doubts the historic significance of the site, the issue is that nothing discernable from its period of significance remains (the existing structures were relocated here and were not part of the town.) Archeologists, however, disagree with this assessment and consider the property to be a nationally significant archeological site that advances our understanding of free, rural communities and the abolitionist cause in the mid-1800s.
 |
| New Philadelphia Today |
It is often stated that a new national park unit remains in its infancy for the first ten years after it is established. This park was established in December 2022, so it would be interesting to return after that time to see how the National Park Service develops the unit.
As I was leaving, a car pulled into the parking area, and I waved “hello” to the young couple. I made my way to Barry City Hall, where the passport stamp is kept, and ran into the couple again as I was getting back into my car. We talked for a bit, and I assumed that they were also members of the passport “cult,” as Tim would call it. This led to a discussion about the national parks we’ve been to and recommendations for where to go next. It was a fun visit.
I crossed back into Missouri and began the long drive to Des Moines, Iowa. Thankfully, most of the roads were four-lane, divided highways with little traffic. A stop for coffee helped break up the afternoon.
I had hoped to visit Pella, Iowa, but it was getting too late in the day. My travel insurance agent lives there and had invited me to see the town and meet him at a famous bakery. I’m disappointed that I missed that opportunity.
Before I reached Des Moines, I encountered another horrible accident on the opposite side of the highway. Again, I tried not to rubberneck, but a semi-truck and a large piece of farm equipment seemed to be involved. Neither fared well, but I didn’t see any white sheets this time, thank goodness.
I arrived in downtown Des Moines and checked into the Hyatt Place. Although I was using points for my stay, the agent upgraded me to a suite. How nice was that? It seemed that most of the guests were here for graduation ceremonies or a country music concert. It had been a long time since I’d seen so many rhinestone-bedecked outfits, cowboy boots, and hats.
No comments:
Post a Comment