Underground Railroad Teaching Partnership of Long Island

The Underground Railroad, village by village

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Jericho
   A Quaker community first established by Robert Williams in 1648. By 1692, this farm employed many Quakers who later named the village Jericho.
   The original Jericho Meeting House still stands on Old Jericho Turnpike, just north of the existing Route 25 in Jericho. It was here that served as the center of Quaker life and where Elias Hicks, perhaps Long Island's best-known opponent of slavery, was a member.
   The Home of Elias Hicks is also located on Old Jericho Turnpike, which can best be described as lying directly behind the Maine Maid Inn, another structure historic in the anti-slavery movement. Elias Hicks was responsible for encouraging Quakers to liberate their slaves. Between 1775 and 1776, 85 slaves were granted their freedom by Long Island's Quaker community. Through the efforts of Long Island Quakers alone, 154 slaves had been freed in Queens County, which then included all of today's Nassau County, by 1791. The descendants of Elias Hicks and his family own and operate Hicks Nursery on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury.
   The Maine Maid Inn, the well-known restaurant and catering facility on Jericho Turnpike, also has its place in the Underground Railroad's history. The structure served as the home of Valentine Hicks, the first president of the Long Island Railroad, who often employed freed slaves on his farm and assisted runaway slaves, who hid in an upstairs room, to safety.
   The Thomas Willis Property, located North of Jericho Turnpike between Kirby Lane and Underhill Boulevard, is a 500 acre parcel of land that was home of Thomas Willis who was the cousin of Samuel Parsons of Queens. Willis was known to have assisted slaves in their escape from New York City.

Port Washington
   Orignally the home of Adam and Anne Mott, the Mott Homestead was located on the West shore of Hempstead Harbor on Sands Point. From this locale, Robert, the Mott's grandson is believed to have brought slaves from New York City by sloop. From here, they were then transported across the Long Island Sound to the home of James and Mary Mott in Mamaroneck.

Roslyn
   Built in 1701, The Roslyn Grist Mill was owned by the Seaman family. Converted to a tea house in 1916 and now the focus of restoration efforts, the mill is believed to have served as a departure point for escaping slaves.

Smithtown
   The only Suffolk County location in this project, The Epenetus Smith Tavern is located on Middle Country Road (Route 25A) in the heart of Smithtown. It was here that Henry Highland Garnet served as an indentured servant before going on to become a famous Presbyterian minister and abolitionist.

Wantagh
   Found on Wantagh Avenue in this village, formerly known as Jerusalem, the home of the John Jackson Family still stands. Jackson and his bride, Elizabeth Seaman, operated a lumber mill that became the place of work for many freed slaves between 1770 and 1830. Those freed men and women established a community known as The Brush where escaping slaves came to find safety and work.

Westbury
   The Westbury Meeting House that stands today on the South corner of Jericho Turnpike and Post Avenue was built in 1902 is the third such house, the first having been built in 1702 but lost to fire along with the second, which was built in 1801. it was on this site that, in 1775, Elias Hicks spoke and convinced the members of Westbury to liberate their slaves.
   Built in 1695 on what is currently Post Road in Westbury is The Old Place, which was originally the home of Gideon Seaman, a Quaker who aided Elias Hicks with the manumission of slaves. Through a series of marriages, the home later was owned by the Hicks family and was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Groups of escaping slaves were taken from New York City by wagon and given shelter until they could be transported to boats on the Long Island Sound.
   Located on Wheatley Road is the Home of Isaac Hicks, one of the original members of the manumission society. Hicks is known for having captured a boat carrying kidnapped slaves, saving the victims and bringing the kidnappers to justice.