Freedom Seekers of Timucuan Preserve Recognized

News Release Date:
May 2, 2024

Church Creek, MD - The National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom accepted the Freedom Seekers of Timucuan Preserve, as one of 19 new listings, from the 47th round of applications, representing sites and programs in 10 states across the United States. These new listings, alongside more than 780 sites, facilities, and programs already in the Network, provide insight into the diverse experiences of freedom seekers who bravely escaped slavery and allies who assisted them.

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, is a 46,000+ acre park located in Jacksonville, Florida that held multiple plantations during the Spanish, English, and American periods. These plantation sites which include Kingsley Plantation, Houston Plantation on Big Talbot Island, and Fitzpatrick Plantation at Cedar Point were sites of bondage and of escape. In addition, the park's natural resources include thousands of acres of waterways including portions of the St. Johns and Nassau rivers. These water corridors were the route people traveled in their effort to find freedom. Due to the broad geographic area of the park and the complex history, the park can tell several different stories about freedom seekers. The carpenters and coopers of St. Johns Town in the British period, the Guerrero survivors in 1829, Charles and Dorcas in 1835, Romeo Murray in 1843, James and Pattie during the Civil War and others who sought liberty from various locations within Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

"For the past 25 years, our national program has been devoted to safeguarding and documenting stories of freedom." says Robin Krawitz, acting National Program Manager. "Today, we stand at a pivotal moment that signals the dawn of a fresh chapter in our quest to honor the courage and tenacity of countless known and unknown freedom seekers across a myriad of sites, programs, and facilities. In this latest round of nominations, we shine a spotlight on 14 distinctive locations and 5 new programs, illuminating the brave odysseys of those who pursued their freedom and the allies who stood by them. Welcoming these 19 new additions to our extensive collection of over 780 listings, we are reminded that the pursuit of freedom is a mosaic imbued with bravery, resilience, and interracial solidarity. Together, we persist in unraveling and commemorating the profound heritage of the Underground Railroad, inspiring future generations to champion the principles of liberty and justice for all."

The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom serves to honor, preserve, and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, which continues to inspire people worldwide. The Network currently represents over 780 locations in 40 states, plus Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. 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.

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