The Chapel on the Green & The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
On September 28, 2023 the Chapel on the Green (original 1855 Bristol Congregational Church) in Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois was accepted into the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program.
The Bristol Congregational Church was one of 23 new listings from the 46th round of applications submitted in July of 2023, and these new listings join more than 750 sites, facilities, and programs in 14 states across the U. S. and the U. S. Virgin Islands already in the Network.
The NTF program, which was established in 1998, works to coordinate commemoration, preservation, and education regarding the history of the Underground Railroad. Focusing on “the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight,” the program has been “dedicated to preserving and commemorating stories of freedom for the past 25 years,” according to acting National Program Manager, Ka’mal McClarin. Collecting and recording the unique and diverse experiences and insight of freedom seekers and of the allies who assisted and supported them are core to the program’s goals.
Separate from the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places which recognizes structures and locations for their historical significance, the distinction of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program ensures that sites, facilities, and programs listed as part of the network have been nominated, completed the application process, and have proven to have verifiable and documented association with the Underground Railroad.
Being listed as a member of the NTF offers a variety of benefits to the recipient including: prestigious national recognition, opportunities for networking, eligibility for NTF Grants, verification of documented association with the UGRR, and much more.
The Bristol Congregational Church was one of 23 new listings from the 46th round of applications submitted in July of 2023, and these new listings join more than 750 sites, facilities, and programs in 14 states across the U. S. and the U. S. Virgin Islands already in the Network.
The NTF program, which was established in 1998, works to coordinate commemoration, preservation, and education regarding the history of the Underground Railroad. Focusing on “the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight,” the program has been “dedicated to preserving and commemorating stories of freedom for the past 25 years,” according to acting National Program Manager, Ka’mal McClarin. Collecting and recording the unique and diverse experiences and insight of freedom seekers and of the allies who assisted and supported them are core to the program’s goals.
Separate from the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places which recognizes structures and locations for their historical significance, the distinction of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program ensures that sites, facilities, and programs listed as part of the network have been nominated, completed the application process, and have proven to have verifiable and documented association with the Underground Railroad.
Being listed as a member of the NTF offers a variety of benefits to the recipient including: prestigious national recognition, opportunities for networking, eligibility for NTF Grants, verification of documented association with the UGRR, and much more.
Official Certificate of Acceptance
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