Underground Railroad Depot
Experience the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad where Quaker couple Levi and Catharine Coffin helped nearly 1,000 freedom-seekers find safety on their journey north. Lay your head in a mock false-bottom wagon to hear what it might have been like hiding in one of these escape tools, try to lift a cotton bale and learn how long slaves would have worked to pick enough hay for one bale. Get hands-on with other activities and educational videos in the interpretive center.
Download the Educator Guide
Abolitionism
Underground Railroad
Slavery
201 US Highway 27, Fountain City, IN, USA
Take a trip to see us
School Group Tours
K-Grade 12
Admission is FREE for pre-registered, accredited schools or homeschool groups of 10 or more K–12 students. Free admission includes teachers and bus drivers, plus one additional adult chaperone per every ten students. Additional chaperones pay the group admission rate of $10/person. Members of the Indiana Association of Homeschool Educators receive free daily admission with proof of membership.
Contact site for non-Indiana student rate.
Pre-registration required at least two weeks in advance.
The school group tour includes a self-guided tour of the Levi and Catharine Coffin Interpretive Center, which includes an orientation theater and the Souls Seeking Safety exhibit. A guided tour of the Coffin’s 1839 home once known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad will provide students with information about the Coffins’ contributions during the Abolitionist movement, free Black communities, the many dangers facing freedom-seekers and those who helped them.
Indiana Academic Standards: Social Studies: K.1.2, K.4.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.3, 1.1.8, 1.2.1, 1.3.8, 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.7, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.6, 3.2.2, 3.2.5, 3.2.6, 3.3.5, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.4.4, 3.4.7, 3.4.8, 4.1.4, 4.1.6, 4.1.7, 4.1.8, 4.1.15, 4.1.16, 4.2.7, 4.3.9, 4.3.10, 4.3.14, 4.4.3, 4.4.4, 4.4.7, 5.2.9, 5.2.10, 5.3.12, 5.4.7, 5.4.8, 6.1.7, 6.1.22, 6.1.24, 6.2.6, 6.2.8, 6.4.2, 7.1.6, 8.1.11, 8.1.21, 8.1.22, 8.1.23, 8.1.24, 8.1.27, 8.1.30, 8.2.6, 8.2.7, 8.3.6, 8.3.8, 8.4.3, 8.4.4, 8.4.8, E.1.2, E.1.3, E.1.4, E.1.5, E.1.8, E.2.1, E.2.2, E.2.4, E.4.1, GHW.3.1, GHW.3.2, GHW.3.4, GHW.3.5, GHW.7.1, GHW.7.4, GE-1.2, GE-1.3, GE-3.2, GE-3.7, S.6.7, S.7.3, S.7.4, S.8.2, S.8.3, S.8.7, S.8.8, S.9.1, S.9.2, S.9.4, S.9.5, S.9.6, S.10.2, S.10.6, S.10.8, S.10.9, USG.1.1, USG.2.8, USG.3.10, USG.5.1, USG.5.1, USG.5.2, USG.5.3, USG.5.4, USG.5.6, USH.1.3, USH.1.4, USH.10.2, USH.10.3, USH.10.4, USH.10.5
DISCOVER
These programs offer educator resources to supplement classroom curriculum and e-learning, or to enhance a fieldtrip experience for PreK through grade 12 students with free, downloadable resources including exhibit guides, historic site correlations, learning guides, literature connections, community resources and website links.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN INDIANA CURRICULUM
A curriculum designed to complement both a virtual and in-person visit to the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site can be downloaded here. Activities will focus on Indiana’s role with the Underground Railroad as well as introduce students to primary and secondary resources to aid in the understanding of why the Underground Railroad was needed.
Download curriulumINDIANA WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL EDUCATOR WORKSHOP
K-Grade 12
Incorporate curriculum highlighting Indiana’s suffrage history into your classroom by gaining insight into the work done by Hoosiers who fought to win a woman’s right to vote. See the curriculum and watch a recording of our workshop to learn how to explore this important milestone with your students and also how to connect this content with the continued fight for voting rights today.
Download curriculumExplore Programs
Whether it’s at the site, outreach or virtual, we offer hands-on, exploratory and interactive programs on a variety of topics that provide your students a fun way to learn about Indiana’s people, places and things. All programs fulfill select Indiana Academic Standards.
UNDERSTANDING THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN INDIANA
Grades 3-12
2023 dates: Dec. 5, 9:30 a.m.
2024 dates: Feb. 6 & 20, March 5, April 2, May 7, 9:30 a.m.
Length: 30 minutes
Virtual (Pre-registration is required at least one week in advance.)
Fee: Free
Students will learn the reasons why an Underground Railroad movement developed in the Hoosier state. Afterwards, they will have a chance to see parts of the Coffin house and hear Levi and Catharine’s story and their connections to aiding freedom-seekers.
Indiana Academic Standards: Social Studies: 3.1.3, 3.1.41, 3.1.6, 3.1.7, 3.2.2, 3.2.5, 3.3.3, 4.1.6, 4.1.7, 4.2.6, 4.2.7, 4.3.2, 4.3.10, 8.1.22, 8.1.23, 8.1.25, 8.1.30, 8.2.3, 8.2.7, 8.3.1, USG.5.6, USH.1.3, IS.1.5
VIRTUAL TOUR OF LEVI and CATHARINE COFFIN HOME
Grades 3-12
Available Mondays year-round
Length: 90 minutes
Virtual (Pre-registration is required at least one month in advance.)
Fee: $150 per booking
Can’t visit our location with your students for a guided tour? Book a virtual tour! View an introductory film about the Coffins and then see the actual home where nearly 1,000 freedom-seekers attained shelter, food, clothing and more. After students get a chance to see the house, there is time at the end of the session for questions. The following will need to be provided by the school: internet access, ZOOM application, camera and projection screen.
Indiana Academic Standards: Social Studies: K.1.2, K.4.1, 1.1.3, 1.1.8, 1.2.1, 1.2.4, 1.3.8, 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.7, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.6, 3.2.2, 3.2.5, 3.2.6, 3.3.5, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.4.4, 3.4.7, 3.4.8, 4.1.4, 4.1.6, 4.1.7, 4.1.8, 4.1.15, 4.1.16, 4.2.7, 4.3.9, 4.3.10, 4.3.14, 4.4.3, 4.4.4, 4.4.7, 4.4.8, 5.2.9, 5.2.10, 5.3.12, 5.4.7, 5.4.8, 6.1.17, 6.1.22, 6.1.24, 6.2.6, 6.2.8, 6.4.2, 7.1.6, 8.1.11, 8.1.21, 8.1.22, 8.1.23, 8.1.24, 8.1.27, 8.1.30, 8.2.6, 8.2.7, 8.3.6, 8.3.8, 8.4.3, 8.4.4, 8.4.8, E.1.2, E.1.3, E.1.4, E.1.5, E.1.8, E.2.1, E.2.2, E.2.4, E.4.1, E.8.5, GHW.3.1, GHW.3.2, GHW.3.4, GHW.3.5, GHW.7.1, GHW.7.4, GE-1.2, GE-1.3, GE-3.2, GE-3.7, S.6.7, S.7.3, S.7.4, S.8.2, S.8.3, S.8.7, S.8.8, S.9.1, S.9.2, S.9.4, S.9.5, S.9.6, S.10.2, S.10.6, S.10.8, S.10.9, USG.1.1, USG.2.8, USG.3.10, USG.5.1, USG.5.2, USG.5.3, USG.5.4, USG.5.6, USH.1.3, USH. 1.4, USH.10.2, USH.10.3, USH.10.4, USH.10.5
