🕊️ Freedom’s Path: The Underground Railroad Experience

Walk the road to freedom through two centuries of history.
The Freedom’s Path Tour takes travelers across Philadelphia and Montgomery County, uncovering hidden landmarks of the Underground Railroad, abolitionist movements, and the rise of Black communities that carried freedom’s torch into the 20th century — including La Mott and Lynnewood Gardens.

From Quaker meetinghouses to African American churches, this journey offers a powerful, educational, and deeply moving exploration of America’s fight for liberty.

🗓️ Day 1 — Philadelphia: “The City of Freedom’s Fire”

Morning

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church – Founded by Richard Allen; cornerstone of African American independence.

William Still Underground Railroad House – Discover the home and records of the “Father of the Underground Railroad.”

African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) – Exhibits on Harriet Tubman, the Still family, and Philadelphia’s abolitionist network.

Lunch (on own): Suggested — Booker’s Restaurant & Bar (Black-owned, West Philly)

Afternoon

Johnson House Historic Site (Germantown) – Guided tour and Underground Railroad interpretive center.

Liberty Bell & Independence Hall – Discussion on the contradictions of freedom and enslavement.

Catto Monument at City Hall Plaza – Tribute to civil-rights leader Octavius Catto.

Evening

Optional dinner (on own): South Jazz Kitchen or Booker’s.
Optional activity: Old City Freedom Walk lantern tour.

🏞️ Day 2 — Montgomery County: “Sanctuaries of the North”

Morning

Plymouth Meeting Friends Meetinghouse & Abolition Hall – Early anti-slavery organizing site.

Lower Gwynedd Friends Meetinghouse – Learn about the Lukens family and their Underground Railroad aid.

Enos W. Pennypacker Farm (Schwenksville) – Authentic safe house and living-history site.

Lunch (on own): Blue Bell Inn — historic abolition-era tavern.

Afternoon — The La Mott & Lynnewood Gardens Heritage Trail

Historic La Mott (Cheltenham Township)

Former Camp William Penn, first U.S. training ground for Black Civil War troops.

Visit Camp William Penn Museum and La Mott Community Center.

Hear the story “From Freedom Seekers to Freedom Fighters.”

Lynnewood Gardens (Elkins Park)

20th-century integrated community rooted in abolitionist migration.

Explore Cheltenham Heritage Trail markers and community stories.

Evening Lodging (optional, not included):

🏨 Akwaaba Philadelphia Bed & Breakfast – Black-owned luxury inn in West Philadelphia.
Optional dinner or storytelling session available upon request.

🕯️ Day 3 — Reflection & Legacy: “Freedom Remembered”

Morning

St. Thomas African Episcopal Church – Founded by Absalom Jones, spiritual heart of early Black Philadelphia.

Historic Germantown Freedom Corridor – Walking tour including the Tubman statue at Vernon Park and Hood Cemetery.

Lunch (on own): Suggested — Imhotep’s Table Café (African-inspired cuisine).

Afternoon

Belmont Mansion & Underground Railroad Museum – Exhibits and film “Standing for Freedom.”

Laurel Hill Cemetery – Gravesites of William Still and Robert Purvis.

Evening

Sunset reflection at Belmont Plateau, overlooking Philadelphia’s skyline.
Candle-lighting and reading from The Underground Railroad Records.

🎫 Package Inclusions

Certified heritage guide or historian

Comfortable group transportation between all sites

Museum admissions and community donations

Educational reading guide and Freedom Map

Coordination with local interpreters and storytellers

🚫 Not Included

Meals

Lodging accommodations

Personal purchases or gratuities

💰 Pricing

📞 For group rates and custom itineraries, contact:
📧 info@foundersthreads.org | Phone: 631-77-5745

🗝️ Learning Themes

Philadelphia’s Black abolitionist networks

Quaker and community-led resistance in Montgomery County

La Mott & Lynnewood Gardens legacy

Women, faith & the fight for freedom

Preserving heritage through storytelling and travel