UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MUSEUM AT BELMONT MANSION

Belmont Mansion is one of the historic houses in Fairmount Park, mostly built between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the opulents of Philadelphia who used it as summer residences. Built in 1742 by William Peters, a British lawyer working on behalf of the Penn, Belmont Mansion is a beautiful palladian style building with the ochre façade. During the American Revolution, Belmont Mansion became the property of Richard Peters, son of William and Senator of the State of Pennsylvania. At this time, the house welcomed prominent people from the Revolution, including Washington, Jefferson and Madison. Richard Peters, who was part of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery, in turn had a son who worked for Underground Railroad, a network of railroads and underground roads borrowed by slaves to regain their freedom. He was involved in the development of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad in 1829, commercial railway crossing Fairmount Park, secretly used for the release of slaves. The latter then found refuge in Belmont Mansion, which became a key place in the Underground Railroad. The home has been home since 2007 to the Underground Railroad Museum, which is a reflection of its role during this period of American history. Volunteer students make very informative guided tours.