Nearly two centuries after a formerly enslaved pioneer bought 80 acres of Illinois prairie and founded the first legally registered town in the United States platted by an African American, nearly 20 acres of the historic townsite have officially been transferred to the National Park Service.According to the National Park Service, the land was donated by the nonprofit New Philadelphia Association and is an important addition to the New Philadelphia National Historic Site. Located near Barry in Pike County, the site protects the story of Free Frank McWorter, who established an integrated frontier community decades before the American Civil War. The acquisition protects important visitor facilities and historic land, helping preserve the story of self-emancipation, cooperation between Black and white residents, and pioneer determination for future generations.
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