The Mifflin House, a historic farmhouse in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, has been officially added to the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom, a program recognizing sites linked to the Underground Railroad. The designation underscores the property’s role in sheltering freedom seekers escaping slavery during the early 19th century.
The National Park Service launched the Network to Freedom in 1998 to preserve and highlight the history of the Underground Railroad. Since then, more than 800 sites have been recognized across 41 states, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.
From 1810 to 1840, the Mifflin House served as a refuge for dozens of freedom seekers. Quakers Jonathan and Susanna Mifflin provided short-term shelter on their farm, situated just across the Susquehanna River from Lancaster County. With the assistance of their son Samuel, the family often helped the individuals continue their journey northward, according to the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.
In addition to its Underground Railroad legacy, the property was the site of a Civil War skirmish during the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign.
The Mifflin House was among three Pennsylvania sites added to the registry last week. It joins 10 other recognized locations in Lancaster County, including the Old Lancaster County Jail and the First National Bank Museum in Columbia Borough.
Public tours of the Mifflin House will begin on May 24. The site will be open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October, as announced by the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.
