The Levi & Catharine Coffin House In Indiana Still Keeps A Remarkable Historic Secret
By Tori Jane|Published June 01, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
In many ways, the state of Indiana doesn’t seem to get the credit it deserves. Most folks consider the Midwest to be “flyover” country, a place one quite literally flies over en route to more coveted vacation destinations. Well, those folks don’t know what it is they’re missing; Indiana is a beautiful state filled with natural wonders and delightful small towns, and its history is quite rich. For example, did you know that one Indiana home, in particular, was not just a major stop on the Underground Railroad, it was THE stop that meant, essentially, “If you’ve made it this far, you’ve made it.” Today, you can still visit it and learn about its extraordinary history. It’s the Levi and Catharine Coffin house, and it’s located in what’s now Fountain City, Indiana. Check it out and learn some of Indiana’s most amazing history from right where it happened:
This eight-room, Federal-style brick house was built in 1838, and its original owners, Levi and Catharine Coffin, would make history here for their acts of incredible selflessness and bravery.
After all, if they were caught, they'd likely be charged with constructive treason, as well as a plethora of other offenses, and the punishment would have no doubt been severe. But over the 20 years they lived here, they were never caught - though it did come close a few times.
What were they doing that would have landed them in potentially fatal hot water should they have been busted? Their house was, after all, only the Grand Central Station of the famed Underground Railroad, a series of networks that assisted escaping slaves to freedom by offering a safe place to stay, warm meals, and guidance.
Levi and Catharine were so excellent at what they did that it's said that every single escaping slave who reached their home eventually made it to freedom. It is thought that they helped no less than 2,000 people escape slavery in the South in exchange for freedom in Canada, and by doing so, they cemented their place - and Indiana's place - in United States history forever.
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The house still has original windows, doors, stairs, et cetera - all of it has been restored, but it is the original architecture.
Look out the same windows folks looked out in the dead of night during one of the darkest times in our country's history, looking for warning signs of bounty hunters or enraged slavers coming to find "their" missing "property." At the very least, harboring escaping slaves was considered theft, but at the very worst, it was treason - and we all know what happens when one is found guilty of treason.
In 1966, this house became the first place to be named on the National Register of Historic Places, and nowadays, it's open for tours from June through October, Tuesday through Saturday.
Learn about the Quaker community this house is situated smack-dab in the center of; fiercely anti-slavery, the entire neighborhood acted as lookouts for the Coffin House, warning them when bounty hunters were coming. The house was equipped with secret doors and hiding spaces, all in the event that the house was searched.
...but it was never searched, mostly because Levi Coffin had a simple and effective deterrent.
He demanded search warrants and paperwork proving "ownership" of the slaves the hunters sought. He would vehemently deny entry to the home for any reason, and because he was known for making such a legal fuss of it, searching this house was never pursued.
The result was more than 2,000 lives saved and changed forever; the Coffins went on to move to Ohio in 1847, where they would assist another 1,800 souls seeking freedom in their quest.
Today, the Levi and Catharine Coffin House is considered one of the Top 25 Historic Sites in the nation by The History Channel, and learn about the plights of the brave freedom seekers who sought the help of Conductors on the Underground Railroad. Explore amazing artifacts like false-bottom wagons, and learn about all the ways freedom fighters devised to sneak escaping people in and out of Stations like this one.
To learn more in-depth history about the house as well as to plan your visit, check out the official website! There are lots of historic places in Indiana that we’re proud of, but this one has got to be one of the most amazing. Never forget what human beings will do out of love for one another in the face of evil – this house is a humbling reminder of Indiana’s relentless spirit, and her love for fellow man.
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