Dense with forest and rich in game, Richmond, Indiana was proclaimed "The Land of Promise" by North Carolina Quakers seeking a new home free from the moral chains of slavery. The first settler, Jeremiah Cox, set about "building up a virtuous community" in 1806 by welcoming fellow Quakers to his paradise. His influence shaped Richmond as diverse groups of settlers sought the peaceful and prosperous lifestyle of the Friends. Quakers owned mills and foundries along the Whitewater River, and Quaker Charles Starr further influenced Richmond's destiny as he donated land to the railroad, stipulating that it be used for a depot.
Quaker- influenced rail passage wasn't limited to steam engines. Jeremiah Cox's Land of Promise was the stopover for many who traveled the Underground Railroad. The Levi Coffin Home in what is now Fountain City, north of Richmond, was built with hidden passages to safekeep more than 2,000 slaves who stopped there along their journey to freedom. One such traveler who slept in the Coffin's secret guestroom was the heroic Eliza, immortalized in Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Eastern Indiana and western Ohio represented one important route to Canada and freedom for escaped slaves.
“Most people who were involved did not talk about it even after the Civil War ended,” said Site Manager Joanna Hahn. There are a lot of houses in the region identified as “stops” on the railroad by local lore or family history, but the Levi’s “Reminiscences” offer firm documentation about this house and how it was used.
“This site is the public way for people to interact with that history,” Hahn said.
The Coffins moved on to Cincinnati in 1847, but they left a permanent stamp on the history of our state.